Since the contract negotiation deadline has been extended, discussions about economics between Deputy Postmaster General Douglas Tulino, Vice President of Labor Relations Mike Elston, National President Paul Hogrogian, National Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Tabarus, Contract Administration Manager Teresa Harmon and NPMHU General Counsel Matthew Clash-Drexler have continued to gain momentum. The conversations in recent sessions have become increasingly focused, detailed, and substantive.
Throughout these meetings, the NPMHU Negotiations Team has repeatedly and unequivocally underscored the importance of addressing the long-standing issues in the wage scale for both career employees and MHAs. The team has also emphasized the significant impact of the proportional COLA, which continues to disproportionately affect those at the lower end of the scale. National President Hogrogian continues to ensure that the Postal Service understands that these are central priorities at the bargaining table which must be addressed during this bargaining cycle.
Although the dialogue has been productive, the parties remain far apart on several key economic questions. The NPMHU Negotiations Team has made clear that meaningful movement on these issues is essential and that it will continue pressing for proposals that accurately reflect the value and contributions of the membership.
Additional bargaining dates have been scheduled, and we expect to provide further updates as those meetings take place. If the NPMHU and the Postal Service come to a tentative agreement, it will be subject to a mail ballot referendum of the entire NPMHU membership. All regular, dues-paying members will have a chance to vote in favor or against the new terms and conditions included in any final 2025 National Agreement.
As always, the NPMHU Negotiations Team remains fully committed to securing real and lasting improvements for the National Postal Mail Handlers Union, the Mail Handler Craft, the Postal Service, and the American mailing public.
USPS ISSUES NATIONAL CRAFT DETERMINATION ON THE MATRIX REGIONAL SORTER (MaRS)
On December 8, 2025, the NPMHU received the Postal Service’s determination of craft jurisdiction for employees operating the Matrix Regional Sorter (MaRS). The MaRS is the package sorter that the Postal Service has developed to be used in some of the Regional Processing Distribution Centers and is the Postal Service’s largest package sorter. This high-volume sorter is presently capable of processing up to 56,000 pieces per hour, with a forthcoming MaRS system able to process in excess of 85,000 pieces per hour. The MaRS can process both destinating and originating mail simultaneously and will process package sizes that are consistent with the other current sorters, which is up to 15”x 18”x 22”.
As set forth in the determination letter, the Postal Service has assigned all work on the MaRS to the Mail Handler craft except for the RELA (or re-labeling) function at the re-handling station (with keying). The determination letter further states that Clerk craft employees assigned to the RELA exception re-handling station will also rotate to perform duties associated with the “Flatten and Face” exception re-handling station.
The National Office will begin the process of disputing the craft jurisdiction awarded to the Clerk craft for the relabeling function on the MaRS through the RI-399 Update MOU.
