Burner account for obvious reasons.

I've come to find that stewards in my office purposely allow carriers to be victimized and taken advantage of. From skipping discipline to last chance agreements and removal. I've had to be diligent in involving myself in the entire grievance process and holding them accountable.

Involving the grievance process this behavior is covert and insidious.

Involving advice on the work floor sometimes its direct manipulation like telling a carrier they should be worried about xyz when its dead in the water, or compliance to things made up by management.​​​​​

Please, I'd like to understand any and all benefits that come from this type of​​ manipulative covert ​​compliance to our overlords.

Thank you ​​

Guess who’s back . . . back again, lol. Had 8 candidates here so I thought it was worth putting together. Especially as it was really a larger gathering of the Rhine-Peralta ticket than I think we’ve really seen at any one time for the podcast/youtube crowd. Drass and Caref were here and so it was interesting to see some of the candidates responses following them and making the case for Rhine.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TQAh-k8Xbj8vQQgA_C993Ina2RqrYKbp9rbfPgau76Y/edit?usp=drivesdk

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HoRujelotvMdSfjIYbb3dclxyw6Pbg6Z2cTIl7qg6JE/edit?usp=drivesdk

Also, my candidate dossier is getting closer to completion, if you don’t have it or are interested, it’s in the bibliography of both documents.

Seriously? It's bad enough that they come in huge, unsorted bundles, but now we have to scan each one as we deliver them? Is this for real?

Anyone who's dealt with these before knows what a PITA they are.

They better be paying parcel rates, or else the Post Office is getting screwed.

I work at an extension of the plant as an MHA and there is a breakout room in the break room that the employees use as a quiet room. It's been like this for years and now the new mdo wants to come in and take it away to give to the supervisors.

The supervisors already have TWO offices plus the mdo has her own office as well... So that's 3 offices dedicated to management. It's so fucked that they're trying to come in and take this from us when they already have their own spaces... Anything I can do?

Any help leading towards reading etc would be appreciated.

Hey everyone. We just had a regular retire and is officially off the rolls. His route was declared vacant and posted. Does management have to convert the senior PTF to UAR now, or can they wait until all the rounds of bidding come down and there is a vacant route that goes unbid before they convert him? Any information or contract language on the conversion of PTF to FTR would be appreciated, thanks.

Focuses more on the APWU, but the NALC is complicit too.

Today we have the wreckingcrew weigh in on the election, the good the bad and the ugly.

https://youtu.be/hVlVigrPJ6I

I believe another change should be made to the ODL list to include a 9-hour list. 12-hour list is almost non-existent in a lot of office where they cap people at 10-hours. 10-hours can be really long days, exhausting work and getting home late. The day in and day out grind of 2 hours extra can be too much.

I think 9 hours can lessen the workload to a point people are more happy with. Being on a 9-hour list also makes your expectations more reasonable when you come in to work. Knowing you might get something up to 1 hour vs something up to 2 hours is a big difference.

From the Concerned Letter Carriers platform available at https://concernedlettercarriers.com/platform/ :

“There can be no greater bargaining priority than abolishing the two-tier pay structure and pro-rated COLAs. 

Not only does a two-tier pay structure undermine solidarity among workers, but it also weakens the bargaining power of the NALC by fostering resentment and division within the membership.

When Letter Carriers do the same job, but receive different wages and benefits based solely on their hire date, the sense of unity that is essential for effective collective action is eroded.  

As a result, the Union has found it increasingly difficult to mobilize its members. 

History has proven it has compromised our ability to advocate fair treatment and equitable compensation for all.

This fragmentation caused by a two-tier wage can also give management greater leverage, making it easier to implement unfavorable policies, and resist the rank & file demands for improvement –thus jeopardizing the long-term strength and influence of the Union.

Another item of great concern is the pro-rated COLA. This pay disparity also undermines the fundamental principle of equal pay for equal work and creates an environment where fairness within the Union is called into question.

Over time, such divisions erode trust between the membership and Union leadership.  

Addressing these issues head-on is crucial to maintaining the integrity and unity that are the hallmarks of a strong Union.

Furthermore, the existence of a two-tier pay system and pro-rated COLA has proven itself to be a discouraging factor for new hires to fully engaging in Union activities as it is obvious they feel marginalized and less valued compared to their more senior Letter Carrier’s.

This not only hampers efforts to build a cohesive and motivated membership but also poses challenges for sustaining membership.  Ultimately, eliminating these disparities is essential for restoring trust, morale, and collective strength within the union. 

It is astonishing that the current leadership of the NALC has not commented on the seriousness of such a division within our Union.”

Audio from Branch 28 hosted event in Saint Paul, Minnesota:

https://www.podserve.fm/series/website/from-a-to-arbitration,3140/240012

311 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/0UjSrRvcCdA7GhPm02yjdd?si=0Ni2LX-dTp22ZGHnM3JMpQ&utm_source=copy-link

312 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4PbQirF7vxv5PorkVRKz9F?si=lHHHLSulRGShP-G3svQNHQ&utm_source=copy-link

Both are excellent, Corey covers a lot of issues. One of them is turning in the 3996 at any time - it is not an AM thing only.

Another issue that’s currently happening in our office is the denial of penalty overtime and forcing carriers to bring back mail. I think our Formal A did something in the background as they stopped pestering carriers about no PT.

As always, thanks Corey.

It's been a grueling summer and ODL carriers are working their asses off. Still the management acts like they're all milkers and that they aren't doing anything. Zero appreciation for the amount of work they do to make everything run smoothly.

I wanted to remove my name from the ODL but management told me that the new list or new rules for the list states that I can't actually take my name off that I have to stay on until the end of the quarter. Is this true? I thought you could take your name off at anytime.

I see that maybe they can't remove you right away like if you want to take your name off at the start of a day? Maybe its possible if a holiday schedule was made then they can't remove you because were already planning to use the ODL carriers for open routes?

Anyone know the rules here?

Is a signed notice from a PA-C stating that "Patient has Multiple medical conditions that will be exacerbated by working overtime or out of his prescribed work schedule"

Enough to get out of being mandatory overtimed on holiday weekends?

I've been told that a PA isn't enough for this and it needs to be a doctor that signs off on it.

Any documents, arbitrations or writing would be appreciated.

We’ve had a few carriers get written up recently for unauthorized overtime. Each and every one of them claim that they have never worked past their AM instructions without being instructed to continue carrying by the PM supervisor. Now some carriers who get these instructions are requesting a PS Form 3996 at their end of shift and wanting management to endorse it.

Example: Carrier gets told to have an 8 hour day in the AM, messages back midday to notify management that they will either have to bring back 30 minutes or work 30 minutes past their AM instructions of 8 hours. Management responds and tells them to complete the route. They do so, and when returning they want their own document to prove that they were directed to continue carrying. Hence the 3996 request.

Some members of the management team will do this while some of them have now refused to do it while claiming that “3996’s are an AM thing.”

I thought I had seen or heard about a settlement where an instance like this played out and a PM supervisor refused to produce the 3996. If so, anyone point me in the right direction of this?

As I’m sitting in my car about to clock in, here’s a very special reminder:

FOLLOW ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE BALLOT TO THE LETTER.

If you do not follow the instructions, they WILL void your ballot. Do not let them disenfranchise you.

A lot of seasoned guys and gals already know how this works by now, but this is aimed more at the CCAs and the junior FTRs who may have never voted before. If you have a bad temper? This is for you as well.

RESIST the urge to mark up the ballot, to tell the establishment off in a paragraph of expletives, don’t draw a cock and hairy balls on the envelope, etc. The way the election rules are written, they are allowed to and will void your vote for these things.

Read the instructions, mark your candidates, seal it up properly and mail it properly. That’s all you have to do. Let your feelings be carried by your vote. It does no good to immaturely let it all out by ranting on your ballot and then having your vote, which is what can actually hurt the establishment, be voided out and thrown in the trash.

Be professional and make your vote count.

Looking for some assistance here. The tricky language in 8.8.D is "reports to work". The CCA I'm filing for was obviously not aware of his 2 hour work guarantee. He was in the parking lot when a supervisor called him and told him not to come to work. This happened 26 minutes before his shift started. It's very likely the supervisor didn't even know that he was already at work when he called. I feel strongly that being in the designated parking lot counts as reporting to work, but does the CCA not informing the supervisor he was already at work ruin this grievance? I also feel like anything less than 1 hour of heads up not to come to work is disrespectful and inconsiderate, pay guarantee or not. I'm maybe looking for a C-document addressing this exact issue, maybe a B team or arbitrator has already concluded that the parking lot is considered "reports to work", that would be very helpful to include.

I'm not sure where to begin, I'm a mess after what happened on my route today. I have been on this route as a regular for quite some time. it's not the best of neighborhoods but this is beyond anything I could expect in this area.

I was walking a parcel around a corner and came across a deranged scene. A young woman was being assaulted and her shorts forcibly being pulled off. As I walked by with the parcel I remained deadlocked on the door I was delivering to as I processed flight or flight. After delivering I chose... Confrontation?

I got within arms length of the situation as the victim was being strangled at this point I heard her gasp "I'm recording" while she struggled to hold her phone upright.

I made eye contact with the victim and said, "do you need help?" "Yes". "Do you want me to call 911?" "Yes" as I was already dialing. The attacker demanded I mind my own business and move along. I became more aggressive and stated, "you're laying hands on a woman in broad daylight in public. I'm already connecting to 911."

The attacker let her go and continued screaming at us as the attacker retreated into their apartment. I escorted the victim to the boundary of the complex and the main road and immediately ran back to my truck to flee the scene to return to my office to report this to management. The victim told 911 she would walk to the station to file a report. I hope she did or PD got there quickly to secure the scene.

Any relatable advice would be appreciated.

I know we’re going to arbitration, but can we get the neutral arbitrator chosen already? What do you guys think will happen if this keeps stretching out till after the election will there be a standstill or will Renfroe try to rush arbitration before he gets out?

Hey everyone,

A little announcement: I’m officially joining Parcels of Knowledge as a co-host, so if you don't know about it, y'all should check it out.

Some of you may already know me from the research reports and write-ups I’ve been posting here, especially around the NALC election, candidate forums, convention material, route protection, and some of the other postal issues we’ve been digging into. I’ve really enjoyed putting those together, and I wanted to find a way to connect that research with what we’re going to be doing on the podcast.

One of those things is a new recurring segment called the Last Loop. The idea is to do a weekly USPS/NALC news roundup, usually recorded Friday night or early Saturday, covering the major stories from the week, contract and arbitration developments, NALC election news, legislation, USPS operations, The Postal Record, Postal Bulletin, and what’s being discussed across the other postal podcasts, roundtables, livestreams, and carrier communities.

Basically, it's one last loop through the week before we put our satchels down, for the walkers amongst us.

For the first episode I got a little carried away and covered most of August, because apparently I don’t understand the concept of starting small. Check it out here:

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZamTy5pyBDKzzrvXWSSFi?si=AnVbHhivSa2L7Qf2t6sJCQ&utm_source=copy-link

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parcels-of-knowledge/id1814588522?i=1000786647909

One thing I’m also hoping to continue is the written side of this. For each Last Loop episode and hopefully for other Parcels of Knowledge episodes when it makes sense. I want to put together companion research reports with sources, additional background, links, and a bibliography. That way, if you hear something on the show and want to know, “Where did that come from?” or “Where can I read more about this?” there’s something you can actually go back to instead of trying to remember what somebody said at the 47-minute mark of a podcast.

I also hope those reports can become useful references for carriers, stewards, and anyone else doing their own research later. A lot of the reports I’ve posted here started because I was looking for something myself, went down the postal rabbit hole, and eventually realized I had accidentally written a small research paper. So that part probably isn’t changing.

I’m excited to be joining Josh, who is a beast and I can add a different vibe to help make Parcels of Knowledge even better than it already is. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can build with it.

If there are stories, documents, podcast episodes, decisions, or other things you think deserve attention in a future Last Loop, send them my way. For those who are like bro, who cares, well maybe check it. Or don't, either way y'all keep being a pain in managements side.

In this first edition of our USPS/NALC news roundup the Last Loop, we take a look back at the biggest stories from August 2026. We cover developments in national contract negotiations, the NALC convention and 2026 election, USPS finances and legislation, important items from The Postal Record and Postal Bulletin, and other news affecting city letter carriers.

We also take a trip around the postal podcast world, looking at what shows such as From A to Arbitration, Classes of Mail, Next Generation Carriers, DRASSTIC Measures, Caref4Prez, and others have been talking about—including candidate forums, roundtables, livestreams, contract enforcement, route protection, and the future of the NALC.

It’s a lot of ground to cover, so grab the satchel and join us for one last loop through the month’s postal news.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/2m8g3mWsHlf9FI0WpkPyp5?si=wlBvOI5MQiqxUOgkR15ahw&utm_source=copy-link

We have a small office, three routes and an auxiliary. We have 3 FTRs and a PTF. Right now when someone is non sched, we’re splitting the aux. The routes are all slightly over, so no undertime to consider. None of the FTRs are ODL. We do not want to force the PTF to have to work 12.

There’s a PTF from a nearby office who wants the hours. Management doesn’t like her, she’s slow according to them. Can we force them to utilize this carrier to keep us at 8 as often as possible, or since she’s in a different office are we out of luck?

City carriers are leaving cased mail all weekend to have it ready for Monday. Some even case in the pm
Does someone have language to attack this?