Our Association

 Founding

The NALC was founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1889 as a fraternal organization to benefit letter carriers and their families. The NALC is the union of city letter carriers employed by the U. S. Postal Service. Letter carriers delivered 170 billion pieces of mail last year, six days a week, to more than 151 million homes and businesses in every city, suburb and town. NALC is affiliated with the AFL-CIO and with UNI, an international alliance of communications unions.

Branch 421

Our branch was chartered on January 5, 1893 and remains a strong advocate for the rights of city letter carriers. Members of Branch 421 are heavily invested in the community of San Antonio and the surrounding communities of Beeville, Boerne, Carrizo Springs, Converse, Cotulla, Crystal City, Devine, Eagle Pass, Floresville, Jourdanton, Karnes City, Kenedy, Nixon, Pearsall, Pleasanton, San Marcos, Schertz, Seguin, Universal City and Yoakum.

Alamo Branch 421 has participated in many events and as a civic organization has funded many youth activities throughtout the years by promoting and sponsoring Little League Baseball, Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) Baseball, CYO Soccer, Boys Club and various boxing clubs. Athletic activities are just one of the many youth oriented programs supported by Letter Carriers. Many of our members are also involved in Boy/Girl Scouts.

Our scholarship fund has provided the means for many deserving youths to attend the college of their choice. Our members have supported the Annual Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Telethon by working the mailroom and the telephones during the fundraising event.The NALC is one of the few organizations that has supported the MDA Telethon since its inception in 1955. Thousands of dollars has been raised over the years by Branch 421 members in support of finding a cure for this debilitating disease.

Another worthy cause supported and sponsored by NALC Branch 421  is the Annual Letter Carrier Food Drive. The Food Drive is in it's 20th year and Branch 421 is proud to have been one of six cities chosen for the pilot program which has grown to be the largest one day food drive in the nation. In 2011, Branch 421 was again honored for collecting the most food for a branch with 1,500 to 1,999 members. 

Alamo Branch 421 also has a colorful past, beginning in the early 1900's, when Branch 421 members began marching in many parades through the years. NALC was honored during the San Antonio Fiesta Centennial Celebration by having 100 Letter Carriers march and carry 100 American flags at the start of the Fiesta Flambeau Parade. NALC Alamo Branch 421 is dedicated to San Antonio and its citizens in both the service that we provide on the job and the civic responsibility we show off the job.

Anyone interested in learning about the history of postal
bargaining may wish to consult this time line or
read the NALC’s official history, Carriers in a Common Cause, available
from the NALC Supply Department.