From A to Arbitration

Latest Episodes:

Episode 242: Dealing with the Heat Part 1 Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

Corey addresses the critical issue of heat safety for letter carriers, emphasizing the alarming frequency of heat-related illnesses and fatalities. He expresses frustration with the NALC's perceived inaction and lack of guidance on this matter, contrasting it with the proactive community efforts seen on social media. Corey highlights the importance of staying hydrated, taking breaks, and utilizing cooling methods like wearing light clothing and using towels. He reiterates that the carrier's health and safety are paramount, more important than mail volume or management directives. Corey details specific grievance procedures and contractual language from the M39 and M41 handbooks that support carriers' rights to take breaks and challenge management's attempts to penalize them for prioritizing their well-being. He also reviews past arbitration decisions and settlements, such as the cease and desist orders and monetary remedies, that can be used as precedents for current grievances. Corey shares his personal commitment to fighting for the carriers, even if it means facing criticism, and stresses the need for collective action and education to protect the membership. He announces that he will be resuming his regular podcast schedule and continuing to provide education on crucial topics like six-day counts and route protection.

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The Lion's Den Episode 8: More 6-day Count Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Corey continues his deep dive into route inspections and the six-day count process, emphasizing the critical role of understanding and utilizing the M-39 and M-41 handbooks. He highlights how management may attempt to manipulate data and time, particularly concerning street waiting time and office time calculations. Corey stresses the importance of carriers being aware of their rights, meticulously documenting their work, and challenging any discrepancies or violations of the contract. He revisits specific sections of the handbooks and arbitration decisions, such as those relating to vehicle inspections, carrier consultations, and the proper use of forms like the 1838-C and 1840-B. Corey also touches upon the potential for grievances related to management's actions, especially in the context of the newer "autopivot" tools and the ongoing issues with heat safety. He reiterates the need for carriers to be informed and prepared, emphasizing that the union's strength lies in its educated membership. Corey also mentions his upcoming vacation and expresses his continued dedication to providing educational content, even from afar.

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Episode 241: Special guest Paul Perry president of Branch 1100. I also discuss a few other tidbits. Showing pity for an old friend. Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Corey begins by expressing his frustrations with the current NALC leadership, particularly President Renfroe, whom he criticizes for incompetence, corruption, and a lack of integrity. He also touches upon the impact of his malfunctioning laptop on his recording schedule, but reaffirms his commitment to the city letter carrier craft. Corey then introduces and interviews Paul Perry, the branch president of NALC Branch 1100, the largest branch in the country. Perry shares his experiences at the Committee of Presidents (COP) meeting, where he challenged Renfroe's claims about the arbitration process and the TA. Perry recounts Renfroe's aggressive reactions and his apparent disregard for the membership's vote against the TA. Both Corey and Perry express their disdain for the leadership's actions and their commitment to fighting for the members. They also discuss the importance of the CLC movement and the need for reform within the union. Perry highlights the power of collective action and the significance of rank-and-file involvement in driving change, emphasizing that individual branches are making their voices heard. Corey expresses his admiration for Perry's passion and dedication and his hope for a positive future for the union with new leadership. The interview delves into the union's internal politics, the potential for constitutional amendments to limit presidential power, and the broader implications of the current situation for letter carriers across the country. The conversation also touches on the importance of education and awareness for new members, particularly CCAs, and the need for a stronger, more representative union.

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The Lion's Den Episode 7: More 6-day Count Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of "The Lions' Den," Corey continues his detailed breakdown of six-day route inspections and related union procedures, focusing on the critical aspects that can impact a carrier's time and potentially lead to grievances. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and utilizing specific forms like the 1838-C, 3999, and 1840, as well as contractual language and past arbitration decisions to protect carrier rights. Corey highlights how management may attempt to manipulate these processes, particularly regarding street waiting time and office time calculations, and advises carriers to meticulously document all interactions and potential discrepancies. He stresses the need to be aware of management's obligations, such as conducting annual route and unit reviews and providing carriers with advance copies of relevant forms and documentation. Corey also touches upon the significance of breaks and how management might attempt to restrict them, urging carriers to be informed and to file grievances if their rights are violated. He reinforces the idea that understanding these procedures is crucial for the city letter carrier, as it empowers them to protect their time and ensures fair treatment, especially in the face of management's potential "steal" tactics. The episode also includes a brief mention of future topics like route protection and the potential impact of new joint route adjustment processes.

concernedlettercarriers.com

The CCA Corner Volume 12: The Mental Health Episode Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

Mallory and Badmouth dedicate a significant portion of the podcast to the crucial topic of mental health, acknowledging its prevalence and impact within the postal service. They begin by honoring two fallen brothers, Mathew Rorie from Branch 41 and Dan Workman from Branch 113, and offer condolences and information for sending cards. The hosts emphasize the importance of destigmatizing mental health conversations, comparing mental health struggles to physical health issues and highlighting the prevalence of neurodivergence. They explain that society and work structures are often designed for neurotypical individuals, and it's okay for brains to work differently. The episode delves into various mental health concerns, including stress, burnout, low self-esteem, and specific conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and others, noting their often invisible nature. They stress that mental well-being affects not only the individual but also their families, coworkers, and customers, reinforcing the concept of solidarity and kindness. The podcast provides practical advice on seeking help, discussing different types of therapy (CBT, psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral) and mental health professionals (psychologists, counselors, social workers, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, primary care physicians), with a recommendation to use the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) as a primary resource. They highlight EAP's usefulness in finding local mental health professionals and its confidential, free nature, and also mention the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. The episode also touches on CareFirst benefits and resources like PsychologyToday.com for finding therapists. They encourage listeners to be their own best advocates, explore various treatment options, and not give up if the first approach isn't successful. The episode concludes with a powerful message of solidarity, encouraging mutual support, empathy, and personal growth, urging listeners to utilize available resources and take care of themselves and each other. They also mention upcoming episodes on CCA conversion, scheduling, and travel.

1-800-EAP-4YOU - Eap4you.com (USPS & Family)
National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline -Call or text 988 for a free, confidential conversation with a trained counselor, 24/7 https://988lifeline.org/
Crisis Text Line - Text ACTION to 741741 to be connected to a crisis counselor https://www.crisistextline.org/
Samaritans - Preventing suicide and providing hope 877-870-HOPE (4673) https://samaritanshope.org/
Veterans Crisis Line - 800-273-TALK (8255) and press 1, Text to 838255 to connect veterans with a trained responder https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/
Teen Line - 800-852-8336 Text TEEN to 839863 to connect with highly trained teen listeners
The Trevor Project - 866-488-7836 https://www.thetrevorproject.org/ Crisis intervention and suicide prevention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning young people ages 13-24
Institute on Aging's Friendship Line - 800-971-0016 Email friendshipline@ioaging.org Crisis line for people aged 60+ and adults with disabilities
Parent Stress Line - 800-632-8188 https://www.parentshelpingparents.org/stressline
National Helpline for SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - For individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders 800-662-4357 https://findtreatment.gov/
MA Substance Abuse Helpline - 800-327-5050 https://helplinema.org/
National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline - 800-370-9085
Project Semicolon - https://projectsemicolon.com/
Project YES (for teens having trouble accessing services) - https://www.schleiderlab.org/yes.html

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Episode 240: Salted Peanuts with an Emphasis on Mental Health and Heat Safety Jun 08, 2025

Show notes

Corey expresses his deep affection for the city letter carrier craft and his commitment to advocating for them. He addresses personal attacks he's received due to his outspoken nature, emphasizing that he speaks his mind and does not apologize for it, as his focus is solely on the city letter carrier. Corey revisits his past experiences as an advocate, highlighting his dedication and integrity, and shares stories of both wins and losses in arbitration, stressing the importance of honesty and preparation. He then addresses a number of critical issues impacting carriers, including the perceived incompetence of current union leadership, the detrimental effects of management's "dogs of war" tactics and the arbitrary implementation of metrics like stationary events and hour office time. Corey also discusses the importance of the "dogs of war" concept as a direct response to these issues and outlines plans for addressing the toxic working environment. He announces his upcoming vacation and a return to his usual episode format with a focus on education, including a look at six-day count issues and a review of important legal decisions. Corey stresses the need for a strong, educated union membership and reiterates his dedication to serving the city letter carriers. He also touches on the upcoming election cycle, expressing his confidence in the CLC's chances and the need for continued member engagement. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of self-care and mutual support within the union, offering his personal number for anyone needing to talk.

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The Lion's Den Episode 6: 6-day Count May 28, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of The Lions' Den, Corey continues his discussion of six-day route counts, providing in-depth instruction on the practical aspects of challenging management actions. This week's session is devoted to reviewing the PS form 1840-B, a critical tool for evaluating street time in route counts. He presents a detailed overview of the form, highlighting the crucial line items and providing a guide on how to recognize and challenge time deductions that could be improperly recorded by management. He stresses the importance of the information found in the actual documentation, detailing various steps that carriers can use for the process.

concernedlettercarriers.com

Episode 239: The Buzzards, the Lions, and Receipts May 28, 2025

Show notes

In this extended episode, Corey reacts to his previous week's podcast, with the intent to answer those who have said that he had been unfair in what was said. The episode is a critical analysis of the current state of the NALC and the individuals involved, particularly President Brian Renfroe and Executive Vice President Paul Barner, and the implications of decisions being made and that they have enacted. Corey addresses those, particularly former president, Lew Drass, and expresses that Lew had been "watching from afar" during the past three years. He shares his views on the upcoming election and the importance of unity and a commitment to the well-being of city letter carriers. Corey presents a new challenge to the status quo, calling for a change.

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The Lion's Den Episode 5: 6-day Count May 21, 2025

Show notes

Corey discusses the upcoming meeting and the key areas management is targeting to take control over the city letter carriers, detailing strategies to combat management's tactics during a six-day route count. Corey then transitions into addressing the importance of documentation for both the city letter carriers and management, with a particular emphasis on form 1838-C and 1840. This episode is a breakdown of the essential elements of a successful route inspection and the importance of the post-inspection week and carrier consultations, and discusses how to best prepare and file a grievance on the basis of any problems and what to look for.

concernedlettercarriers.com

Episode 238: Talking LMOU May 19, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Corey touches on a variety of topics, beginning with his appreciation for the new name for the Wednesday episodes: The Lions' Den. He then discusses the importance of educating oneself on the rules. He also references the upcoming election and the need for involvement, emphasizing the critical need to vote for leaders who prioritize the interests of city letter carriers. Corey then discusses what happened in the previous episode about the charges from members of branch 70. Corey gets into some points and then the main topic of the episode, LMOU, Local Memorandum of Understanding, by reading the minutes of a management meeting that reveals management's plans. He then reviews a decision from National Arbitrator Mittenthal to reinforce points on how the LMOU should be done. Finally, Corey reinforces the city letter carrier's rights, particularly regarding the upcoming new "autopivot" implementation and the steps involved in handling this new system. He highlights that the carrier can get time back. He also highlights the importance of knowledge of the 3996.

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