A Brief Review of the Great Postal Strike of 1970

It has been written that “those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat their mistakes.” In considering this article, I will be making an effort to describe what others have written about the “Great Postal Strike of 1970.”

Much of this information has been taken from past Postal Records (The National Union Magazine) from 1970 and 1971. In the opinion of this writer, it was the Great Postal Strike that truly created the NALC Union and allowed its members to bargain with their Employer (at that time, the United States Post Office Department.)

According to then (1970) NALC, National President James Rademacher, March 1970 was the “most crucial month in all postal history.” Prior to the “strike” President Rademacher writes on March 12th, the “House Committee” had approved a bill that would allow collective bargaining and retroactive pay raises (5.4%).”

On the surface, this sounds good but a Committee approval does not make it a law. A law needs to be voted on by both the House and the Senate and signed by the President.

In reaction to the repeated delays by Congress on March 17, 1970 Branch 36, New York City letter carriers voted to walk off the job. The vote was 1555 for 1055 against. On March 18th, not a single letter carrier in New York City reported to work. This same occurred in Brooklyn, many parts of Long Island and Northern New Jersey. The strike quickly spread to other parts of the Country and soon about 200,000 postal workers were withholding their services. It was a “wildcat” strike that was not openly endorsed by NALC’s National Leaders. Rank and File letter carriers and other postal workers were leading the charge!

On March 20th, NALC President Rademacher had summoned over 300 Local leaders to Washington, D.C. for an “emergency” meeting. Rademacher further writes that because the Postmaster General refused to negotiate until the “strikers” returned to work he was prepared to support a nationwide job action starting on Monday, March 23rd . According to Rademacher this would have occurred at 11AM on Monday morning.

As fate has it according to President Rademacher, at 5 minutes to 11, then Secretary of Labor George Schultz called him and indicated he would be willing to negotiate. The parties agreed that they would negotiate for 5 days. These negotiations ended the threat of a National Strike but letter carriers in New York City were still reluctant to return to work. Although most of the countries postal workers did return to work on the 23rd.

Also, on the 23rd, then President Richard Nixon announced he was ordering the National Guard into New York City to deliver the mail. Very little mail if any was actually worked or delivered. On March 25th, postal management and the postal unions began negotiations. 5 days later(March 30th) the parties appeared to be at an impasse again. Rademacher states, he was prepared to issue a statement and called for a Nation-wide job action beginning on April 6th. The main reason was that Postal Management offered a 6% retroactive pay raise and the Unions wanted 12%.

As a result of the new “threat,” on April 2, 1970 a 14% wage increase was approved as well as fringe benefits. In addition, a step progression would be agreed too reducing it taking 21 years to get to top pay to 8 years. NOTE: Currently, career letter carriers receive top pay after 12 years and 4 months.

Again, this is a compression of events about the 1970 “STRIKE” as commented from then NALC, National President James Rademacher. They are the comments of one person as they saw the “evolution” of the wildcat strike.

If not for the actions of the “brave” men and women of the NALC and other postal workers, who knows how our salaries and benefits would have “faired” over the next 50 years.

In many respects, postal management is still as intransigent as they were in 1970 (currently we are awaiting arbitration of a New National Agreement) and the NALC and its members face continual challenges from the Congress and the President.

In the opinion of this writer, it was the unity of purpose and the solidarity of the “strikers” that forced the government to address their concerns. The most amazing part of this whole process was that it was local leaders and advocates who brought the Post Office Department and the US Government to the bargaining table.

God Bless and Many Thanks to All of the Strikers of 1970! Yours for the Union.