[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 678 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

        S.678

                       One Hundred Eighth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
           the seventh day of January, two thousand and three


                                 An Act


 
    To amend chapter 10 of title 39, United States Code, to include 
   postmasters and postmasters' organizations in the process for the 
 development and planning of certain policies, schedules, and programs, 
                         and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Postmasters Equity Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. POSTMASTERS AND POSTMASTERS' ORGANIZATIONS.

    (a) Percentage Representation Requirement.--The second sentence of 
section 1004(b) of title 39, United States Code, is amended--
        (1) by inserting ``that an organization (other than an 
    organization representing supervisors) represents at least 20 
    percent of postmasters,'' after ``majority of supervisors,''; and
        (2) by striking ``supervisors)'' and inserting ``supervisors or 
    postmasters)''.
    (b) Consultation and Other Rights.--Section 1004 of title 39, 
United States Code, is amended--
        (1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and
        (2) by inserting after subsection (g) the following:
    ``(h)(1) In order to ensure that postmasters and postmasters' 
organizations are afforded the same rights under this section as are 
afforded to supervisors and the supervisors' organization, subsections 
(c) through (g) shall be applied with respect to postmasters and 
postmasters' organizations--
        ``(A) by substituting `postmasters' organization' for 
    `supervisors' organization' each place it appears; and
        ``(B) if 2 or more postmasters' organizations exist, by 
    treating such organizations as if they constituted a single 
    organization, in accordance with such arrangements as such 
    organizations shall mutually agree to.
    ``(2) If 2 or more postmasters' organizations exist, such 
organizations shall, in the case of any factfinding panel convened at 
the request of such organizations (in accordance with paragraph 
(1)(B)), be jointly and severally liable for the cost of such panel, 
apart from the portion to be borne by the Postal Service (as determined 
under subsection (f)(4)).''.
    (c) Definitions.--Subsection (i) of section 1004 of title 39, 
United States Code (as so redesignated by subsection (b)(1)) is 
amended--
        (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the semicolon;
        (2) in paragraph (2), by striking the period and inserting a 
    semicolon; and
        (3) by adding after paragraph (2) the following:
        ``(3) `postmaster' means an individual who is the manager in 
    charge of the operations of a post office, with or without the 
    assistance of subordinate managers or supervisors;
        ``(4) `postmasters' organization' means an organization 
    recognized by the Postal Service under subsection (b) as 
    representing at least 20 percent of postmasters; and
        ``(5) `members of the postmasters' organization' shall be 
    considered to mean employees of the Postal Service who are 
    recognized under an agreement--
            ``(A) between the Postal Service and the postmasters' 
        organization as represented by the organization; or
            ``(B) in the circumstance described in subsection 
        (h)(1)(B), between the Postal Service and the postmasters' 
        organizations (acting in concert) as represented by either or 
        any of the postmasters' organizations involved.''.
    (d) Thrift Advisory Council Not To Be Affected.--For purposes of 
section 8473(b)(4) of title 5, United States Code--
        (1) each of the 2 or more organizations referred to in section 
    1004(h)(1)(B) of title 39, United States Code (as amended by 
    subsection (b)) shall be treated as a separate organization; and
        (2) any determination of the number of individuals represented 
    by each of those respective organizations shall be made in a manner 
    consistent with the purposes of this subsection.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this section shall take effect 60 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act.

                               Speaker of the House of Representatives.

                            Vice President of the United States and    
                                               President of the Senate.