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101 Monthly Lab. Rev. 14 (1978)
Work Stoppage in Government: The Postal Strike of 1970

handle is hein.journals/month101 and id is 634 raw text is: Work stoppage in Government: the postal strike of 1970 Eight years ago, the first nationwide strike by Federal employees disrupted postal service for nearly a week; the walkout was ended by a combination of court injunctions, mediation, and congressional action STEPHEN C. SHANNON On March 18, 1970, the flow of U.S. mail slowed. First in New York City, then across the country- more than 150,000 (1 of 5) postal employees participated in an unprecedented work stoppage. The walkouts prompted the passage of the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, which established the Postal Service as an autonomous mail agency, prohibited strikes, and provided for compulsory arbitration. Once again attention is focused on the Postal Service where negotiations are underway to replace the current contract which expires in late July. In retrospect, there was ample warning that postal workers were unhappy over pay and working conditions and that a strike was in the making. The 1968 conventions of the United Federation of Postal Clerks and the National Postal Union removed the no-strike clauses from their constitutions. The Letter Carriers local in New York City spearheaded a right-to-strike resolution at their union's convention but was thwarted by a resolution instructing national officers not to seek the right to strike.' Stephen C. Shannon is a doctoral student in the History Department, University of Maryland. This article was adapted from his 1970 Master of Arts thesis entitled The 1970 Postal Strike. Strike threats and right-to-strike demands were a consistent tactic used by union spokesmen during 1969 legislative maneuverings.2 These warnings became more explicit in 1970, when the Letter Carriers locals, upset at the probable postpone- ment of their July comparability pay increase,3 began to barrage national headquarters with strike demands. Letter Carriers President James Rademacher announced his intention of leading a nationwide strike if the pay matter was not settled by April 15. More than 400 locals responded favorably when asked if they would support such action. Strike vote set The March 12 vote of the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee for a postal reform-pay package pleased Rademacher, who had pushed hard for this plan against the opposition of all the other postal unions. But, it did not please all of his membership. On the same day the biggest local, New York City's Number 36, demanded that its members be polled on the question of an immedi- ate strike. March 12 was the regular monthly meeting of the 6,700-member, Bronx-Manhattan local. The 600 members present, after hearing a report on the House Committee action from local president Gustave (Gus) Johnson, over his opposi-

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