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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

44:53

Michael Caref Visits My Branch

Classes of Mail ·

2026/04/11

My branch (2502) invited Mike Caref to come speak. I don't have a recording of his speech, but I did take a lot of notes. In this episode, Michael Brasaemle and I give our impressions, and we related what was said. As an added bonus, I drove Caref to a campaign event the next morning, then went out to breakfast with him. We talk about that, too.

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44:34

C Moline and Build a Fighting NALC

Classes of Mail ·

2026/04/08

C Moline, one of my favorite guests, comes on to give us some education about union activism, and to tell us what Build a Fighting NALC is up to.

en

47:32

Office Duties, According to the M-41

Classes of Mail ·

2026/04/06

Management's office times are total fiction. When they tell you that you're supposed to be out of the office in 30 or 45 or 60 minutes, they're trying to invalidate what's in the M-41. Michael and I go over what's actually in our handbook, and what all is supposed to be done on office time.

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65:48

JCAM Article 8.5

Classes of Mail ·

2026/04/02

This one is a slog, but it's really important. This section of the JCAM goes into how overtime is supposed to be distributed, and it's probably the single biggest source of grievances. If you really want to know your rights as it relates to overtime, this is the episode for you.

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46:00

Real Talk about the CLC

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/30

I am not a political expert. I'm a teacher. And my opinions on candidates and slates and movements should be weighted accordingly. In this episode, Michael and I dig into our feelings about the CLC. What makes us confident they'll be an improvement over Renfroe and company? What gives us pause for concern? And what actual evidence is there to support any of these positions?

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36:25

By Request: Another Michael Brasaemle Rant!

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/25

Michael talks about retirees. I tried to stop him. He also talks about the recent testimony of PMG Steiner before Congress.

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30:27

Ryan Akers Is Discipline Proof

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/21

Sometimes I think about what it would have been like if I would have realized earlier in my career that I don't have to run, that if I just do the job the right way, it can be low stress. It took me fourteen years to come to those realizations. Ryan Akers figured it out MUCH faster. He joins me on this episode to talk about what it's like being a newer carrier who actually knows his rights.[I forgot to add the outro music after the episode. Sorry about that.]

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40:45

JCAM Article 8.1 through 8.4

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/17

These are key provisions. We cover the fact that you are NOT an on-call employee! We also go over the rules governing overtime, out-of-schedule pay, and more.

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39:08

Interview with Howard Komine, CLC Candidate for Trustee

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/14

Howard Komine came to Vegas to campaign with the CLC at my branch meeting. I was fortunate enough to meet up with him at his hotel for an in-person interview. This is Howard's first podcast interview, and he did GREAT! In this episode, he talks about his role as a trustee, how he runs his own branch, and why the oversight a trustee provides is so vital to our union.

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66:34

Charges Against Michael Rivera

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/11

Well, well, well... the shoe is on the other foot! Michael Rivera is a reformer from Branch 70 in San Diego who found himself in the national spotlight (at least among reform-minded podcasters) when he brought charges against NALC President Brian Renfroe; and then brought charges against the entire Executive Council. Michael recently ran for office in his own branch, and found what he believes to be significant deviations from the NALC's published election rules. He brought those issues to light

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29:58

The CLC Visits My Branch

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/09

James Henry visited my branch last week, and he brought the energy! I found his speech to be heartfelt, enthusiastic, and indicative of where his mindset is. If you've only heard James Henry on podcasts, you owe it to yourself to give this a listen. I have the audio from his speech, and I also talk a bit in the beginning and end about what it was like to have him there in person, along with Howard Komine and Corey Walton.

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31:43

Michael Addresses Articles in the Postal Record

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/04

There were some articles in the December 2025 Postal Record that are relevant to issues important to Michael and me. We discuss them.

en

29:23

We Lost at the Committee on Appeals

Classes of Mail ·

2026/03/02

Sometimes when you fight, you lose. Michael and I discuss what happened with our appeal, and why it's important to fight, even if you sometimes lose.

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19:01

An Update on My Kidney Cancer

Classes of Mail ·

2026/02/26

My surgery is now behind me, and things appear to be going well. I have my first follow-up in a few days, so this is everything I know as of the date of recording.

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36:00

Michael's Favorite Grievance Wins

Classes of Mail ·

2026/02/21

This episode is by request, from our friends in New York City. Michael bring the hits with some of his favorite grievance wins. It's a fun list, and the last grievance is a banger.

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40:13

Mike Caref Tells the Story behind the OIG Report

Classes of Mail ·

2026/02/17

Mike Caref joins me to talk about the enormous grievance settlements that featured in the Office of the Inspector General report that was released earlier this year. We discuss some of the specific grievances, and the specific payouts. More generally, we go over what it takes to get management to actually comply with the contract.

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46:22

The Rest of Article 7 of the JCAM

Classes of Mail ·

2026/02/14

This one's a little dry. But it does contain some gems that shed light on the fact that Brian Renfroe has no intention of getting rid of the CCA classification.

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59:54

The Story of Michael's Life

Classes of Mail ·

2026/02/11

We drop the educational portion of the podcast, to bring you this very special episode of Classes of Mail. We get to hear Michael Brasaemle's story: how he came to the United States from Korea, his time in the Air Force, and his path through the USPS. It's an amazing story.6

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30:25

Michael Shares His Route Inspection Checklist for...

Classes of Mail ·

2026/02/07

Michael came up with a route inspection checklist that's aimed at CARRIERS (not stewards). It's filled with a ton of useful advice on how to make the most of your route inspection, and how to give your steward as much ammunition as possible for any grievances after the fact.

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58:47

Michael and I Address the New Attendance Interview...

Classes of Mail ·

2026/02/03

Michael and I talk news! A final kidney update before my surgery, and the two topics mentioned in the title. For the attendance interview, we go through all the questions in an investigative interview template that has been circulating on social media, to be used against carriers who use their earned benefit of sick leave. We have suggestions on how to answer these awful questions.

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257 results

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