The U.S. Postal System and its largest union, the American Postal Workers Union, which represents around 211,000 mail clerks, custodians, supervisors and drivers. The Postal System is asking for cuts to make up a $7billion deficit this year, including using more part-time workers, cutting health care costs and cutting mail delivery on Saturdays. Union representatives say that they understand the Postal Service's position, but that they are not willing to give up everything they have fought for. The American Postal Workers' contract, along with the National Rural Letter Carriers Association's contract expires on November 20, and bargaining could go on for six months to a year before going into arbitration.
See "Postal Service seeks key concessions as contract talks open with largest union", Lisa Rein and Ed O'Keefe, The Washington Post, September 1, 2010