2026 Matt Lopez - Local 323 Scholarship Program

The Local Union Council is pleased to announce the opportunity to apply for the 2026 Matt Lopez – Local 323 Scholarship Program. The Scholarship Program was established in the fall of 1995 and was renamed to honor Matt Lopez in 2018. Matt Lopez served the Local Union and the Minneapolis Branch for more than 25 years prior to his untimely passing in July of 2017. He was our coworker, our friend, our Steward, and he will forever remain our Brother.

The 2026 Scholarship Program provides a $800.00 per school year award beginning in September of this year. Scholarship payments may continue for up to 4 consecutive school years. Copies of the rules for the Scholarship Program and Official Application Forms will be provided to all Branches and made available at the Local 323 office by June 1, 2026.

Applications may only be submitted from June 1, 2026, through June 30, 2026.

Any graduating high school senior who is the son, daughter, or legal ward of a regular member in good standing may apply. Good standing is defined by Article V, Section 1, of the Uniform Local Union Constitution of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union. Applicants must complete an Official Application Form and provide the required information. All applications must be received at the Local 323 office by 5:00 P.M. on June 20, 2026.

2026 Scholarship Rules and Application

Fillable Application Form

Local Executive Board fills vacancies!

The retirement of Dean Abatte created vacancies in the positions of Vice President and Minneapolis Branch President. Aaron Kobes relinquished the position of Recording Secretary and was unanimously selected by the Local Executive Board to fill the position of Vice President. Similarly, Delicia Johnson was unanimously selected to fill the position of Recording Secretary and Jarred Hoover was unanimously selected to fill the position of Minneapolis Branch President. These appointments will remain in place solely through the unexpired period of the current term.

Local President Jeff Larsen administered the oath of office on March 4th. The Local Executive Board is confident that the people chosen are committed to serving the best interests of the Local 323 Membership.

Vice President Dean Abatte retires after a long and storied career!

April 30th represented the end of an era as Vice President Dean Abatte stepped into a well deserved retirement. After more than forty years at the Postal Service, and after more than three and a half decades as a Representative of Local 323, there was no shortage of people desiring to wish him well. It was a bittersweet occasion; tempered only by the knowledge that Dean will still be serving the Membership, albeit in a different capacity. Still, don't call him, he'll call you.

Numerous pictures from Dean's career have been assembled into a slideshow on the photo galleries page.

Check them out.

April Update - From the Local President

As noted in the most recent issue of the Mail Handler magazine, the clock continues to tick on contract negotiations. I’m starting to get a little impatient; so, I’m sure that some of you are as well. I’ve been watching the negotiations currently underway between the Postal Service and the National Associations of Letter Carriers; and reading between the lines, it appears to me that they’re running up against the same wall when it comes to wages. In any case, I remain convinced that we will be declaring impasse and heading to arbitration soon.

Read More

March Update - From the Local President

The 2022 National Agreement expired six months ago, the negotiations which began in June of last year have yet to produce a tentative agreement, and the possibility of securing a negotiated agreement seems unlikely at best. While neither the Union nor the Postal Service have “officially” declared a bargaining impasse, everything we’re seeing appears to be pointing toward an arbitrated National Agreement.

Read More

February Update - From the Local President

The turmoil enveloping the communities within the Twin Cities metropolitan area appears to be subsiding. This is not to say that it has ended or that there has been some type of return to normal; rather, what we are seeing could probably be described as a noticeable decrease in intensity. Several Mail Handlers and MHAs are still experiencing difficulties, many are dealing with the aftermath, and your Union continues to process grievances regarding specific issues.

Read More

January Update - From the Local President

Those of us living in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as those living in the surrounding metropolitan area, are currently dealing with some extreme circumstances. I'm at a loss for words to adequately describe the situation; so, I'll rely on the words of others. The Minneapolis Chief of Police has described the situation as unprecedented chaos, while a local faith leader has stated that America is experiencing a profound moral crisis which is playing out on the streets of Minneapolis.

We’ve seen our fellow citizens shot and killed, we’ve seen them dragged from homes that were forcibly entered, and we’ve seen young children taken into custody and quickly whisked away to detention facilities in other States. Every day we hear our coworkers and Brothers and Sisters in the Union speak of the difficulties they're experiencing just trying to live their lives and come to work.

Read More