This episode of From A to Arbitration is a highly critical and passionate discussion of Corey’s frustrations with the current state of the NALC, particularly its leadership and handling of grievances. Corey begins by acknowledging technical difficulties and previews upcoming episodes on emergency placement cases and clock ring falsification.
The episode’s core theme is Corey’s profound dissatisfaction with the union’s leadership, which he characterizes as cowardly and lacking in proactive measures against management’s increasingly aggressive tactics. He uses a metaphor from the movie “300” to describe the current situation. He asserts that the union is being quietly devoured by management, highlighting instances of the union leadership allowing management to violate contracts with impunity. He criticizes this as a double standard, where management is protected and letter carriers are not.
The episode features a significant critique of the union’s B-team decisions. Corey dissects several B-team decisions and pre-arbitration settlements that, in his opinion, significantly favor management, accusing the union leadership of acquiescing to management’s demands to avoid costly arbitrations. He calls this out as a direct violation of the interests of the letter carriers. He accuses the leadership of being overly concerned with preserving the union’s financial well-being instead of actively defending its members.
He offers numerous examples from recent arbitration cases to illustrate his points, emphasizing instances of management lying or obfuscating information, and the lack of a unified or militant stance from the union’s leadership.
Corey’s frustration is palpable throughout, and he repeatedly urges a shift in the union’s approach to become more aggressive and protective of its members’ rights. He concludes by announcing future episodes dedicated to specific topics and expressing his strong desire for a militant union, one that is actively fighting for its members’ interests.