Episodes

  • Episode 216: 'The Giant slayer' Mr. Tyler Vasseur talking TA and the BFN
    Feb 6 2025
    46 mins
  • The CCA Corner Volume 6: Special Guest James Henry
    Feb 5 2025

    This episode of the CCA Corner features an interview with James Henry, the current NALC Vice President and presidential nominee for the CLC ticket in the 2026 election. The discussion centers around Henry's background, the CLC's platform, and their plans to address concerns relevant to City Carrier Assistants (CCAs).

    Henry details his extensive union experience, starting as a shop steward and rising through the ranks to National Vice President, emphasizing his commitment to member education and advocacy. He outlines the NALC's structure, from the national president down to the local branch level, and criticizes the current leadership for a lack of accountability and transparency. He also expresses frustration with having his duties reassigned by the current president.

    The conversation turns to the CLC's platform, highlighting their focus on transparency, principled contract negotiations, member education, and empowering CCAs. Henry advocates for standardizing training and opportunities across all NALC regions, emphasizing the need for consistent standards and mentorship for CCAs. He addresses concerns about the current lack of transparency within the NALC, promising more open communication and information sharing with the membership.

    Henry discusses the CLC's commitment to improving the CCA position, advocating for better wages, working conditions, and career advancement opportunities. He also expresses his long-term goal of abolishing the CCA position altogether in favor of an all-career workforce. Finally, he stresses the importance of solidarity, both within the NALC and with other labor organizations, emphasizing the need for a unified front to advocate for workers' rights. He closes by encouraging CCAs to stay involved and unified, assuring them that the CLC and other NALC activists are fighting for their interests.

    https://fromatoarbitration.com/cca-corner/

    https://concernedlettercarriers.com/

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    1 hr and 29 mins
  • Episode 215: We are the consequence
    Feb 4 2025
    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Episode 214: 'The Wolf' James Henry speaks on the vote and what's next
    Feb 3 2025

    Two episodes are previewed: one with James Henry discussing the rejected NALC/USPS tentative agreement (TA), and another covering various topics like a retirement dinner and grievance payouts. Corey thanks his helpers for fixing his tech issues, enabling him to address a message backlog. He praises Henry's integrity and anticipates a strong discussion about the TA rejection, which Henry interprets as a clear message for better terms regarding workforce, hours, and pay. Henry argues letter carriers deserve top industry compensation due to their unique demands and stresses the need for a contract addressing both economic and work rule concerns. He outlines the next steps, including renegotiations and potential arbitration, advocating for a full TA review and greater officer involvement.

    The conversation shifts to negotiation strategy concerns, with Corey and Henry discussing rumors of leadership potentially agreeing to non-pay TA items before focusing solely on pay. Henry insists everything should be renegotiated. They discuss the upcoming "day of action," with Henry encouraging participation and unity against the USPS. Corey questions President Renfroe's planned appearance, given his previous TA support. Both emphasize trustworthiness in leadership, with Henry affirming his commitment to honesty and advocating for fair treatment of all letter carriers.

    www.fromatoarbitration.com

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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Episode 213: It was indeed HISTORIC
    Feb 1 2025

    Corey celebrates the city letter carriers' overwhelming rejection of the proposed tentative agreement with the United States Postal Service. He frames this as a historic moment, a declaration of war against both the Postal Service and their own union leadership, particularly President Brian Renfroe. Corey accuses Renfroe of being a "failed leader," "reckless," "clueless," and a "danger" to the union. He criticizes Renfroe for initially praising the TA as "historic" and the "best offer" while later shifting the narrative to claim the Postal Service made the offer. He highlights the grassroots uprising against the TA, emphasizing the disrespect shown to the city letter carriers by both the Postal Service and the union leadership. Corey claims the TA was full of "concessions" and "cowardice," and that Renfroe lied about its contents. He sees the TA rejection as a sign that the CLC will take back control of the union in the 2026 elections and that Renfroe and his supporters will be ousted. He emphasizes the CLC's power and unity, expressing immense pride in their actions and promising to continue fighting for their interests, even if it means going to arbitration. He contrasts the current situation, where the Postal Service and union leadership are "eating steak," with his vision of the future, where the city letter carriers will also "fight for steak." He reiterates his unwavering support for the CLC and his determination to continue advocating for them.

    www.fromatoarbitration.com

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    22 mins
  • The CCA Corner Volume 5: Mailbag Episode 1
    Jan 24 2025

    This episode of the CCA Corner podcast features an interview with Gus, an OJI trainer and academy instructor in Boston. Gus emphasizes that new CCAs often overstress about memorizing the case at the academy. Instead, he recommends focusing on learning the process of casing mail efficiently, such as starting with bundled flats, then larger flats, and finally letters. He also highlights the regional variations in postal terminology and encourages new hires to ask questions and not compare themselves to experienced carriers. Gus stresses the importance of taking each delivery one at a time, prioritizing accuracy and safety over speed. He reassures listeners that it's okay to ask questions, even after training, and encourages more experienced carriers to mentor newer colleagues.

    https://fromatoarbitration.com/cca-corner/

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    24 mins
  • Episode 212: A touch of salted peanuts and some house cleaning
    Jan 20 2025

    Corey provides a link to his recent in-depth interview with Ron Speakman. He emphasizes the importance of honesty and transparency in his own commentary and discusses the ongoing challenges facing letter carriers.

    The episode features:

    Shoutouts: Recognition for dedicated union stewards, educators, and organizers.

    Fundraising Announcements: Information on upcoming fundraisers, including a bowl-a-thon for MDA and a scholarship fundraiser.

    James Henry's Response to California Wildfires: Corey praises James Henry's proactive response to the California wildfires, highlighting his on-the-ground support for affected carriers and his advocacy for improved working conditions.

    Discipline Analysis: A deep dive into a sample disciplinary notice, focusing on identifying potential weaknesses in the investigation and challenging the validity of the charges.

    Addressing Recent Controversy: Corey clarifies his stance on a recent disagreement with Mike Carref, emphasizing the importance of focusing on the issues and avoiding unnecessary conflict.

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    59 mins
  • The CCA Corner Volume 4: An Impromptu Conversation with Alan Gegax
    Jan 15 2025

    In this episode, we sit down with Alan Gegax, from Classes of Mail. The interview discusses the treatment of City Carrier Assistants (CCAs), and the perception of CCA treatment from the East Coast. Gegax argues that CCAs are often mistreated by management and that the union does not do enough to protect them. He also discusses the importance of education and empowerment for CCAs. This comprehensive discussion gives a unique perspective toward perception of the CCA position, the union itself, and handbook provisions that receive little attention.

    https://fromatoarbitration.com/cca-corner/

    https://fromatoarbitration.com/postal-podcasts/

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    58 mins