FedUp with Ron Speakman

Picking back up where we left off with our guest from last week, Kenny and I talk passive aggressiveness and other issues regarding the USPS and management. We also get into some union talk as well, and talk about the consolidation of offices and the making of hubs across this country. If you enjoyed part one of this interview with Kenny, come finish it off and hear what Mr. Hodge has to say in this interview, as there is always something we can learn from this man. 

Our guest today, who was in both the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army, has a very in-depth perspective regarding the USPS, as he started his career as a TE with the USPS, worked his way through to other crafts and unions (including management) and was involved with and/or learned the contracts of the NALC, APWU, NPMHU, NAPS, and NAPAS, before retiring after 38 years of service within the federal government. The knowledge and experiences this guest has is very unique. Our guest and I really get into a lot of hot topics and issues regarding the USPS, and our unions, and even share knowledge and information that can be used by us all within the USPS. This is by far, one of the most unscripted, uncensored, and off the cuff interviews to date here on FedUp, so turn up the volume, hit the play button, and enjoy this first of a two-part series interview with the man himself, Mr. Kenny Hodge. 

Once again, USPS Employees are being censored and told what NOT to do. You are being threatened with termination, and being retaliated against for speaking on the poor working conditions and mistreatment on social media, and even for speaking on my podcast. This special episode goes over the 2023 USPS social media policy. 

Picking back up where we left off last week with our guest, part 2 of their interview will talk more of the good, the bad, and the ugly with her union representation from the NRLCA and with management. We also touch more on taboo topics (addiction and management's role in that), veterans running the show, and social media do's and dont's, including the USPS social media policy / rules to be mindful of. 

In this episode, we talk to a veteran rural carrier about RRECS, LLV's, her on-the-job work injuries, mistreatment by management (including targeting, retaliation, and even wrongful termination), and privacy act violations, all of which revolve around a toxic work culture that most, if not all, USPS employees deal with. We even talk about the negative slogan that accompanies the USPS ("Going Postal") which while often a taboo topic, is still something we all should recognize as a problem. 

My guest today was in management, and was one of those rare legendary unicorns that we hear about within management in the USPS. Hear them talk about the mistreatment they endured (bullying, harassment, and constant targeting and retaliation) by their own peers (other management) which ultimately led to anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even OPM federal disability retirement. We will also discuss the language and what is needed, and how our guest got their claim and accepted conditions approved with the DOL/OWCP with regards to those mental illnesses/diagnoses. Hear how they overcame the same mistreatment that we all deal with on a regular basis. There truly isn’t any line that USPS management will not cross.

In this episode, we continue where we left off last week with part 2 of this interview with Adric Montano, a rural carrier from Tennessee, where he continues with his story, and talks more on the mistreatment from management, and the USPS, especially HR, and the lack of representation from his union, the NRLCA, and even discusses the resources he reached out to, which included the USPS Board of Governors, Congress, the Senate, and even the White House throughout this constant roller coaster of willful misconduct from just about everyone involved.

This Rural Carrier has been through it all, yet refuses to give up! Hear them talk about the mistreatment from management, including them putting him into an unsafe working condition that ultimately led to their traumatic work injury, the lack of management's education regarding paper work when an injury is reported, the deliberate misconduct of the USPS, including from HR, threats of termination, in addition to having no representation from their union. We also talk about third party injuries, the Rural Injury Handbook, and the Employee Labor Relations Manual.  

Picking back up where we left off from last week, this NALC local president from New York talks about an arbitration case that he was a part of, including how many grievances get sent up monthly to the DRT, in addition to talking about LWOP 060 vs. LWOP OWCP 049, work injuries, who's more to blame on making our situations worse when we get injured, doctors, and language needed regarding medical narrative reports. We then finish with Federal Injury Centers (FIC), where we talk about his members' experiences with FIC, address our national union's hypocrisy, and have a message for the NALC that we all need to hear.  

A local NALC union president from New York gets real in this interview, as we discuss some of the biggest issues he sees from management, our union, our upcoming contract, workroom floor issues, and toxic work culture, in addition to talking about his first experience using OSHA successfully for his employees when they were retaliated against and terminated for reporting an on the job work injury. Knowledge is power, and this president has the knowledge as much as he does passion.