Classes of Mail

This episode is a MUST LISTEN! It covers the rules surrounding the use of sick leave. When do you need documentation? What counts as documentation? For what purpose is sick leave issued? What happens if management just sits on my 3971 and doesn't sign off on it? For all these answers and more, give it a listen.

In today's episode, I wax philosophical about why this podcast exists. I talk about the benefit I get out of these episodes, and the benefits I hope YOU get out of these episodes. I also list a bunch of other NALC podcasts that I listen to and recommend.

In this episode, we'll learn about all the awards the Post Office DOESN'T GIVE OUT to carriers who do a great job. We also learn about back pay, travel pay, training pay, and garnishments. Be sure to point your supervisors to Section, so they can refresh their memory on all the awards they can give to us carriers.

This episode covers different types of premium pay, including: out of schedule, holiday, overtime, penalty, Sunday, and night. Make sure you're getting all the pay you're entitled to!

Today's episode covers items of great interest to carriers, such as the 7:01 rule, the five minute leeway rule, and the 12 hour limit. We also cover how LWOP can affect your step increases, and how you're supposed to be paid if you're temporarily on a higher level assignment (such as a carrier technician).

On today's episode, we're going to go back to the basics. If you were hired at the Post Office within the last decade or so, you had to sign off on a checklist of 102 skills that you are responsible for knowing as a new employee. I have that list (it's in the back of the On-the-Job training booklet), and we're going to go through it together to make sure we're all up to speed.

In this episode, we start digging into the ELM (Employee-Labor Relations Manual). We're going to look behind the curtain at how management operates. We'll see how managers and supervisors are selected, as well as other non-craft workers. We'll also learn about what happens if you quit, what happens if you get fired, and what happens if you quit because you were about to be fired. Finally, we'll learn what the process is when management wants to fire people during probation. It turns out, there still have to be REASONS for removal.

Turns out Section 2 of the M-39 is all about route inspections. We don't do this sort of route inspection very often because of TIAREAP, and there's talk that this entire method of route inspections will be phased out completely. Still, there is value in many of these provisions, so I'm going to read a selection of the provisions that I think is relevant.

This episode covers drive-out agreements, the acquisition of vehicles in an emergency, and payments for public transportation or car service. In the second section, we learn about management's obligation to make sure carriers are properly trained in processing undeliverable mail.

Yep. I got fired again from the Carrier Academy. And from being an on-the-job instructor. Tune in to hear the story. I'll also talk about the future of the podcast, which will look a lot like its past. Finally, I give out a few podcast recommendations.

I got to ask Brian Renfroe a question, and I got a sought-after answer! Skip to around the 33:00 mark to hear it. I also talk about the rest of my experience at my first ever NALC convention, the Region 1 Training. I'll tell you some of the things I've learned. I finish the episode by talking about my experience as a steward thus far.

Today we read more from the M-39, this time with a preamble where I talk a little bit about what's of interest to me. This will put us about 40% of the way through the M-39. The episode ends with a heartfelt thank you to my listeners. You're the best.

I've been waiting a long time to tell this story. You'll hear what led up to my being fired, what the pretextual reasons were, what the actual reasons were, and how the union handled it. It's a tale of frustration from beginning to end. I also share some thoughts on the union in general, and on my role going forward.

In this episode, we learn about collections routes and collections boxes, how management is supposed to evaluate new employees/CCAs, and management's rules and guidelines for street observations.

This section talks about scheduling, start times, and morning office duties. In this section, when it talks about morning leave times, NOWHERE does it mention a ONE HOUR OFFICE TIME! When it talks about loading your truck, NOWHERE does it mention a TWENTY MINUTE LOAD TIME! Listen in for more good stuff.

Today we will read PROOF POSITIVE that we are allowed to case our SPRs! And a bunch of other stuff, too, about the case and about casing. Reading the M-39 has been incredibly eye-opening and empowering, and we're just getting started!

It's time to turn the tables on management. We're going to read from the M-39, so we can learn all about the stuff management is supposed to be doing. I'll add commentary to what we read, talking about potential grievances, and emphasizing teachable moments. Let's hold management accountable!

We'll finish up the JCAM, and then talk about what's coming in the next seasons of Classes of Mail.

In this episode, we finally finish Article 41. We'll get to read about all the wonderful committees and task forces that are going to fix the cultural and technical problems of the USPS. Lucky us.

In this episode, we finally finish the contractual language of Article 41. However, there are SOOOO MANY memos at the end, I couldn't power through all of them. I'm going to need one more episode after this one to finally finish it off.

This is the fun section of Article 41, where we get to read a bunch of rules that cover how we deliver the mail.

Today I will read from my own LMOU. It's only effective for the Las Vegas area, but it has provisions in it that are similar to LMOU's around the country. This episode will give you an idea of the kind of things that are covered, and it may give you ideas for changes you can make in your own LMOU when the new contract is ratified.

One more section down, only a few more to go. This section talks about seniority and relative standing, and gives more details on the opt hold-down process

In this episode, we'll discuss all the things you have to do when you have your own route. I go over how to make changes in your edit book, how to manage your 3982's (pink cards) for forwards, and much more.

This episode is shorter than usual, because it turns out I was a sleepy head, and I didn't do a great job of reading. I'm going to publish it anyway, because we're so close to the finish line with the JCAM. This section spells out the rules concerning bidding on routes.

SIX big articles! We read about union and management cooperation, credit unions, local agreements, and a bunch of stuff in between. Enjoy!

I'll read and discuss a selection of M Documents from M-00001 to M-00150. Topics include the fact that there is no set pace for street delivery, how to qualify for a special route inspection on an overburdened route, and the circumstances under which you may be required to provide medical documentation for your sick leave.

These articles cover employee uniforms, tort and financial claims against USPS and employees, and the suspension and reinstatement of driving privileges.

In this episode, I tell a brief story about how I came to find the results of the various committees and task forces ensconced in the JCAM. The results are published, often, in the Materials Reference System, also known as the M-Documents. I will read a series of summaries for these M-Documents, to give you an idea what's in there.

These articles cover health benefits, leave for union duties, the right of the union to enter facilities, rules concerning bulletin boards, and higher level assignments like Carrier Technician.

How long should it take you to hit the street in the morning? Management can claim one hour all they want, but the real answers are in the M-41. Same for PM office time. Five minutes? Not hardly. We'll go over the actual provisions in the M-41 that detail all of our AM and PM office duties.

The Articles are getting smaller, so I decided to power through four of them. We cover the rights of stewards (17), we learn that we aren't allowed to strike (18), we learn that handbooks and manuals are contractually enforceable (19), and we talk about parking (20). Enjoy! Turns out I don't miss doing the accents.

We're 2/3 of the way through the contract! This episode covers discipline procedures, and is a must-listen for all stewards.

In this episode, I will get to learn how to merge two audio files. YOU will get to learn about a bunch of little things that longtime carriers probably take for granted, but new carriers struggle with. Guaranteed you'll learn something new. Also, I feel like this episode has more mouth noises. I tried to get closer to the microphone so I'd have richer sound quality, but it may have led to more unwanted noises. If you noticed it, drop me a line.

This Article covers the grievance and arbitration procedures. It is a must-listen for any stewards or prospective stewards out there.

I'll give you three guesses what this episode is about.

It turns out there is information available on what sorts of things the union is negotiating for on our behalf. It's a list of resolutions that were voted on at the national convention, and that list is printed in the Postal Record. I'm going to read that list to you, and talk about it.

Just as the episode title implies, I'm going to read Article 13. In the beginning of the episode, I talk about some changes to my recording setup and my episode schedule. To skip that, fast forward about two minutes.

This is the second half of Article 12 of the JCAM. There is still a little bit of chattering at the beginning of the episode, but it clears up fairly quickly. This part of the JCAM continues to cover excessing, and consolidation of offices. It also covers transfers and mutual exchanges.

In this episode, I'm going to tell the story of how I came to be the carrier I am today. It's not particularly educational, and you should probably skip it. But if you want to listen, here it is. Also, the sound is a little jittery in the beginning because of an app I had running in the background. Lesson learned on that one. Luckily, it's still basically understandable, and I wasn't saying anything important, anyway.

In this episode, we will read the first half of Article 12 of the JCAM. It's long.1

Today I'm going to share an email that was sent to me, and I"m going to talk about the value of your statements in protecting yourself from discipline, and in protecting your and your fellow carriers from mistreatment.

A long reading of JCAM Articles 10 and 11. This time... accent free.

This topic is by request. I will go over the items that the M-41 lists as accountable, as well as some extra services that can be added to the mail. I'll also give some advice on how to safely deliver items to the door.

In this episode, we'll read the entirety of Article 9.

In this episode, I'll talk about the many ways management abuses carriers, and I'll give strategies and advice on how to deal with it. (This episode contains substantial profanity.)

We finish up our reading of Article 8, and I try out a new accent.

Yes, you have to do what management tells you. Even if it's dumb. We'll go over your requirements, and the exceptions; and we'll talk about management's obligation to make decisions.

This week I'll read the first half of Article 8. Look for the second half in two weeks.

In this episode, I'll read a letter I wrote to my local postmaster, outlining the primary reasons we are losing our new employees. I also offer solutions that are easy to implement and cost essentially nothing. The letter is read as written, without commentary.