2. CONSULTATION WITH MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATIONS
In accordance with 39 U.S.C. §1004, a program of consultations was conducted throughout the year with each of the management organizations representing postmasters, managers, supervisors, and other non-bargaining employees. These sessions, which provided an opportunity to participate directly in the planning, development, and implementation of programs and policies impacting the more than 80,000 managerial employees in the field, included the national leadership of the National Association of Postal Supervisors, the National Association of Postmasters of the United States, and the National League of Postmasters of the United States. In addition to regular program consultation, Executive and Administrative Schedule (EAS) pay consultations were held with all of the management associations in early 2002. The principle of pay-for-performance continued to be the underlying theme of these sessions as the organization collaborated with the associations in establishing a fair and equitable compensation program that balances individual and corporate needs with our mandate to provide comparable pay with the private sector. Each management association will continue to be involved in providing representatives to participate in the development of new programs at the Headquarters and field levels as members of work teams and national task forces, and take an active role in working with various Headquarters-sponsored functional teams to recommend necessary improvements to current policies and programs to move the organization forward.