The NPMHU’s Committee on the Future was established to engage in long-term strategic planning on issues that are confronting the Union over the coming months and years. The Committee most recently met in June 2025 to discuss several important issues facing Mail Handlers today and into the future.

The Committee on the Future is comprised of all members of the National Executive Board, National President Paul Hogrogian, National Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Tabarus, Eastern Region Vice President John Gibson, Central Region Vice President June Harris, Northeastern Region Vice President Dan St. Marie, Southern Region Vice President John (JR) Macon, West­ern Region Vice President Don Sneesby and — as well as various Local Union Presidents, including Marcenia Yvette Johnson of Local 300, Tony Coleman of Local 302, Jim Hag­garty of Local 307, Charles Charleston of Local 311, Nick Mosezar of Local 318, Bernie Gon­zalez of Local 320, Kelly Dickey of Local 322, Jeff Larsen of Local 323, Edvina Tesch of Local 332 and Sheldon Adams of Local 334. Also in attendance were Katie Maddocks, Political and Legislative Director; Teresa Harmon, CAD Manager; Nina Gallauresi, Executive Direc­tor MHBP; and Matt Clash-Drexler, General Counsel. The Committee focused on several key issues facing the NPMHU: USPS financial situ­ation; USPS network redesign & impacts under the PMG’s Delivering For America Plan, Polit­ical and Legislative issues; USPS automation and other technological changes; National and Local Union finances and financial planning; NPMHU 2028 National Convention; an in depth discussion on Contract Negotiations and proposals for the 2025 National Agreement; and new membership organizing and recruitment.

The Committee began with a review of Local and National Union finances. President Hogro­gian next led Committee discussions on the financial status of the Postal Service and impli­cations of declining volume trends within each mailing category.

The Committee reviewed USPS network operations, focusing on the impact of future closures and consolidations that claim to improve transportation utilization and handling methods with a significant shift to ground transportation (Ground Advantage). The core of the USPS Network Redesign plan is the consolidation of all originating letters, flats, and parcels from all mail processing facilities within a metropolitan area into one mega-processing center. While the Postal Service’s plans are fluid and constantly changing, the Committee began the creation of best practices for Locals to utilize when respond­ing to these changes.

The Committee also reviewed Mail Handler complement and membership trends with discussions on areas of necessary improvement. There have been over 53,796 Mail Handler Assistants (MHAs) converted to full-time reg­ular (FTR) since Arbitrator Fishgold mandated the new employment category in 2013. How­ever, employee turnover and new membership recruitment continue to be a major concern.

The Committee discussed organizational pri­orities and the NPMHU’s Legislative Agenda of the 119th Congress. President Hogrogian led discussions with Legislative and Political Director Maddocks on key pieces of the Legislative Agenda including attacks on the Federal Employee Retire­ment System (FERS), Federal Labor Unions, and gaining congressional support opposing Postal privatization of any form.

Other key issues of our Legislative Agenda include preserving universal service ensuring that every American household and business has access to USPS products and services, protect­ing earned retirement and healthcare benefits, promoting workers’ rights, and strengthening American elections. The NPMHU Legislative Agenda for the 119th Congress is posted in its entirety at npmhu.org.

The Committee also discussed the migration of the Postal Service Health Benefits Program which was effective January 1, 2025. The com­mittee discussed the successes of MHBP with increased enrollment, negotiation, and pres­ervation of health benefits during collective bargaining, and the impact of the PSHBP on the Mail Handler Benefits Program (MHBP®).