From A to Arbitration

Latest Episodes:

Episode 71: Question and answer time with Executive Vice President Brian Renfroe. Oct 03, 2022

Show notes

A discussion between Corey and Brian Renfroe, executive vice president for the National Association of Letter Carriers. They discuss several topics, including:

The new "TIAREAP" process: This new process uses GPS data to track and evaluate carriers' routes, which has led to some conflict with carriers feeling watched.

The upcoming contract negotiations: They discuss the importance of pushing for an all-career workforce, higher starting pay, and a full cost-of-living adjustment.

The NALCs relationship with the Postal Service: They discuss how the NALCs relationship with management is professional, but disagreements still occur.

The role of the Regional Grievance Assistants (RGAs): They discuss the importance of RGAs in supporting small branches and their role in handling grievances.

The "redline" policy: This policy prohibits carriers from doing certain things, which can be a point of contention.

The lack of union representation in some areas: They discuss the importance of strong representation and how to address it.

They also discuss the importance of the upcoming election for the NALCs leadership. They encourage viewers to vote and be informed about the issues.

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Episode 70: Special guest the honorable Mike Caref, Business agent region 3, rubber banded to my microphone. Topics cover non-compliance and failure to follow instructions Sep 26, 2022

Show notes

This episode features Mike Caref, Business Agent Region 3. Caref discusses remedies for non-compliance grievances and disciplinary actions for failure to follow instructions, particularly regarding mandatory overtime and NS days. He highlights a recent arbitration win (case #35858) in Chicago which established a $2,500 automatic penalty for future non-compliance with grievance settlements, cease and desist orders, and step B decisions. The episode also details past issues with the postal service not honoring continuation of pay (COP) requests. Caref emphasizes that employees should follow instructions, but not beyond their work hours or when it is unsafe, and that leaving work before completing their shift is not insubordination. The episode concludes with announcements about future guests, including Brian Renfroe, and encouraging listeners to engage through social media.

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Episode 69: Buster Douglas, the mirror and the note from the principal's office. Effectively grieving Management not allowing us to case SPRs and Management attempting to hold us to 5 minutes pm office time. Sep 19, 2022

Show notes

This episode discusses two prevalent issues among postal workers: management's imposition of a 5-minute PM office time limit and the prohibition of casing Special Handling Parcels (SPRs). Corey emphasizes the importance of diligently filing grievances against these directives, citing examples of both successful and unsuccessful cases. He advocates for a strong union stance, arguing that every grievance, no matter how challenging, should be pursued. He recounts personal experiences, including a case where a carrier was essentially forced to work off the clock due to these restrictions. Corey stresses the need for stewards, formal representatives, and branch presidents to actively support and represent carriers, highlighting the importance of detailed investigation, thorough preparation, and unwavering support for employees. The episode concludes with advice on how to effectively grieve these issues.

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Episode 68: The love affair. Effectively grieving management changing our start times. Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

This episode focuses on the grievance process regarding management's practice of changing start times. Corey emphasizes the importance of a "searing, zealous, torrid love affair" for letter carriers among union representatives to effectively represent their needs. He laments the perceived failure of some union representatives to adequately address workers' concerns, citing instances where grievances were not filed or resolved, leading to negative outcomes for employees. He discusses a recent case involving a carrier's removal and the subsequent lack of union support, highlighting the critical need for representatives to actively file and pursue grievances. The episode then transitions into a detailed explanation of how to grieve start-time changes. Corey provides a template grievance, outlining the required elements, including an issue statement referencing Article 5 and Section 122 of the M-39 handbook and Article 19 of the national agreement. He also stresses the importance of supporting documentation, like carrier statements and management communication, and using arbitration decisions as instructive models for formulating grievances. He highlights the significance of the arbitrator's requirement that management demonstrate justification for any schedule change. The episode concludes with a summary of several arbitration case precedents, emphasizing the 80% mail-availability criterion as a key element in contesting start-time modifications and the arbitrator's interpretation of management's responsibilities in maintaining fair schedules. Corey repeatedly encourages listeners to utilize readily available resources like templates, arbitration decisions, and support from their union representatives to successfully challenge these management actions.

c-33356

c-34444

c-23986

c-29717

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Episode 67: Beating the Red Line Policy (its coming to a station near you). Talking TIAREAP. A follow up to the knock and drop policy. Sep 05, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, Corey discusses TIAREAP and redline policy, two policies that affect mail carriers and their routes. He gives a detailed explanation of TIAREAP and reads a document from a friend about it, outlining the process, the use of digital street review (DSR), and the various events that are automatically deducted or flagged.

He then addresses the redline policy, sharing how a manager told other managers that the M-41 handbook has been amended, removing fixed office time. He emphasizes that this is false and that there is still a 33-minute and 43-minute fixed office time. He advises listeners to be aware of management's attempts to circumvent these policies and to be prepared to file grievances if necessary.

Finally, he discusses a disciplinary case and uses it as an example to emphasize that discipline should be corrective and not punitive. He reminds listeners that the contract trumps all opinions and that they should never be scared into accepting discipline that is not justified.

C-32369 Talmadge

C-30421 Roberts

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Episode 66: William Wallace, picking a fight the 3996 and 1571 Aug 30, 2022

Show notes

Corey starts by acknowledging that he messed up the audio for last week's episode, which was very long, and apologizes for the inconvenience.

He then moves on to discuss a few things he wants to address. He talks about the importance of union stewards and how they can help protect carriers' rights, especially during investigations and grievances. He encourages listeners to be informed about the grievance procedure and to stand up for themselves when they believe their rights are being violated.

Corey shares a story about an incident where a manager tried to intimidate a union steward and how the steward stood his ground, ultimately exposing management's dishonesty. He then dives into a detailed discussion of the "3996," a form used to request overtime or auxiliary assistance, and provides specific examples of how this form can be used to challenge management actions.

He also addresses the issue of management manipulating or misinterpreting data used to determine overtime and work hours, encouraging listeners to be vigilant in checking those records and to file grievances when necessary.

Corey ends the episode by encouraging listeners to stay informed, stand up for their rights, and to fight against any form of tyranny or injustice.

C-25035 M-01366 M-01769

C-29394 M-00304 M-01444

C-33998 M-00829 M-00536

C-29981 A-B M-01458 M=01216

C-31406 M-00326

C-32470 M-01664

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Episode 65: JB goes in depth about the grievance procedure/process, CCAs doing rural carrier work, the workhour workload report Aug 22, 2022

Show notes

This podcast episode focuses on the importance of union stewards and their role in protecting the rights of city letter carriers. JB discusses the grievance procedure, highlighting the different steps involved, from informal meetings to arbitration.

This episode also addresses the issue of CCA's (City Carrier Assistants) being assigned to perform rural carrier work, emphasizing that this is a violation of the collective bargaining agreement. JB encourages listeners to be informed about their rights and to file grievances if they are experiencing any unfair treatment from management.

JB also discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on staffing and the challenges of ensuring that rural carriers receive the necessary support. He encourages listeners to stay vigilant in protecting their rights and to use the available resources, such as the JCAM, to ensure fair treatment.

Grievance procedure/process @42 min

CCA doing rural carrier work @1:14

workhour workload reports @2:06

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Episode 64: Humbled, Branch 11 'The Beautiful Ones', why I do what I do aka the mechanic, my eviction notice, tidbits and City/Rural disputes Aug 15, 2022

Show notes

Corey discusses the importance of union stewards, the difficulties of dealing with management, and the ongoing battle between city and rural carriers. He emphasizes the need for education among city letter carriers and encourages them to stand up for their rights.

Corey also talks about his personal experience with blood clots and how this led to his temporary removal from the National Convention. He then discusses several memos and agreements related to city and rural carrier jurisdiction, highlighting the complexities and challenges faced by carriers in both city and rural settings.

Overall, the episode is a passionate plea for city letter carriers to stay informed, fight for their rights, and support each other in the face of a difficult work environment.

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Episode 63: Midweek surprise. Making sure we are grieving unsafe scanner messages and other tidbits Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

This episode is a midweek edition focusing on urgent safety concerns. Corey addresses a nationwide scanner message stating "When possible, take approved rest breaks to beat the heat." He strongly urges listeners to grieve this message every time they see it, calling it "deadly" because it implies carriers are limited to scheduled breaks, which is dangerous in extreme heat, especially for new hires (CCAs) who may not know they can take breaks as needed for heat. He recommends grieving it as a class action under Article 14 and Article 19 via M-01860, demanding a cease and desist and a stand-up talk clarifying break policies. For repeated offenses, he suggests including Article 15 and seeking $50 per carrier per day until the message is retracted and clarified.

The episode then shifts to dissecting a redacted investigative interview and subsequent disciplinary action (letter of warning for improper conduct). The discipline stemmed from a carrier taking lunch late and bringing mail back to the office. Corey critiques the process, arguing the investigative interview was biased from the start, accusatory, and failed to specify what rule was violated regarding bringing mail back. He highlights issues like the unreasonable instruction to take all breaks before 3 pm, potential violations of Article 16, 14, and 19, and the lack of clarity on protocol when unable to reach management to report bringing mail back. He points out inconsistencies between the investigative interview's focus on "failure to follow instructions" and the discipline's charge of "improper conduct," as well as the introduction of new ELM sections in the discipline that were not mentioned in the interview. He emphasizes the need to scrutinize every word and detail in such documents to build a strong defense.

Finally, Corey reiterates the importance of protecting CCAs in the heat and encourages union members to educate themselves and fight for their rights, despite potential management backlash. He clarifies his non-political stance and commitment to the union, emphasizing his role is strictly educational and supportive of union members, particularly in safety matters and fighting unjust management practices.

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Episode 62: The good, the bad, the ugly. M-01983 Aug 01, 2022

Show notes

This episode delves into a lengthy discussion of the M-01983 memo, which outlines the Technology Integrated Alternate Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process (TIEREAP). Corey begins by addressing listener feedback on his previous episode, emphasizing his dedication to the NALC and his desire for fair representation of letter carriers. He then transitions to the memo, detailing its extensive contents, including the process of appointing joint NALC-USPS teams for route evaluations and adjustments, data analysis procedures, and carrier consultations. Crucially, Corey highlights the importance of carriers being aware of potential management attempts to establish standards for timeframes in street work. The memo describes various data analysis methods, including digital street review (DSR) and work hour workload reports, and emphasizes the need for accurate data entry. Corey emphasizes the significance of carrier consultations and the rights afforded to carriers during these sessions. He specifically notes potential issues related to management using the memo to justify discipline for work-related activities. He stresses the importance of carrier knowledge and participation in the process, especially noting the need to challenge management's interpretation of standards. The episode concludes with a discussion of the memo's details, encouraging listeners to become knowledgeable and prepared to defend their rights in the face of potential abuses. Corey repeats his dedication to his colleagues and the union and promises further episodes addressing relevant NALC issues.

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