On May 6, the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors announced the selection of Louis DeJoy to serve as the next postmaster general, succeeding current PMG Megan Brennan. PMG Brennan announced her intent to resign back in October 2019 but remained in her role while the search for a new PMG continued.
Mr. DeJoy, is expected to begin serving in his new role effective June 15th. He is the first PMG in over 20 years to not rise through the ranks of Postal Service. Mr DeJoy is currently President of LDJ Global Strategies, a real estate development, private equity, and consulting company based in Greensboro. He also currently serves as the lead fundraiser for the Republican National Convention. Prior to that, he spent over 30 years as a very successful CEO in the logistics field.
On May 7, I congratulated Louis DeJoy on his appointment as the 75th postmaster general. I say again, the National Association of Letter Carriers is committed to working in good faith with him to build a relationship based on mutual trust and a shared vision for the future of the Postal Service. This shared vision should embrace a strategy to grow as a public institution that values its employees and that works with its unions to promote high-quality service, safety, efficiency and a workplace culture of mutual respect. I look forward to seeing whether his agenda is indeed consistent with this vision.
The selection of the new PMG followed the unexpected resignation of Board of Governors Vice-Chairman David Williams on April 30. It is reported that Governor Williams resigned in protest over the Treasury Department’s inappropriate meddling in the management of the Postal Service. We had recently written to the Board members urging them to resist such meddling, and I ask the same of the new postmaster general. Our letter noted that ‘It is the role of a democratically elected Congress to set postal policy in this country, and it is the role of the Board and the PRC to implement that policy with the managerial and regulatory discretion provided by law. The Treasury Department has no authority to re-write the law or to impose its policy preferences on the Postal Service – or on the country’. Keeping politics out of the Postal Service and maintaining its independence is central to its success—this is one of the reasons that over 90 percent of all Americans, from both parties and from rural and urban areas alike, support the Postal Service.
In my statement on April 3, 2020, I reported on the possibility of our interest arbitration hearings for a new collective bargaining agreement being delayed due to the pandemic. Neutral arbitrator Dennis Nolan has now provided sufficient hearing dates for September through November to replace the previously scheduled dates in May, June, and July. There continue to be major issues at stake, as we still have many unresolved differences regarding economic, operational and workplace issues. Our collective bargaining goals have not changed. While we continue discussions with the Postal Service, we are also continuing to prepare for arbitration to achieve those goals. Our current collective-bargaining agreement remains in full force pending final resolution of the parties’ dispute.
Last month I also reported that the NALC Executive Council was doing its due diligence to explore our options in the event we would be unable to hold our National Convention as scheduled August 17-21. At the direction of the Executive Council, we have notified the convention center, hotels, and various vendors of our decision to cancel the convention. Unfortunately, the state government of Hawaii could not give us any assurance that travel or gatherings with the number of delegates we would have had attending would be allowed in August. Please see the NALC website for information regarding cancellation of hotels and travel reservations. At this point in time, we will continue to monitor the effects of the pandemic and then consider the available options for scheduling the convention in the future.
Currently, in Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Dallas, and Greenwood, SC, the Postal Service is testing the use of various types of materials and styles to be used as face coverings during the hotter months. Such styles being tested include various bandanna type masks, neck gaiters, and even cooling masks. While we don’t yet have the final data from the tests, initial results indicate that the carriers liked three of the five styles tested, two of which were the neck gaiter style, and the other being a bandana style. The Postal Service will be ordering the selected styles.
Recently, in certain New York City and New Jersey ZIP Codes, COVID-19 sample test kits began being mailed through the Postal Service as part of a limited research study being conducted by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, working in conjunction with Rutgers University. Such test kits are being supplied to 4,000 targeted recipients to be tested for COVID-19. A Mandatory Stand-up Talk regarding the tests should have been given in the offices where these mailings are taking place.
The kits are mailed daily to 100-200 select volunteer recipients from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. The volunteers then self-administer the test and return the sample through the mail to either the Icahn School of Medicine or Rutgers University in Brunswick, NJ for testing. Each test kit contains explicit mailing instructions for the test recipients to follow to ensure the safety of individuals handling the return samples. Letter carriers can get more information or clarification about these mailings from their supervisors. If you are unable to get information or clarification from your supervisor, please contact your local union representative, your National Business Agent, or email NALC headquarters at COVID19@nalc.org
As the pandemic persists, we continue to discuss with the Postal Service potential new temporary policies and procedures to protect our members, other postal employees, and our customers. One such policy being discussed involves taking the temperature of employees when reporting to work. The Postal Service will soon begin proof of concept testing in a few sites. What this means is that they will be testing whether the equipment they bought works, so we can discuss the feasibility of how and where such a system would be used. We are in the process of discussing the relevant policies and procedures that would be followed should the system be implemented in selected sites. The test will involve taking the temperatures of employees on a voluntary basis as they enter the workplace each day. They will test doing this inside, outside, and even drive-by.
There will be four proof of concept test sites likely beginning next week: Merrifield, Virginia P&DC, Falls Church Virginia Carrier Annex, Fairfax Virginia Main Office, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma P&DC. The test will run for two weeks. Having your temperature taken is voluntary, taken with a camera or scanner from a distance, and no health data will be collected or maintained. During the two-week test, if an employee has a temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, they will be so informed in private, and then sent home and paid either Emergency Paid Sick Leave or administrative leave until the fever subsides.
This week, we also began discussions with the Postal Service regarding making test kits available for employees to be tested at worksites. Several options and possibilities are being explored, and the relevant policies and procedures associated with such testing are being discussed.
Also, this week, we will be discussing renewal of the many COVID-19 related memorandums of understanding that we have negotiated with the Postal Service during the last eight weeks. As always, information will be posted on the NALC website.
Today, some 5000 employees are under quarantine from the virus. Over 12,000 previously quarantined employees have been cleared and returned to work. About 900 of the currently quarantined employees have tested positive for the virus, and another 500 are presumed to be positive. Another 1000 employees who tested positive in the past have recovered and returned to work. Of all these numbers, about one-third are letter carriers. Sadly, 60 employees have passed away from the virus, including 14 city letter carriers.
Daily I see depictions of letter carriers as heroes; watch guards of society working diligently to serve the citizens of the United States – your customers. It’s true, you are all heroes, and I, along with the other NALC officers and employees, remain ever so proud to be working for you. Thank you for all that you do, please stay safe. God bless each of you and your families.