This episode of From A to Arbitration is a passionate and critical assessment of the current state of the NALC, focusing on Corey’s frustration with union leadership and management tactics. Corey begins by thanking Ron Speakman for a recent podcast appearance and previews upcoming episodes on emergency placement cases and the falsification of time records.
The central theme of the episode is a strong critique of the union’s leadership for perceived inaction and poor advocacy, particularly regarding management’s implementation of policies. Corey argues that management is more effectively communicating and strategizing their positions, while the union leadership is not adequately preparing members to fight back. He specifically criticizes the union’s handling of issues like hour office time, stationary events, load times, and the lack of a unified or aggressive stance on those grievances.
Corey highlights several documented instances of management violating the contract and the union’s seemingly passive response. He argues that management’s actions are not only detrimental to the letter carriers but are also a calculated strategy to undermine the union’s position, comparing the current situation to the “frog in the boiling water” analogy. He emphasizes how the union has allowed management to successfully manipulate and condition the workforce into accepting these practices by not fighting back early enough.
The episode concludes with a call for more militant action from the union leadership. Corey implores members to support a new leadership team capable of effectively opposing management and advocating for the city letter carriers. He stresses the need for a proactive approach and for members to educate themselves on their rights and how to challenge management’s actions. He highlights recent arbitration decisions that support the union’s position and provides specifics on how to structure future grievances to effectively challenge management’s tactics and policies, highlighting the importance of education and proactively seeking out ways to stand against management’s abuses.