Dear Supporter,

As a result of the final passage of S. 1789, there is no doubt we all woke up this morning feeling mislead by those in the Senate who we considered to be our supporters. The NALC is deeply disappointed by the passage of such a flawed bill, despite our very best efforts to stop it.

That said, I want to make sure that we strategize very carefully about how we move forward from here. This process is far from over and, whether we like it or not, the Senate will continue to have a voice in this process. Therefore, it is extremely important that we avoid a knee-jerk reaction to the members of the Senate who have let us down. While such a response might make us feel vindicated, we need to remain focused on the long-term objective of making our case before Congress and the Obama administration.

Many of us have begun to hear from our senators who are looking to explain their votes on S. 1789. My advice is to embrace the opportunity to discuss this with the senators who wish to explain themselves. It is extremely important that we hold them accountable for their vote, but that doesn’t have to mean completely cutting ties to them. You have worked very hard over the years to develop your relationships with your elected officials, and while you may feel betrayed by them right now, you have every right to let them know exactly why this particular vote was so critical.

Over the next several days, we will be putting together a comprehensive summary of the legislation that passed the Senate. This summary will highlight the many areas where the bill falls short of addressing the real issues facing the USPS or where it is downright damaging to the network and its employees. We will share this document with you for your use in any meetings or conversations that may be forthcoming with your senators, and you also can take that opportunity to discuss what they can still do to help fix the damage that has been done.

Now is not the time to make blanket statements about future support or endorsement of any particular senator. Instead, let’s focus on making them understand what just happened.

I will circulate the document as soon as it is complete. In the mean time, if you have any questions or concerns regarding the vote or how to proceed with your senators’ outreach, please feel free to contact NALC Director of Legislative & Political Affairs Jennifer Warburton at 202-662-2833.

Let’s stick together and stay on message. This fight has only just begun!
 
In Solidarity,
 
Fredric V. Rolando, President
National Association of Letter Carriers

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The National Association of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO
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