U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-Hawaii) has reintroduced the Postmasters Fairness and Rights Act (S. 177). To date, 23 Senators have cosponsored S. 177. The bill will allow postmasters to take an active and constructive role in managing their individual post offices and discussing compensation issues with the U.S. Postal Service.

The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 set up a "consultative" process for postmasters and other non-union postal employees to negotiate pay and benefits. Under the current system, some postmasters have seen an erosion of their role in improving the quality of mail services to postal patrons and managing their local post offices. This has been particularly true for postmasters responsible for small and medium post offices where they serve as front line managers. Salary and benefit equity has also lagged. These circumstances have contributed to the decline in the number of postmasters since the reorganization of the Postal Service three decades ago. At the present time, postmasters lack recourse when consultation fails, and Senator Akaka's bill would require an enforceable resolution when agreements are not reached through the consultative process. The measure would also define "postmaster" for the first time.

"Our nation's postmasters have helped fuel the infrastructure that boosted the performance ratings of the Postal Service to an all-time high in 2000. They are on the front line to ensure that our mail is delivered in a timely manner," Akaka noted. "The Postmasters Fairness and Rights Act would establish a fair process to address the inequalities that have resulted from the current consultative process, including the growing inequity in addressing pay and compensation issues."

The bill was referred to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee, where Senator Akaka serves as the ranking Democrat on the Subcommittee on International Relations, Proliferation, and Federal Services, with jurisdiction over civil service and postal issues.

Cosponsoring S. 177 are Senators Richard J. Durbin, John D. Rockefeller IV, Daniel K. Inouye, Max Cleland, Paul Sarbanes, Barbara Mikulski, Herb Kohl, Tom Harkin, Max Baucus, Jim Jeffords, Pat Leahy, Joseph Lieberman, Blanche Lincoln, Edward M. Kennedy, John Edwards, Jack Reed, Jeff Bingaman, Tim Johnson, Tom Daschle, Byron Dorgan, Debbie Stabenow, and Bob Torricelli.

A House companion bill, H.R. 250, introduced by Representative Connie Morella (R-MD), has the bipartisan support of 77 cosponsors.