News & information

Ratification balloting update

Every active letter carrier eligible to vote in the election to ratify the tentative 2016-2019 National Agreement between NALC and the U.S. Postal Service was mailed a copy of the proposed agreement, a letter from NALC President Fredric Rolando, a summary of the contract’s provisions, a ballot and secrecy envelope, a return envelope and instructions for casting a vote. For a ballot to be counted, it must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 29.

As previously reported, President Rolando appointed a Ballot Committee to conduct the ratification vote, pursuant to Article 16 of the NALC Constitution. The committee arrived in Washington, DC, on June 19, and monitored and observed the mailing of the ballots. The committee will return to Washington on July 30 to monitor and observe the receipt and tabulation of the ratification ballots.

The Ballot Committee is made up of 15 NALC members from branches in no fewer than 15 states. The members of the committee are:

NALC members in good standing who wish to observe the tabulation of the ballots should check nalc.org after the ballot committee arrives for details on the hours and the location where the receipt and tabulation will take place.

Caveat: Two NALC members—Thomas Houff of Richmond, VA Branch 496 and David Noble of Washington, DC Branch 142—have filed a lawsuit against NALC in federal court in Washington, DC. Houff and Noble have asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction that would defer the counting of ballots. The court has scheduled a hearing on the motion for July 28. Further developments in this matter will be reported as soon as possible.