The U.S. Postal Strike of 1970

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The U.S. Postal Strike of 1970 was a pivotal event in American labor history. It began on March 18, 1970, when postal workers in New York City, led by the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 36, went on strike to protest low wages and poor working conditions. The strike quickly spread to over 30 cities, involving more than 210,000 workers. Postal workers were frustrated with wages that had not kept pace with inflation and contrasted their situation with Congress's recent 41% pay increase. The strike led to significant changes. President Nixon deployed the military to process mail, but this effort was ineffective. The strike ended after negotiations resulted in a 6% wage increase, and President Nixon signed the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970. This act transformed the Post Office Department into the United States Postal Service, granting postal workers collective