Press Release

 FMCS Convenes First Postal Summit

Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) Director John Calhoun Wells convened the first-ever Postal Service labor-management summit this week in Washington, D.C., bringing together leaders of the four major postal unions and three management associations, representing 860-thousand postal workers and managers, with the top leadership of the Postal Service to discuss labor problems in the organization.

The Postal Summit, culminating months of meetings between FMCS and individual union and management association leaders, was suggested by U.S. Postmaster General Marvin Runyon and encouraged by Chairman John M. McHugh of the House Postal Service Subcommittee. It follows an October General Accounting Office (GAO) report, entitled "Little Progress Made in Addressing Persistent Labor-Management Problems."

FMCS Director Wells said, "This summit enjoys fortuitous timing since a House Subcommittee hearing on the GAO report is scheduled for next Tuesday, November 4. This summit will show Congress and the American public that all parties concerned are serious about addressing the labor relations problems in the Postal Service." All of the summit participants will testify at the House subcommittee hearing.

The management and union leaders reviewed progress toward improving relations between postal workers and managers, including the work of two joint union-management committees charged with formulating processes to reduce grievances, accelerate arbitrations and reduce workplace problems.

Postal Summit participants included:

Hugh Bates, President, National Association of Postmasters

Moe Biller, President, American Postal Workers Union

William Brennan, President, National League of Postmasters of the U. S.

Vincent Palladino, President, National Association of Postal Supervisors

William Quinn, President, National Postal Mailhandlers Union

Marvin Runyon, Postmaster General, United States Postal Service

Steve Smith, President, National Rural Letter Carriers Union

Vincent Sombrotto, President, National Association of Letter Carriers

The eight organizations participating in this week’s meeting have agreed to meet with FMCS on a quarterly basis.

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