On February 13, 2012, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation
Service announced that attorney Joshua Javits was appointed to mediate
between the U. S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers. The parties moved to the mediation phase of negotiations on
January 20, when the USPS declared there was no advancement in the
negotiations. Javits will work with both sides in an attempt to help
them reach a voluntary agreement.
The law generally requires a
sixty-day mediation period during which time the parties will try to
negotiate a contract. If, after the sixty days, there is no agreement,
the parties will begin the arbitration phase. During the arbitration
phase, a three-arbitrator panel will be assigned to listen to testimony
and arguments from both parties. There is no time limit to the
arbitration phase, and the arbitrators have the power to set the terms
of the contract.
