This CCA Corner episode focuses on supporting new City Carrier Assistants (CCAs) during their challenging first 90 days. Badmouth Morris and Mallory offer advice for navigating the initial chaos, from the rushed 3-day Carrier Academy training to the hectic office environment and the eventual freedom of the street. They stress the importance of joining the union, finding supportive coworkers ("real ones"), prioritizing safety and accuracy over speed, and thoroughly checking vehicles. Practical tips include taking photos of the case, requesting pivot plans from management, organizing mail effectively, and always taking breaks. Crucially, they emphasize meticulous time tracking to prevent management manipulation and encourage CCAs to connect with their community. The hosts underscore the value of every CCA, promoting solidarity and reminding them of their essential role within the USPS. Listeners are urged to provide feedback and contribute to future discussions, fostering a collaborative approach to empowering CCAs.

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This episode of "From A to Arbitration" features James Henry and various members of the Concerned Letter Carriers (CLC) slate advocating for a "no" vote on the proposed tentative agreement, citing its inadequacy in addressing letter carriers' needs. CLC members detail their backgrounds and reasons for supporting Henry's candidacy in the 2026 NALC election, emphasizing his integrity, arbitration expertise, and commitment to fighting for better wages, working conditions, and union reform. The discussion highlights concerns about the current NALC leadership and encourages listeners to actively participate in the upcoming vote and support the CLC's efforts.

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This episode of "From A to Arbitration" discusses the ongoing issue of 16.7 violations, emphasizing the need for business agents to provide guidance to their members and highlighting management's tactics for targeting letter carriers. Corey analyzes a document outlining management's safety initiative, which he criticizes for its potential to be weaponized against carriers and for its failure to address the inherent problems of a toxic work environment created by management. He strongly advises carriers to request a steward immediately if approached by management during street observations and emphasizes that any evidence collected before the steward's arrival should be considered inadmissible. Corey also discusses the pressure the postal service is under, specifically mentioning the potential for privatization, and advocates for using public outreach to exert pressure on the postal service and Congress. Corey expresses strong disapproval of the tentative agreement and the current NALC administration's response, praising the work of the CLC and anticipating a significant win in the 2026 election. He concludes by announcing plans for a YouTube channel and weekly CLC podcasts focusing on basic union training.

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This emergency episode of From A to Arbitration features Charlie Miller discussing the newly released tentative agreement (TA). Miller, citing his extensive arbitration experience, analyzes several key provisions, highlighting problematic language in article 8 regarding overtime limits, noting that the 12-hour/60-hour protections apply only to full-time employees not on overtime or work assignment lists, contradicting earlier statements by President Renfroe. He critiques the poorly constructed language regarding overtime pay (2.5 times the rate), arguing it incentivizes short staffing and fails to address the root cause of the issue—inadequate wages. Miller expresses concern about the two-tiered overtime system created by the TA and the new language in article 8 section 5(c) requiring weekly posting of the overtime desired list to ensure equitability, which he believes shifts undue burden to the union. He further criticizes the reduction in fixed office time (from 33 to 20 minutes) and the lack of improvements to working conditions, noncompliance issues, and the toxic work environment. Discussion includes the flawed article 17 language concerning dues processing, where the union now bears responsibility for defending and indemnifying the postal service. The conversation touches on the inadequate pay for CCAs and the lack of a unified COLA, and the failure to address the issue of route adjustments via a non-grievable alternate dispute resolution process. Finally, they discuss the potential for abuse of article 16.7 (emergency placements) and the lack of recourse against managerial abuse. The episode concludes with a call for union unity and a renewed commitment to fighting for fair wages and working conditions.

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This introductory episode of CCA Corner features Badmouth Morris advocating for CCA organization and empowerment. He criticizes the current tentative agreement (TA) for neglecting CCAs and calls for their mobilization, particularly in the upcoming election. Morris stresses the importance of education and empowerment, aiming to provide digestible information about rights, union processes, and grievance procedures for newer CCAs. He highlights the need for solidarity between CCAs and regular carriers, emphasizing that change comes from the bottom up and that a unified front is crucial for challenging management and improving working conditions. Morris encourages mentorship and support for CCAs, urging experienced carriers to share knowledge and offer encouragement. Future episodes will address topics like surviving the first 90 days, common grievances, Weingarten rights, and escaping de facto on-call status, with topics crowdsourced from CCAs nationwide.

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This lengthy episode of "From A to Arbitration" announces Corey's acceptance of the position of Director of City Delivery on the CLC ticket, emphasizing his commitment to aggressively addressing management's harmful actions against letter carriers. He details his plans for a transparent administration, including weekly national Zoom meetings, and promises a strong CLC ticket for the 2026 election. The episode analyzes a recent arbitration decision from Region 3 that criticized the union's use of escalated monetary awards for noncompliance, highlighting the subsequent cowardly response from some business agent offices. Corey counters this response by providing examples from prior arbitration awards supporting the use of such remedies and outlines strategies for effectively addressing this issue in future cases. He then dissects a national management directive detailing procedures for emergency placements of letter carriers based on safety violations (unattended vehicles, seatbelts, distracted driving, etc.), outlining how to challenge these actions based on procedural flaws (lack of investigation, lack of formal charges, removal of supervisor authority) with supporting arbitration precedent. The episode concludes with a strong declaration of commitment to fighting for the city letter carrier and a preview of a segment featuring Badmouth Morris on the CCA Corner.

Cites: C-06012, C-29546, C-01944, C-24822, C-35382, C-35537 A-B, M-01967

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This episode focuses on strategies for challenging disciplinary actions based solely on the charges issued, without relying on additional information. Corey announces upcoming Sunday episodes, including a new segment, "CCA Corner," hosted by Badmouth Morris, aimed at uniting and empowering CCAs to combat their neglect by the current NALC administration. He emphasizes the critical importance of meticulously reviewing disciplinary charges for inaccuracies and inconsistencies, citing several arbitration cases (Sims C-36248, Schedler C-01233, Brooks C-28040) that support challenging vaguely worded or factually incorrect charges. The host then analyzes three disciplinary actions: a 7-day suspension for improper conduct and failure to follow instructions, where he highlights the fast-tracking of discipline and the lack of specificity in the cited ELM sections; a 14-day suspension for improper conduct and unsafe driving, where he points out inconsistencies in the stated awareness of ELM provisions and the lack of a connection between the actions and the charges; and a letter of warning for failure to follow instructions regarding an SPM scan, where he argues that the charge is based solely on scanner data (violating M-01458) and the cited regulations do not apply. He uses arbitrator Snow's decision (C-06894) to emphasize the importance of allowing time for reflection between disciplinary actions, highlighting the inappropriateness of issuing a 7-day and a 14-day suspension for the same offense on the same day. Throughout the episode, Corey stresses the importance of requesting "any and all information" used in issuing the discipline and using this information to expose inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the charges themselves, ultimately aiming to defeat disciplinary actions based on the flawed charges provided by management.

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This episode features several members of the Concerned Letter Carriers (CLC) introducing themselves and explaining their reasons for joining the movement. Corey announces a future episode featuring a roundtable discussion with CLC members and previews an upcoming episode focusing on strategies for dealing with narcissistic individuals.

Ethel Bibbs, president of Branch 842 in Beaumont, Texas, discusses the challenges faced by letter carriers and the need for a more assertive approach to contract negotiations, emphasizing the importance of unity within the CLC.
Kamitra Lewis, president of Branch 132 in Dallas, Texas, shares her friendship with James Henry and highlights their shared commitment to fighting for letter carriers' rights. She expresses gratitude for the host's support following the death of Eugene Gates and emphasizes the CLC's focus on ensuring that the needs of all letter carriers are addressed.

Rob Cozier, branch president of Branch 2902 in Tri-Valley, California, shares his personal journey within the union and the inspiration he found in Tyler Vassar's work with BFN, and he discusses the successful contract rally in Pasadena, highlighting the importance of member mobilization and collective action.
Walt McGregor, president of Branch 2184 in Southeast Michigan, discusses his extensive experience within the NALC and his reasons for supporting the CLC, particularly emphasizing his commitment to member empowerment and accountability. He highlights the pervasive "good old boy" network within his region and the need for greater transparency and fairness within the union.
John Crews, president of Branch 41 in Brooklyn, New York, recounts a situation where James Henry's leadership in advocating for a member outside of his own branch influenced his decision to join the CLC. He stresses the importance of unity and emphasizes his commitment to working with the CLC to bring positive change to the NALC.
Howard Komeini, branch president of branch 860 in Honolulu, Hawaii, shares his personal story, highlighting his dedication to representing and defending letter carriers against management abuses. He expresses his support for the CLC and his commitment to fighting for a better contract that reflects the value and importance of letter carriers' work.
Corey then summarizes the CLC's message: a commitment to unity, transparency, and fighting for the rights and well-being of all letter carriers. He emphasizes that the CLC is a nationwide movement, not just a California-based one. He praises the CLC members' dedication, passion, and integrity and expresses his excitement about their plans for reforming the NALC. The episode concludes with announcements about upcoming podcast episodes and a call for continued member engagement and support for the CLC.

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https://concernedlettercarriers.com/

This episode addresses the ongoing fallout from the tentative agreement, focusing on the need for a more militant union response and providing further education on 6-day counts. Corey begins with listener shout-outs and promotes several relevant podcasts, highlighting the growing number of resources available to letter carriers. He then clarifies an issue with his email inbox and announces a new monthly podcast segment dedicated to CCA concerns.

Corey expresses his strong dissatisfaction with the tentative agreement, characterizing it as a major concession to management and emphasizing that many members are considering leaving the union due to their frustration. He then discusses the upcoming CLC "Vote No" Zoom meeting and encourages members to participate. He strongly criticizes those who are attempting to downplay the negative aspects of the agreement and those who are promoting a “vote yes” position based on fear-mongering tactics.

He emphasizes that the union's failure to address key issues like non-compliance and toxic work environments is a result of the current leadership's incompetence and lack of commitment to the city letter carriers. He uses a listener's comment illustrating this indifference, highlighting the callousness of a response that suggests harassment can be avoided simply by showing up for work and doing one's job. Corey shares several examples of management's increasingly aggressive tactics to pressure carriers, including threats of discipline, the imposition of unrealistic time constraints, and the use of scanner data for monitoring and control. He provides specific examples and strategies for countering these tactics through grievances, emphasizing the need to challenge management's attempts to manipulate data and impose arbitrary standards. He also emphasizes the importance of using the route consultation to challenge management's decisions and to obtain all the necessary documentation to build strong grievance cases.

Corey dedicates a section of the episode to explaining how to deal with chronic liars and narcissists, using specific examples from his arbitration experience. He highlights the importance of gathering evidence to expose their dishonesty and using that evidence to challenge their claims and discredit their testimony. He then provides a detailed analysis of the handling of the Article 10 charges against President Renfroe, highlighting Renfroe's dishonesty and lack of remorse.

He emphasizes that the current leadership has failed to adequately represent the interests of letter carriers and that the upcoming election presents a crucial opportunity to effect change within the NALC. He urges members to actively participate in the vote-no campaign and to support the CLC's efforts to elect new leadership that will prioritize the needs of the city letter carriers. The episode concludes with additional shout-outs and a call for greater member education and engagement. Corey reiterates his commitment to fighting for the city letter carriers and expresses his excitement about the upcoming changes within the NALC.

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This episode continues the educational series on 6-day counts, focusing on the procedures and regulations outlined in the 2018 NALC Route Inspection Pocket Handbook. Corey begins with listener shout-outs, promoting a vote-no rally and the "Tallest Nail" podcast. He then addresses issues with his email inbox, explaining that he is working to catch up on unanswered emails. He announces a new monthly podcast segment dedicated to CCA issues and promotes several other relevant podcasts.

The bulk of the episode involves a detailed explanation of the route inspection process, covering various aspects from preparation through consultation and adjustment. The host emphasizes the importance of meticulous record-keeping, accurate time recording, and assertive advocacy in challenging management's actions, providing specific guidance on completing the necessary forms (1838c, 1840, 3999) and highlighting specific areas where management often attempts to manipulate data or impose arbitrary time limits. He details the importance of the carrier consultation and urges active participation from carriers in challenging management's decisions. He emphasizes the need to challenge management's attempts to use averages where no standards exist and stresses the importance of documenting any instances of management misconduct.

Corey then addresses the issue of management's attempts to manipulate data and intimidate carriers, providing examples of how management uses the scanner data to target carriers and the need for strong, proactive responses. He highlights the importance of understanding and utilizing M-1458 to counter management's reliance on GPS data as the sole basis for discipline and urges members to challenge management's attempts to impose arbitrary time limits, especially concerning breaks, lunches, and other time-off allowances. He emphasizes that any attempts by management to reduce office time, such as by imposing an unrealistic one-hour limit, should be immediately grieved.

The episode shifts to discuss the upcoming CLC Zoom meeting focused on the “Vote No” campaign, urging members to participate. He also promotes a planned episode focusing on strategies for dealing with narcissistic individuals and emphasizes the need for stronger, more unified action from the union leadership. Corey concludes by reiterating his commitment to fighting for the city letter carriers and promoting the upcoming route inspection training series.

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