News & information

President Biden sends two USPS BOG nominees to Senate, ignores postal pension issue

On July 25, President Biden nominated Val Demings and William Zollars to serve on the U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors (BOG).

Demings is a Democratic nominee. If confirmed by the Senate, she would fill Anton Hajjar’s seat, which expired on Dec. 8, 2023. Her term would expire on Dec. 8, 2030. Demings is a former member of the House of Representatives and unsuccessfully ran for Senate in Florida in 2022. Demings served as a social worker and police officer. In 2007, she was appointed chief of the Orlando Police Department, where she served until 2011.

Zollars is a Republican nominee who previously served as a governor on the USPS board. His term expired on Dec. 8, 2022, and if reconfirmed by the Senate, his new term would expire on Dec. 8, 2029. Zollars is the former Chairman/President/CEO of Yellow Transportation, Inc., a freight and shipping company. Prior to that, he served as a senior vice president of Ryder Integrated Logistics and as general manager and vice president of the Midwestern region of Eastman Kodak. He also served on the boards of Cerner, ProLogis, CIGNA and the National Association of Manufacturers.

The nominees will be considered by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. If advanced by the committee, the nominees need to be approved by a Senate majority to be confirmed. Both nominees will need to earn NALC’s support before any Senate action.

“President Biden’s announcement of these nominations comes while the administration continues to fail postal employees and union members by not acting on the misallocation of the Postal Service’s retirement fund obligations – a far more urgent matter,” NALC President Brian L. Renfroe said. “Reversing the government’s grossly unfair raid of the Postal Service’s pension assets would significantly improve the Postal Service’s financial stability and the service we provide to all Americans. If this administration is really pro-union, it will utilize its final months to take this action to benefit the hardworking members of the NALC that deliver an invaluable service to the people of this country. Mr. President, we’ve waited too long. Stop the raid on postal pensions.”