As the NPMHU officers and members prepare for what surely will be a busy 2016, we wanted to share a look back at some of our events from 2015:

JANUARY           

• 2014 Elections reset 114^th Congress; Republicans Control Both Houses

• H.Res. 54 Introduced Supporting Return to Service Standards as of July 1, 2012- On January 27, 2015, a Bi-Partisan group of House members signed on in support of H.Res. 54. The Resolution was introduced by Republican Congressman McKinley (WV). Members from both sides of the aisle are joining their colleague expressing the sense of the Congress that the USPS needs to use all means possible to return to the service standards in effect as of July 1, 2012.

FEBRUARY         

• Hegarty Announces Retirement- On Thursday, February 5, 2015, National President John Hegarty delivered his 26th and final report to the attendees of the Semi-Annual Meeting of the Local Unions (SAMLU). At this meeting in San Francisco, President Hegarty announced his plans to retire from his position as National President on May 1, 2015.  With Hegarty’s retirement, the National Executive Board has announced its unanimous selection of Paul Hogrogian to fill the unexpired term of office as National President, with that appointment effective on May 2, 2015.

MARCH                               

• Formation of Grand Alliance- The NPMHU joined forces with the APWU, NALC, NRLCA, and a number of like-minded organizations to establish “A Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service.” This Alliance is a comprehensive coalition of national organizations made up of other labor unions, civil rights groups, religious organizations and progressive policy advocates that all support high-quality public services for all Americans. The Grand Alliance is standing unified— in opposition to the unparalleled assaults being waged against the Postal Service from those who would like to dismantle and privatize it.

• Federal Postal Coalition Unite in Objection to H. Con. Res 27- This extreme budget blueprint takes $318 billion from the federal and postal community, forcing this group of the middle-class dedicated public servants to once again shoulder a disproportionate share of the sacrifice.

MAY                     

• Mail Handlers Deliver Message to Capitol Hill during Legislative Conference- More than one hundred mail handlers from across the country gathered in Washington, DC to participate in the NPMHU’s biennial Legislative Conference for the 114th Congress. The conference included a full training program, with a host of speakers and panel discussions highlighting both the substance of USPS issues now facing Congress and the methods used by successful lobbyists.

• Nearly All Closing and Consolidations Put on Hold- May 22, 2015- The USPS announced significant changes to the Phase II-2015 USPS Network Rationalization Consolidation initiative.  With few exceptions, the USPS suspended all remaining closures and consolidations to a date to be determined.

• Hogrogian Sworn in as National President

• 2000^th MHA Converted to Career FTR

JUNE                    

• USPS Issues SPSS Craft Determination Awarding work to Mail Handler Craft- On June 2, 2015, the Union received the Postal Service's determination of craft jurisdiction for employees operating the Small Parcel Sorter System (SPSS), which is currently deployed in five pilot test locations, and will be deployed shortly in twenty-six other facilities around the country. The Postal Service determined that "the primary craft for all duties associated with the operation of the SPSS is the Mail Handler Craft."

• The National Executive Board announced its unanimous selection of John A. Gibson to fill the unexpired term of office as Vice President, Eastern Region, with that appointment effective on June 6, 2015.

• House Appropriations Committee Votes to Restore USPS Service Standards- While the House Appropriations Committee was approving the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill on June 17, 2015, an amendment to the bill was offered by Congressman Chakah Fattah, a Democrat from Pennsylvania, to restore USPS service standards back to July 1, 2012.  That amendment was passed by a bi-partisan vote of 26 to 23, with six Republicans joining all voting Democrats on the Committee to support the amendment.

• Awarded 15 Arthur S. Vallone Scholarships- The Arthur S. Vallone Scholarship — now in its 15th year, is designed to assist deserving mail handlers and/or their immediate family with the difficult task of financing the cost of higher education.

• Settlement Reached in Data Security Breach- A settlement agreement has been reached between the Postal Service and all four postal unions, including the NPMHU, affirming the right of the unions to bargain with the Postal Service over a massive data security breach that took place in 2014.  The settlement has been approved by the National Labor Relations Board, and will require not only future bargaining, but also the posting and reading of notices to all employees.

AUGUST             

• Call for Bargaining Proposals- With preparations underway for negotiations over the terms of the 2016 National Agreement between the NPMHU and the Postal Service, the National Office issued its official call for bargaining proposals from all members and Local Unions.

• USPS Reneges on SPSS Craft Determination- In a stunning move that defies the tripartite RI-399 Dispute Resolution Procedures, the requirements of RI-399, Article 1.5 of the National Agreement, and any concept of good faith bargaining, the Postal Service formally notified the NPMHU of its decision to reverse the June 1, 2015 jurisdictional craft determination that previously identified the mail handler craft as the primary craft for all duties associated with the operation of the Small Parcel Sorter System (SPSS).

• NPMHU Appeals SPSS Decision to Arbitration and National Labor Relations Board

• NPMHU Sues Postal Service over SPSS Reversal

• Signed MOU on filling residual vacancies- The NPMHU and USPS reached agreement on the procedures for filling residual vacancies.  On August 17, 2015, the USPS and NPMHU entered into a Memorandum of Understanding providing for a specific pecking order when filling residual vacancies. This MOU provides a path for the conversion of MHAs into career positions.

SEPTEMBER       

• NPMHU trains on Financial; Management- During two separate, but similar training programs held in Washington DC in August and September of 2015, representatives from nearly every Local Union (including most Local Union Treasurers and Presidents) participated in a three-day training program dedicated to financial management issues that arise at each Local Union.

• Sen Carper introduced iPOST: Improving Postal Operations, Service and Transparency Act of 2015

OCTOBER            

• Field Negotiating Committee convenes- The NPMHU Field Negotiating Committee met during the third full week of October at the NPMHU’s National Headquarters. During those meetings, hundreds of potential bargaining proposals — previously submitted by members, stewards, officers, and Local Unions across the country — were reviewed and analyzed by the Committee.

OCTOBER            

• 3000^th MHA converted to career FTR

NOVEMBER                     

• Official Convention Call- This is official notification, pursuant to Article XII, Section 2 of the National Constitution of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, that the National Convention will be held in Chicago, Illinois from August 22 through August 27, 2016 at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park Hotel. The Local Union Council of each Local Union shall determine, on or before November 30, 2015, the number of delegates that the Local Union will send to the 2016 NPMHU National Convention. The total number of Delegates attending the 2016 NPMHU Convention will be 286.

• Wage Increase- All Mail Handlers to Receive Guaranteed Wage Increase Effective November 14, 2015

• Wounded Warrior Federal Leave Act Signed Into Law- The legislation, introduced by Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) and backed by the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, was signed into law by President Obama on November 5, 2015 — The legislation will provide up to 104 hours of paid sick leave to any new Federal or Postal employee who is a veteran with a service-connected disability rated at 30 percent or more, primarily for the purpose of undergoing medical treatment for such disability.