The Committee on the Future of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union met in Pittsburgh during the third week of July. This Committee serves as a strategic planning group for the NPMHU, as it engages in in-depth discussions on a host of matters confronting the Union today, and assists the National Executive Board as it formulates strategies going forward. While the Committee's agenda is wide ranging, its primary focus at this meeting was a full review and examination of the financial troubles facing the Postal Service, how the USPS revenue and mail volume downturn likely will affect Mail Handlers, and how the NPMHU might position itself to better react to the new realities that this ongoing economic downturn have presented.

The Committee also examined a host of other matters, from upcoming collective bargaining issues to continuing postal automation. The group also traveled to both the Pittsburgh NDC and L&DC to review operations, to meet with Local Union leaders and members, and to gain a fuller understanding of postal automation programs -- including a detailed look at the Automated Parcel and Bundle Sorter (APBS).