Letter carriers were the first postal workers to form their own  union. From its founding in Milwaukee in 1889, the National Association  of Letter Carriers has taken a different path from many other unions,  but a path no less spirited and intense.

As employees of the U.S.  government, letter carriers have balanced their demands for decent pay,  benefits and working conditions with their allegiance to serving the  public. On the other hand, the fact that letter carriers all do the same  job for a single employer led to unusually strong unity and coherence.

From  that humble beginning in Milwaukee, the NALC has grown to an  organization of nearly 200,000 active members with legal right to  bargain collectively on their behalf. Its members, including retirees  (who are allowed to continue as full members), are fiercely proud of  their union’s history.