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PODCAST

Classes of Mail

This podcast is intended to empower city letter carriers. Through education, we"ll make ourselves better carriers who are immune to discipline and mistreatment by management, and are forces for positive change and reform within our own union. I do not speak for the USPS or NALC (or anybody else, for that matter!), this is not an official USPS or NALC podcast, and all opinions and advice are my own or my guests". Submit feedback, questions, or topic suggestions to classesofmail@gmail.com .

government

All Episodes

71:51

We Got Railroaded - Things Went Horribly Wrong at the...

Classes of Mail ·

2025/02/06

Just listen. Holy crap. Oh, and be warned, the music come in a bit hot at the end of the episode. I'm still figuring out that part of the podcast.

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23:35

Chris Pennock of Branch 9 and BFN Talks about the...

Classes of Mail ·

2025/02/04

OK, we all voted no. Good job, us! So what happens next? Chris Pennock comes on the podcast to talk about what we can do with the momentum we have.5

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32:00

Michael Brasaemle Discusses the Tentative Agreement Vote

Classes of Mail ·

2025/02/03

Michael is back in studio to talk about the "Historic" no vote on the Tentative Agreement. We also talk about how the rerun of our branch election is going. (Spoiler: it's NOT going!)

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22:11

You May Already Have a Rank-and-File Democratic Union

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/31

In this episode, I'll go over the provisions in the NALC Constitution that put the power in your branch in the hands of its members.

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35:28

Chris Pennock of Branch 9 Minneapolis and BFN

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/28

Chris Pennock joins me to talk about building a reform caucus within your branch. We also discuss his journey to branch leadership (he's just been elected Vice President), and his fight against the good ol' boy system.

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25:33

How I Got Fired As an Alternate Steward

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/25

It's happened again, folks. I've been poking the bear, trying to get my local branch in compliance with its own bylaws, and with the NALC Constitution. The result is that I have been removed from my position as an alternate steward at my station. The branch president is claiming that alternate steward are AUTOMATICALLY removed from their positions when new officers take their positions, but of course, there's nothing to that effect in our bylaws or in the Constitution. The reality is, the president

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43:19

Michael Brasaemle Talks about the Investigative...

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/23

Michael is back in studio, now with his own microphone! He went with the Rode PodMic. It sounds pretty good. Anyway, this episode is about the importance of the investigative interview. It's the carrier's "day in court," where they can defend their actions, plead their innocence, and lay the foundation for any grievances, should management decide to issue discipline. Michael and I talk about strategy, what NOT to say, and we go over your Weingarten rights.

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46:46

Mike Caref - caref4prez.org

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/20

Mike Caref joins me via Zoom to talk about leadership, reform, and education. He explains the job of the National Business Agent, explains what gets carriers fired, and how to avoid getting fired. ( FILL OUT YOUR OWN 3971!) We also talk a bit about the contract and about Brian Renfroe.

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58:32

Sweet, Sweet Victory at the Branch Meeting

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/15

Spoiler alert! Things went our way at the branch meeting. Michael returns to help tell the story of what happened at the meeting. Chalk one up for the rule of law. (Rule of bylaws, anyway.) Hopefully after this episode, things will settle down, for a while anyway, and I can get back to educational topics.

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29:04

A Full Update before our Branch Meeting

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/13

This is the tell-all episode where Michael comes back to the podcast studio (AKA my spare bedroom) and we go over the full story of the election improprieties and the series of Article 10 charges that have gotten us to this point. If you've been following this saga closely, there will still be some surprises in here, because the Good Ol' Boys have found even more ways to violate our Constitution and avoid answering questions about the election.

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41:36

Michael Brasaemle Returns to Discuss the Role of this...

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/09

We address some accusations put forward by our union officers, saying that what we're doing on this podcast is divisive and counterproductive. Obviously we disagree.

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9:50

Why We Have to Fight

Classes of Mail ·

2025/01/06

Just a short pep talk. Keep up the fight!

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14:15

The Democratization of Information (Knowledge is Power)

Classes of Mail ·

2024/12/27

In this episode, I'll talk about a change I'm seeing in the way our union is being run. The rank-and-file are getting more and more power, because they are no longer being kept in the dark. Podcasts like From A to Arbitration are empowering carriers with information that shifts the balance of power away from management, and away from the gool old boy network that has been running our union for too long. Let's keep it going.

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32:36

Carrier Academy - Slides 12 through 24

Classes of Mail ·

2024/12/21

We learn more today about the laws that govern the Post Office. We'll also talk about some jargon that's unique to the Post Office. Finally, we talk about why supervisors are often of such low quality.

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28:45

Tyler Vasseur Votes NO!

Classes of Mail ·

2024/12/19

Tyler Vasseur is back on Classes of Mail. He puts the failings of our Tentative Agreement in a historical perspective, and talks about why we need to reject this agreement for the benefit of our own work/life balance, and for future generations of letter carriers. Your vote matters. Be the voice our union needs. To join Build a Fighting NALC, head to fightingNALC.com and sign up today!

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49:40

A Wild, Wild Branch Meeting - Part 3 of 3

Classes of Mail ·

2024/12/14

In this episode, Michael and I talk about the charges that were brought against us by the election chair. Labor laws are pretty clear that union members have free speech, and that freedom specifically includes the right to be critical of union officials. But here we are. Enjoy!

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48:35

A Wild, Wild Branch Meeting - Part 2 of 3

Classes of Mail ·

2024/12/12

In part two, we get into the election portion of our branch meeting. Tough questions were asked by the crowd, and NOT answered by our branch officers. To say it was lively would be an understatement.

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38:46

A Wild, Wild, Branch Meeting, Part 1 of 3

Classes of Mail ·

2024/12/10

In this episode, Michael Brasaemle comes over to talk about what went down at our most recent branch meeting. We wound up needing THREE EPISODES to cover everything. This first episode covers my effort to force the president of my branch to fulfill his obligation under our bylaws to fill vacancies. Specifically, the steward position at my station that has been vacant for a year. This is what it looks like when you go up against entrenched branch officers who have been there upwards of 30 years.

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45:16

Richard Vala - Campaign Manager and Lifelong Friend

Classes of Mail ·

2024/12/03

Today I am joined by a friend going back to Junior High. He is my primary sounding board for most of my activism within the union. And he served as my primary advisor for my run for vice president. Today, you will hear an outsider's perspective on what's been going on at my branch, and my history with the post office and the union. There are significant insights in this episode about who I am as a person. It's a great conversation, between two old friends.

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79:04

An Updated Look at the Tentative Agreement

Classes of Mail ·

2024/11/28

WE'RE STILL VOTING NO! But now we have better reasons. Listen in for a more thoughtful analysis of some of what's known about the Tentative Agreement.

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