### Mail Carriers and USPS Reach Tentative Agreement Including Pay Raises and Air-Conditioned Trucks

A tentative contract agreement has been reached between the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and approximately 200,000 mail carriers, promising backdated pay raises and a commitment to providing air-conditioned trucks. The new contract, which requires ratification by union members, extends through November 2026.

Notably, letter carriers have been functioning without a valid contract since May 2023. Both the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) and USPS expressed satisfaction with the deal announced on Friday, marking a significant milestone in what was evidently a lengthy negotiation.

“Both sides didn’t get everything they wanted. But by bargaining in good faith, we ended with an agreement that meets our goals and rewards our members,” said NALC President Brian Renfroe. He emphasized the necessity for USPS to acknowledge the essential contributions made by its workforce to the postal service and the broader American community.

Under the terms of the contract, the pathway to top pay will be shortened for new workers, along with an overall increase in the ceiling for maximum pay. Renfroe credited Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his deputy for their open and fair negotiation stance throughout the discussions.

The USPS concurred, highlighting the alignment of the agreement with its 10-year 'Delivering for America' plan, which aims to modernize operations to match evolving customer needs. “This is a fair and responsible agreement that serves the best interests of our employees, our customers, and the future of the Postal Service,” stated Doug Tulino, Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Human Resources Officer.

Key elements of the contract include three annual pay increases of 1.3% each by 2025, starting retroactively from November 2023. Additionally, employees will benefit from both retroactive and future cost-of-living adjustments. Perhaps most significantly, the Postal Service has committed to making every effort to equip new mail trucks with air-conditioning.

This move comes in conjunction with USPS's summer rollout of new electric delivery vehicles, which are already equipped with air-conditioning. These newer vehicles have received positive feedback from carriers who previously dealt with older, unreliable models lacking modern safety and comfort features.

Over the next few years, USPS plans to expand its delivery fleet to 60,000 vehicles, primarily electric, to serve as the main delivery trucks from Maine to Hawaii. Under the tentative contract, the USPS is required to consult with the union before acquiring any new non-air-conditioned mail trucks.

This development marks the second contract negotiated under the leadership of Louis DeJoy since his appointment as Postmaster General in 2020. Union members are expected to take several weeks to ratify the contract. It should be noted that rural mail carriers are not covered by this agreement as they are represented by a different union.