1904 -- Salary increased from $600 to $700 per year.

1907 -- Salary increased to $900.

1911 -- Salary increased to $1,000.

1912 -- Salary increased to $1,100.

1914 -- Salary increased to $1,200.

1915 -- Additional salary for each mile over 24 miles up to 36 miles authorized.

1917 -- Graduated percentage increases authorized.

1918 -- Salary increased 20%.

1919 -- Salary increased  to $1,700 per year on standard routes.

1920 -- Salary increased to $1,800.

1934 -- Salary Allowance of $20 per mile for each mile over 30 miles authorized.

1943 -- Public Law 78-25 granted increase of $300 per annum.

1945 -- Public Law 79-134 granted salary increases and automatic promotions.

1946 -- Public Law 79-386 granted increase of $400.

1948 -- Public Law 80-900 granted increase of $ 450.

1949 -- Public Law 81-428 granted increase of $120.

1951 -- Public Law 82-204 granted increase of $400.

1955 -- Public Law 84-68 granted:

             (a) 6% increase effective March 1, 1955;

             (b) additional increases on reclassification, December 3, 1955;

             (c) increased rate per mile over 30 miles to $22 per mile.

1958 -- Public Law 85-426 granted increase of $465.

1960 -- Public Law 86-568 granted:

            (a) an average of 8.4% salary increase;

            (b) increased rate per mile over 30 miles to $24 per mile.

1961 -- Public Law 87-270, effective July 9, 1961, afforded salary protection to career postal employees who are reduced in salary standing.

1962 -- Public Law 87-793, effective October 13, 1962, provided:

            (a) salary changes, Phase I, effective October 13, 1962 and Phase II, effective January 4, 1964;

             (b) liberalized heavy duty provisions; removed the limitations of 43 hours pay per week;

              (c) an amendment to the salary protection law to prevent the loss of protection in those cases where routes have been extended within the two years immediately preceding a reduction in salary standing.

1963 -- A new Heavy Duty Compensation Schedule for carriers serving heavily patronized routes, granting a type of overtime on an annual basis for up to 48 hours of work per week based on evaluated time and relief in the form of days off when evaluated time exceeds 48 hours per week.

1964 -- Public Law 88-426, effective August 14, 1964, granted salary increases of approximately 6%, retroactive to July 4, 1964.

1965 -- Public Law 89-301, effective October 29, 1965, granted an average 3.6% increase retroactive to October 9, 1965.

1966 -- Public Law 89-504, effective July 18, 1966, granted an average 2.9% increase retroactive to July 2, 1966.

1967 -- Public Law 90-206, effective December 16, 1967, granted:

            (a) a 6% increase retroactive to October 7, 1967;

            (b) a 5% increase effective July 13, 1968;

            (c) an undetermined salary increase effective in July, 1969 to achieve full comparability.

1968 -- Public Law 90-616, Waiver of Claims Law empowered agencies of government to waive the return of salary over-payments received up to $500 by Federal employees in error on or after July 1, 1960; the Comptroller General is authorized to waive any amount.

          -- Public Law 90-616, Phase II, provided a 5% increase, effective July 13, 1968.

1969 -- Public Law 90-616, Phase III, granted a 4.1% increase by Executive Order, effective July 12, 1969.

1970 -- Public Law 91-231 granted 6% salary increase, effective December 27, 1969.

         -- Public Law 91-375 granted:

            (a) and 8% salary increase;

            (b) Salary Compression Agreement -- 8 years to reach maximum pay step;

            (c) Special "red circle" rate retained when mileage and/or evaluation of route increases or decreases.

1971 -- National Agreement, effective July 20, 1971, provided the following wage increases:

            (a) $250 basic salary increase -- July 20, 1971;

            (b) $250 basic salary increase -- October 20, 1971;

            (c) $250 basic salary increase -- January 20, 1972;

            (d) $250 basic salary increase -- July 20, 1972;

            (e) $250 basic salary increase -- January 20, 1973;

            (f) $300 lump sum payment -- July 20, 1971;

            (g) $166 COLA adjustment -- August 5, 1972.

1973 --  National Agreement, effective July 21, 1973, provided the following wage increases:

            (a) $700 basic salary increase -- July 21, 1973;

            (b) $400 basic salary increase -- July 20, 1974;

            (c) $166 COLA adjustment made part of basic salary July 21, 1973;

            (d) $146 COLA adjustment -- November 10, 1973;

            (e) $395 COLA adjustment -- May 11, 1974;

            (f) $457 COLA adjustment -- November 9, 1974;

            (g) $312 COLA adjustment -- May 10, 1975.

1974 -- On May 1, 1974, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was amended to become applicable to Postal Service employees.  (This Act would become one of the greatest challenges in the history of the NRLCA to find a way to adapt the Rural Carrier Pay System to the FLSA.)

1975 -- On January 21, 1975, a Memorandum of Understanding was entered into between the NRLCA and the USPS to provide temporary compliance with the FLSA until a legislative exemption for rural carriers could be achieved or the Agreement renegotiated.

          -- National Agreement, effective July 21,1975, provided the following wage increases:

            (a) $400 basic salary increase -- July 21, 1975;

            (b) $250 basic salary increase -- March 21, 1976;

            (c) $250 basic salary increase -- November 21, 1976;

            (d) $600 basic salary increase -- July 21, 1977;

            (e) $1,310 COLA adjustment made a part of basic salary July 21, 1975;

            (f) $146 COLA adjustment -- November 8, 1975;

            (g) $208 COLA adjustment -- May 8, 1976;

            (h) $270 COLA adjustment -- November 6, 1976;

            (i) $291 COLA adjustment -- May 7, 1977;

            (j) $291 COLA adjustment -- November 5, 1977;

            (k) $312 COLA adjustment -- May 20, 1978.

1976 -- On March 17, 1976, a tentative National Agreement was reached to revise the Rural Carrier Pay System to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

            --On July 21, 1976, the tentative Agreement was approved by the Department of Labor.

            -- On September 29, 1976, the new FLSA Agreement was signed.

1978 -- National Agreement, effective July 21, 1978, provided the following wage increases:

            (a) 2% basic salary increase -- July 22, 1978;

            (b) 3% basic salary increase -- July 21, 1979;

            (c) 5% basic salary increase -- July 26, 1980;

            (d) $1,518 COLA adjustment made part of basic salary November 4, 1978;

            *(e) $187 COLA adjustment -- November 18, 1978;

            *(f) $187 COLA adjustment -- May 19, 1979;

            *(g) $270 COLA adjustment -- November 17, 1979;

            *(h) $271 COLA adjustment -- May 17, 1980;

            *(i) $312 COLA adjustment -- November 15, 1980;

            *(j) $291 COLA adjustment -- May 16, 1981.

            * COLA adjustments capped not to exceed previous 3-year COLA.

1981 -- National Agreement, effective July 21, 1981, provided the following wage increases:

            (a) $300 basic salary increase -- July 25, 1981;

            (b) $300 basic salary increase -- July 24, 1982;

            (c) $300 basic salary increase -- July 23, 1983;

            (d) $350 lump-sum payment -- July 21, 1981;

            (e) $350 lump-sum payment -- July 21, 1982;

            (f) $350 lump-sum payment -- July 21, 1983;

            (g) $150 ratification bonus -- at ratification;

            (h) $1,518 COLA made part of basic salary in November 1981 for those eligible to retire (optional) and in October 1984 for those not eligible within 6 years;

            (i) $395 COLA adjustment -- November 14, 1981;

            (j) $166 COLA adjustment -- May 15, 1982;

            (k) $540 COLA adjustment -- November 13, 1982;

            (l) $21 COLA adjustment -- May 14, 1983;

            (m) $396 COLA adjustment -- November 12, 1983;

            (n) $125 COLA adjustment -- May 12, 1984.

*1984 -- National Agreement, effective July 21, 1984, provided the following wage increases:

            (a) Approximate 2.9% basic salary increase -- July 21, 1984;

            (b) Approximate 2.9% basic salary increase -- July 20, 1985;

            (c) Approximate 2.9% basic salary increase -- July 19, 1986;

            (d) 50% of wage increase of July 19, 1986 - July 18, 1987;

            (e) $1,643 COLA made part of basic salary in April, 1985 for those eligible for retirement (optional) and in October, 1987 for those not eligible in six years;

            (f) $291 COLA adjustment -- November 10, 1984;

            (g) $104 COLA adjustment -- May 11, 1985;

            (h) $333 COLA adjustment -- November 9, 1985;

            (i) $63 COLA adjustment -- May 10, 1986;

            (j) $166 COLA adjustment -- November 8, 1986;

            (k) $312 COLA adjustment -- May 9, 1987;

            (l) $437 COLA adjustment -- November 15, 1987.

        -- Arbitrator created two new salary steps (B & C) at bottom of salary schedule.

           * Arbitration Award

1988 -- National Agreement, effective January 21, 1988, provided the following wage increases;

            * (a) $221 basic salary increase -- July 18, 1987;

            * (b) $60 lump-sum payment;

              (c) $250 basic salary increase -- July 16, 1988;

              (d) $250 basic salary increase -- January 15, 1989;

              (e) $300 basic salary increase -- July 15, 1989;

              (f) $300 basic salary increase -- January 27, 1990;

              (g) $200 basic salary increase -- July 28, 1990;

              (h) $1,706 COLA (Steps 1 through 12); and $1,310 COLA (Steps B and C) made part of basic salary May 1988 for those eligible for retirement (optional) and in February, 1991 for those not eligible before November, 1993;

              (i) $145 COLA adjustment -- May 7, 1988;

              (j) $520 COLA adjustment -- November 5, 1988;

              (k) $354 COLA adjustment -- May 6, 1989;

              (l) $437 COLA adjustment -- November 15, 1989;

              (m) $520 COLA adjustment -- May 25, 1990;

              (n) $270 COLA adjustment -- September 8, 1990.

            * In settlement of salary dispute on last 6 months of 1984 Agreement.

1990 -- National Agreement, effective August 7, 1991, provided the following wage increases:

              (a) $211 lump-sum payment -- June 15, 1991;

              (b) Approximate 1.2% basic salary increase -- June 15, 1991;

              (c) Approximate 1.5% basic salary increase -- November 16, 1991;

              (d) Approximate 1.5% basic salary increase -- November 28, 1992;

              (e) $208 COLA adjustment -- September 27, 1991;

              (f) $270 COLA adjustment -- March 3, 1992;

              (g) $375 COLA adjustment -- September 5, 1992;

              (h) $291 COLA adjustment -- March 6, 1993;

              (i) $270 COLA adjustment -- September 4, 1993;

              (j) $140 lump-sum payment (for COLA earned November 1990 to February 1991);

               (k) $2,246 COLA made part of basic salary October 1991 for those eligible for retirement (optional) and in February 1994 for those not eligible before November 1993;

               (l) New Step A added, increasing the steps to 15.

1993 -- National Agreement extension, effective May 11, 1993, provided the following wage increases:

              (a) Approximate 1.6% basic salary increase -- November 27, 1993;

              (b) $950 lump-sum -- November 21, 1994 through November 20, 1995;

              (c) $270 COLA adjustment -- September 4, 1993;

              (d) $250 COLA adjustment -- March 5, 1994;

              (e) $333 COLA adjustment -- September 3, 1994;

              (f) $936 Step A and $1,144 Step B through 12 made part of basic salary August 1993 for those eligible for retirement (optional) and in February 1996 for those not eligible before November 1998.

            -- For the 1991 year, rural carrier craft employees received $19,645,837.00 in SET payments.

                -- For the 1992 year, rural carrier craft employees received $17, 631,869,00 in SET payments.

                  -- For the 1993 year, rural carrier craft employees received $32,95 million in SET payments.

                    -- For the 1994 year, rural carrier craft employees received $5.83 million in SET payments.

1995 -- National Agreement, effective February 3, 1996, provided the following wage increases:

              (a) Approximate 1.2% basic salary increase -- November 25, 1995;

              (b) Approximate 1.2% basic salary increase -- November 22, 1997;

              (c) $300 lump-sum payment -- March 16, 1996;

              (d) $400 lump-sum payment -- November 21, 1996;

              (e) $400 lump-sum payment -- November 21, 1998;

              (f) 8 COLA adjustments -- following the release of the CPI Index of each January and July of 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999 which becomes part of the basic pay immediately;

              (g) $853 COLA (1993 National Agreement) made part of the basic salary, effective February 3, 1996.