Letter Carriers Bring in Top Financial and Policy Experts to Advise upon Postal Reforms

Aim is to Continue High Quality Universal Postal Service and Middle-Class Jobs

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National Association of Letter Carriers

Oct 16, 2011, 04:15 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) today announced the retention of investment bank Lazard Group, LLC and former assistant to President Barack Obama for Manufacturing Policy, Ron Bloom, as financial advisors in connection with issues relating to the United States Postal Service (USPS).

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Fredric V. Rolando, President of the NALC, announced the retention of its advisors to 1,500 regional and local NALC leaders gathered in a national conference to consider the current USPS financial crisis and the long-term strategic, structural and business challenges facing the USPS.

President Rolando issued the following statement:

"The nation's letter carriers are committed to preserving six-day-a-week universal postal services to every address in every village, town and city of the nation. NALC and our financial advisors are prepared to work cooperatively with the USPS, the Congress, the White House and all other postal stakeholders and constituencies to resolve current cash flow and financial issues and develop a viable long-term, pro-growth business plan for the Postal Service.

Our efforts will be fact-based, non-political, non-ideological, and focused on the continued provision of universal service to the public and the preservation of hundreds of thousands of good middle-class jobs. We are confident that Lazard and Mr. Bloom-both of whom have extensive experience helping to revitalize numerous large and complex business enterprises around the world-can provide valuable assistance to all stakeholders who share our commitment to maintaining and growing this vital national resource."

The Postal Service is the hub of a $1.2 trillion mailing industry that employs eight million American workers centered on its unique 'last-mile delivery network.' NALC is currently engaged in collective bargaining with the USPS. The current five-year collective bargaining agreement expires on November 20, 2011.

About the National Association of Letter Carriers

The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) represents letter carriers across the country. Its 280,000 members make it the largest of the four unions representing employees of the United States Postal Service. Founded by Civil War veterans in 1889, the NALC is among the country's oldest labor unions.

SOURCE National Association of Letter Carriers