Senate backs bill to give postmasters more power to bargain over pay

The Senate has put its stamp of approval on a bill to allow postmasters to negotiate over pay and benefits.

"Passage of the Postmasters Equity Act is welcome news for our nation's 27,000 postmasters, who are accountable for postal operations and services, including retail postal operations and community relations in individual post offices," the bill's sponsor, Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, said after its passage Wednesday.

Under the legislation (S.678), postmasters would be allowed to use the same fact-finding process for negotiating pay and benefits issues that is used by postal supervisors. The bill was approved by unanimous consent.

The House passed a similar version of the bill (H.R. 2249) on July 21.

"Adding the option of fact-finding to the consultation process will strengthen the role of postmasters in improving the quality of mail services to their postal patrons and managing their local post offices," Akaka said. Under the current process, postmasters have no recourse if pay talks do not produce satisfactory results because Postal Service decisions are final. "We have worked for over four years to provide postmasters with a more constructive consultation process with the Postal Service," Akaka said. "The Senate's action takes them closer to a process that is currently enjoyed by postal supervisors." The bills also formally recognize the position of postmaster. The title doesn't appear in the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act.