This episode of From A to Arbitration is a passionate and highly critical discussion of the current state of the NALC, focusing on issues like the union’s leadership, recent arbitration cases, and the need for a stronger advocacy approach.
Corey begins by acknowledging listener feedback and addressing recent technical issues with the podcast’s audio. He then outlines upcoming episodes dedicated to Act of God grievances and the ongoing issue of “hour office time.”
The episode features significant criticism of the NALC’s leadership, which Corey characterizes as weak and unsupportive of the city letter carriers. He discusses the lack of proactive measures taken by the union leadership in response to various challenges, such as the ongoing falsification of hip training, and the significant workload issues facing some letter carriers. He directly criticizes the union president for a perceived lack of support and leadership, especially in responding to carrier concerns.
Corey then tackles the issue of potential pre-arbitration settlements potentially weakening the union’s position, and uses a specific example of a shop steward whose personal belongings were stolen from her case and then a pre-arbitration settlement was made to show the weakness of the union’s current leadership, arguing it is inconsistent with the union’s stated commitment to protecting its members.
A substantial portion of the episode is dedicated to a detailed summary of a recent, significant arbitration case in Cleveland, Mississippi, including Corey’s strategy and the arguments presented. He underscores the importance of a proactive approach to grievances, emphasizing that management often seeks to dismiss grievances by arguing that the problem was already resolved, but the underlying issues persist.
The episode also showcases Corey’s meticulous approach to gathering information, using examples from other episodes about past cases to illustrate how to address procedural issues and effectively challenge management’s assertions in future cases.
The episode concludes with a passionate call for a stronger, more proactive union, echoing the theme of a “ground-roots uprising” of letter carriers demanding better treatment and working conditions. He previews future episodes with specific topics like the hour office time, and expresses his belief that a significant leadership change within the union is necessary and inevitable. The overall message is a call for unity, aggressive advocacy, and a commitment to improving the working conditions for city letter carriers.