Parcels of Knowledge

This week on The Last Loop, Jamie covers October 17–23, 2026, starting with the certified results of the NALC election. James Henry and Corey Walton will take office in December, but turnout of about 21 percent leaves the incoming team with a challenge: keeping members involved after the ballots are counted. We also remember former NALC Vice President Ron Brown and look at three arbitration decisions that turned on very different records: a medical footwear accommodation, an Act-of-God leave claim, and a delayed-mail removal.

On the workroom floor, we explain what M-01769 says about management’s time-estimate tools, how sequence numbers can help count political mail, and what carriers should know about new scanner security and election-mail guidance. The September–October Postal Record and Winter Activist bring stories on fair branch elections, leadership development, veterans, field technology, workers’ compensation, Open Season, and family-member verification. Our podcast conversations—from The Postal Stand-up, Classes of Mail, From 8 Arbitration, Key Cases, 613, Triple Threat Tuesday, Next Generation Carriers, and Rural Route Realities—add perspective on pickup work, mail preparation, sick-leave rules, union democracy, election participation, workplace safety, grievance handling, and the changing work of letter carriers.

The Solidarity Corner visits six labor fights and wins, from California state workers and Portland unions to refinery workers, professional cheerleaders, and NWSL players. We check in on postal developments in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Argentina; celebrate a rural carrier who helped an injured customer; and visit Waco, Akron, Chesapeake, and other communities dealing with local delivery questions. Plus, the Diwali Forever stamp is out, the rural Christmas schedule is in the Postal Bulletin, and NALC’s Texas voter phone bank is coming up October 25. This week, the question is how members and communities can ensure the systems they depend on answer to them.

Check out this week's companion report:

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

In this episode The Roseville Wreckingball gets together with Alan Gegax of Classes of Mail fame and talks about the avalanche of issues that are caused by undelivered mail.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

In this episode we make our debut edit book training with an even more in depth video presentation to follow in the near future. If you want to be a member of the wrecking crew and help us succeed in training the city letter carrier please consider going to www patreon.com/parcelsofknowledge to become a member.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

This week on The Last Loop, Jamie covers October 10–16, 2026, beginning with an OIG audit of selected Michigan 1 District delivery units and the Detroit Processing and Distribution Center. We also look at NALC’s call for action after a Detroit letter carrier was attacked, USPS’s preparations for midterm election mail, and the continuing push for safer routes. From there, we turn to the rules that shape carriers’ working lives, including penalty overtime, Article 19, and why routine route maintenance belongs in the workday.

The latest Postal Record and Postal Bulletin bring stories about union democracy, a letter carrier’s woodburning art, Open Season and family-member verification, annual-leave exchange, and the rural Christmas-period schedule. We also cover the NALC election deadline, the 2027 NALC health plan, the separate Seattle OIG review, and arbitration awards C-37960 through C-37963, including three sustained grievances and one denial. Along the way, podcast conversations from The Postal Stand-up, Hot House, Next Generation Carriers, Rural Route Realities, Mail on It, and Classes of Mail add context to the contract, route work, union elections, rural staffing, USPS history, and labor history.

Plus, we check in on APWU and NRLCA news, postal developments in the United Kingdom, labor wins beyond USPS, and the new Diwali Forever stamp. This week’s postal history takes us from colonial postage rates to the fatal crash of an early airmail pilot, while the Local Loop visits Matagorda, Texas, as the community prepares to reopen its post office. In the week ahead, Building a Fighting NALC meets on October 18, followed by APWU Live, the Diwali stamp dedication, and the next Undelivered reading group. Running through the week is a question of accountability: how do postal workers and the communities they serve make sure the systems they depend on deliver?

For this week’s companion report:

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

In this episode we round up the kim training for 2026.

If you want to become a member check the link below

www.patreon.com/parcelsofknowledge

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Today we talk to the Branch President and the Steward of the famous Rutland Vermont undelivered mail case C-37900.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

The following episode is not an endorsement of any particular candidates, but rather a message from a long time friend Ken Mcneil about the election and about his opinions about the election. We do need to get out and vote.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Parcels of Knowledge: Light Blue Greenhorns — Episode 1: From CCA to PTF, and What Comes Next

Welcome to the first episode of Light Blue Greenhorns, a new addition to the Parcels of Knowledge rotation!

In our debut episode, Jamie Gregory and Just Jenn break down what happens when a City Carrier Assistant (CCA) converts to Part-Time Flexible (PTF) career status. Using Jamie's Branch 2819 guide, we discuss what changes, what stays the same, and what newly converted carriers need to know about scheduling, seniority, pay, benefits, hold-downs, and contractual protections. We also explain why becoming a PTF doesn't automatically mean becoming a full-time regular and what carriers should understand about their path forward.

Jenn also shares our hopes for Light Blue Greenhorns and the kind of community we want to build. Whether you're a brand-new carrier, recently converted to career status, or simply looking to better understand your rights, we want this to be a place where questions are welcome, experiences are shared, and we can all learn from one another. You don't have to know everything to be part of the conversation; that's the whole point!

If you have any topics you would like us to discuss, send them to [email protected]

And check out the report we read here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lV64-z9c1-x_Ig2TB-C_pssVu8LeJBcOOK-DVfr5_QU/edit?usp=sharing

The Reddit Post Jenn mentioned here: https://www.reddit.com/r/USPS/comments/1wiid2g/new_city_carrier_contract_questions_cca_ptf/?share_id=RVgVF8Jq6Xv3OUYGTdhBf&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&utm_source=share&utm_term=1

Learning, Growing, Building, Together!

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Today we host a roundtable for the local elections of Branch 421

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

This week on The Last Loop, Jamie covers October 3–9, 2026, as USPS proposes a major revision to the Employee and Labor Relations Manual (ELM), raising important questions about how changes to postal policies could affect letter carriers and contractual protections. We also follow the final week for requesting replacement ballots in the NALC national election and examine what comes next as members prepare for the October 19 ballot count.

We take a closer look at the latest Postal Record and Postal Bulletin, including union election procedures, financial accountability, retirement benefits, and election mail handling. An OIG report examines alternative retirement models, while this week's arbitration roundup includes two sustained grievances and a partially sustained decision, with recognition for the union advocates who successfully represented their fellow carriers. Plus, we check in on the other postal unions, rural carriers, labor developments outside USPS, new stamps, and our new International Postal Watch, where Royal Mail faces restructuring and Canada Post continues navigating labor disputes.

The Postal Podcast Desk is especially busy this week, with conversations about scanner data, PS Form 3996, documenting your work, management observations, mental health, grievance preparation, and the NALC election. We also visit communities around the country for the Local Loop and look ahead to developments worth watching. Running through this week's coverage is a familiar question: when policies change, decisions are made, or management demands answers, are the people doing the work being heard?

For this week's companion report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lky5ihVMHfGWt0xcQRB5GheAvV_w0Hok52V3iWPYKuc/edit?usp=sharing

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.