Postmaster General to Step Down Next Year; Brennan Will Be First Woman to Lead USPS

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe will resign Feb. 1, he told reporters Nov. 14, citing among other factors the U.S. Postal Service‘s upcoming negotiations with its labor unions.

It would be unfair for a “short-timer” to negotiate with the unions and then hand off whatever issues result from the negotiations to someone else, Donahoe said during a telephone news briefing.

Megan J. Brennan, the chief operating officer of the Postal Service, will become postmaster general in February upon Donahoe’s retirement.

Labor Negotiations to Begin Feb. 20.

Donahoe, who was sworn in as postmaster general in January 201149 GERR 92, 1/25/11, 13 DLR A-7, 1/20/11, 14 DER A-12, 1/21/11