Some 200,000 mail carriers have reached a tentative agreement with the U.S. Postal Service that includes backdated pay raises and a promise to provide air transportation for workers.–conditioned trucks.

The new agreement, which must still be ratified by union members, is in effect until November 2026. Mail deliverers have been working without a contract since May 2023.

The union and the postal service welcomed the agreement announced Friday.

“Both sides did not get everything they wanted. But by negotiating in good faith, we reached an agreement that meets our objectives and rewards our members,» Brian Renfroe, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, told the Associated Press. “To achieve this, the Postal Service had to recognize members’ contributions to the Postal Service and the American people.”

Among other improvements, the deal raises top wages and reduces the time it takes new workers to reach that level, Renfroe said. He thanked Postmaster General Louis DeJoy and his deputy for negotiating in good faith throughout this arduous process.

The Postal Service said the deal supports its 10–“Delivering for America” year aimed at modernizing operations and adapting to changing customer needs.

“This is a fair and responsible agreement that serves the best interests of our employees, our customers and the future of the Postal Service,” said Doug Tulino, Postmaster General and Chief Human Resources Officer.

Under the deal, all city carriers will benefit from three annual wage increases of 1.3% each by 2025, some of which will be paid retroactively from November 2023. Workers will also benefit from retroactive and future costs.–of–life adjustments.

The Postal Service also pledged to “make every effort” to provide air transportation for postal trucks.–packaging.

The Postal Service began rolling out its new electric, air-equipped delivery vehicles this summer–packaging. While the trucks won‘Although they didn’t win any beauty contests, they received rave reviews from postmen accustomed to older vehicles that lacked modern safety features and were prone to breakdowns or even fires.

Within a few years, the new delivery fleet will number 60,000 vehicles, mostly electric models, serving as the Postal Service’s primary delivery truck from Maine to Hawaii.

Under the tentative agreement, the Postal Service must discuss with the union any plans to purchase new airless mail trucks.–packaging.

This is the second contract negotiated since DeJoy was named postmaster general in 2020. It is expected to take several weeks for union members to ratify the contract. Rural mail deliverers are‘They are not covered by the contract because they are represented by a different union.