This episode of From A to Arbitration continues the “Memphis Mini-Series,” focusing on the formal step A meeting in an arbitration case. Corey begins by acknowledging a listener (Vorty) and discussing improvements to the podcast’s production quality.
He previews upcoming topics, including a special guest next week and a focus on aggressively challenging management, highlighting his belief that management is intentionally undermining the union and letter carriers. He emphasizes the importance of assertive advocacy in union dealings.
The episode delves into the formal step A meeting’s details, emphasizing the importance of careful preparation and thorough questioning of management’s representatives. Walton criticizes the formal representative’s handling of the case, highlighting instances where the representative’s testimony contradicts evidence presented in the case file. He argues the representative was not adequately prepared for the meeting and thus acted in bad faith, and demonstrates the lack of independent investigation and corrective action by management.
Walton stresses the importance of procedural due process, emphasizing the point that management’s failures at earlier stages of the grievance process directly contributed to the ongoing issues and that a strong union advocate will seize upon these procedural flaws to discredit management’s case. He demonstrates his mastery of the legal framework, citing specific articles and sections of the JCAM and relevant handbooks, and uses these to show how the current leadership is failing to fulfill its responsibilities. He argues that the current leadership is knowingly undermining the union, enabling a hostile work environment, and that this requires aggressive advocacy.
The episode concludes with Corey highlighting a series of documented failures in management’s handling of grievances and their reported lack of adherence to their own procedures and policies, illustrating how these failures affect union procedures and the union itself. He foreshadows further assertive action against management in future episodes, further reiterating his aggressive stance and highlighting the need for a unified front from the city letter carriers to counter management’s actions.