The NPMHU’s Committee on the Future was originally constituted in 1996, and for nineteen years has engaged in strategic planning over long-term issues that are likely to confront the Union over the coming months and years.  The Committee usually focuses on five key issues facing the NPMHU:  privatization of the Postal Service; the NPMHU’s legislative relations program; USPS automation and other technological changes; financial planning, especially at the Local level; and membership recruitment.

The most recent semi-annual meeting of the Committee, which took place during July 2015, continued this process.  As is often the case, the Committee’s focus is determined by current events, so this meeting primarily dealt with the following issues:

First, the Committee analyzed the Postal Service’s May 2015 decision to suspend most plant closures and consolidations for one year, exploring various ways to stop or further delay the shuttering of additional mail processing facilities.  To this end, the NPMHU has filed a National-level grievance claiming a violation of Handbook PO-408 and have accelerated efforts to generate legislative action by the 114th Congress.  The Committee also reviewed the impact of the modified service standards — analyzing how the degradation of service has influenced the Postal Service’s decision to suspend its dismantling of the network infrastructure.

As usual, the Committee also discussed various automation programs that the Postal Service is beginning to develop, purchase, and deploy.  Most notably, the Committee discussed the recently issued determination of craft jurisdiction that identified the Mail Handler craft as the primary craft for all duties associated with the operation of the Small Parcel Sorting System (SPSS).

The Committee also reviewed the latest membership data and continuing approaches to organizing nonmembers, with extra emphasis placed on recently-hired MHAs who are converted to full-time regular (FTR) status and new career mail handlers who have joined the mail handler craft from other employment with the Postal Service.  It is noteworthy to mention that 700 MHAs were converted to FTR in the 90 days prior to press.

The Committee also discussed matters relative to the recent data breach and NLRB settlement, the current USPS financial situation, planning and preparing for 2016 bargaining and the 2016 National Convention, and ongoing subcontracting negotiations with the USPS.  Additionally, the Committee reviewed upcoming training programs to include bargaining strategy, financial management, and application of the FMLA.