Classes of Mail

Michael and I dive DEEP into a letter of warning for attendance. We talk about how to protect yourself day in and day out, during the investigative interview, and when discipline is issued.

We go over the rest of the recommendations, and management's response.

On September 20, 2026, the OIG released a report of their investigation into the Post Office's acceptance of fraudulent shipping labels. It found that 97% of parcels with fraudulent labels are being... DELIVERED! And it cost the Post Office $1.6 BILLION in just one year! In this episode, I get through the first half of the report.

I didn't want to make this episode, but Michael was insistent. In the end, I'm glad he bullied me into it. We are both CLC endorsers, and we're broadly voting for the CLC, particularly at the top of the ticket. But it's not universal. You may disagree with our choices. In a few cases, we disagreed with each other! In the end, this is what union democracy looks like.

Chris Reed was IN STUDIO to give a training on Article 16. He's very knowledgeable, give good information that's approachable for carriers at all levels, and his deep voice will melt like butter in your ears. Also, Chris is running for Business Agent in Region 1.

Bill Kriebel joined me for one last interview before ballots come out. I really believe in him as a candidate for Business Agent in Region 12. On this episode, we talk about his experiences while running for office, and the emotional and physical toll it's taken.

I talked with David about a phenomenal graphic he put out, detailing his qualifications and his accomplishments at Branch 3 in Buffalo. It's ludicrous, and I had to talk to him about it. Our conversation dives into his plans as trustee, and we highlight some of the parts of his resume I find most interesting.

Elliot Simmons, Candidate for Region 7 National Business Agent, dropped in on Zoom to talk to Michael and me about what it's actually like to run for office. You can donate to Elliot's campaign via the usual payment apps at ElliotSimmonsBranch957@gmail.com

What's it like when a reformer becomes branch president? What are the new considerations? What sort of pushback do they get from inside and outside their branch? How do they get their members to buy in, and contribute to the cause? Sam and Greg give excellent answers to these questions and more.

Joanie and I have a spirited conversation about her new website, training in general, and a bunch of other stuff. I've wanted to have her on Classes of Mail for ages, and she was a fantastic guest.

Rich Vala is a lifelong friend who also served as my campaign manager in my branch elections. He has good insights here, and provides an outside perspective on what we have to deal with inside the NALC.

As described in the title. We also get an update on Michael's shoulder.

Chris Reed talks about why he's running for office, and what his plans are for Region One. This episode was recorded during the 2026 NALC National Convention.

Eric Ellis comes on to bring some much needed nuance to our political discussions. We discuss the recent muckraking of Corey Walton, bringing up political posts from 10 years ago. I get Eric's take on what it means for Corey's run for Executive Vice President. We also talk about letter carriers' political divides more broadly, and the union's need to reach politicians on BOTH sides of the aisle. We finish with a discussion about Josh Hawley, who has taken a significant interest in the Post Office lately. Is he a friend to the letter carrier?

John and Joshua talk about how they put their campaign together, and the fruit it bore. They discuss the importance of participatory democracy in our union.

Elliot is running for Business Agent in Region 7, which includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota. We go over his platform, the current problems he sees in his region, and how he plans to address them.

Chris Strickland is running for NBA in Region 8. You may remember his as one of the Regional Administrative Assistants (RAA) who was fired when he announced he was running for office. In this interview, we go over Chris's platform, and discuss his values and his vision.

Hear our final thoughts, as well as a recap of what went down on the last day. Plus, two SHOCKING bits of praise from Michael and me.

Corey Walton joined Michael and me for a discussion about the convention, his candidacy, and (thanks to Michael Brasaemle's courage) Michael Rivera. You should listen to this episode, if for no other reason, to hear Corey's voice in full, high-quality audio.

We recap another day of victories for the reform movement, but more importantly, we get to hear the insights and wisdom of Melissa Rakestraw, a branch president from Illinois who I believe is on the right side of every single issue.

I LOVED having these guys in Hotel Room Studio. We go in depth into the controversy surrounding the wacky way we vote on resolutions at the convention, and how it interacts with Robert's Rules.

Michael Rivera joins Michael Brasaemle and me for a recap of day two of the 2026 NALC National Convention in Los Angeles

Michael and I are joined in Hotel Room Studios by C Moline, Greg Donaldson, and Sam Adams to discuss all the goings-on from today's convention. It was quite a day. Listen in to hear about Renfroe's big announcement, and another Michael Rivera victory.

We got to meet so many wonderful people today! Thank you for saying hello! We don't have much news to report, but we can report on the vibe.

Michael and I discuss the classes we're planning to take, and how you can find us during the convention. We also talk about a recent memo from postal management that limits supervisors' ability to settle grievances, and I go on a little rant about delayed mail at my station.

Margo and Chris dive deep into the issues that matter to the Stand Up Slate, and they explain why these issues are relevant to their roles as AFL-CIO delegates, and why these issues are relevant to letter carriers. It's one of the best conversations Classes of Mail has ever hosted.

Cristal Czajkoski joins me via Zoom to talk about a variety of subjects including her podcast Beyond the Satchel, her run for AFL-CIO Delegate, bylaw changes she's proposed for her branch, and her role as a political organizer. Specials guests: her two wonderful dogs.

C Moline comes on to discuss her run for AFL-CIO delegate. It doesn't get any better than this. She is phenomenally qualified, and she has the hearty endorsement of Classes of Mail. Listen and be impressed, and then vote for her in Los Angeles.

It's always a pleasure to have John Murphy on the podcast. On this episode, he talks about what our AFL-CIO delegates should be doing, and what he plans to do to revitalize the labor movement when he's elected.

Michael Rivera received his decision from the Committee on Appeals, and they overturned the Branch's conviction and suspension. He will now be a delegate to the upcoming national convention. In the second half of the episode, we talk about charges Rivera had previously brought against Brian Renfroe. Those charges will be appealed at the convention.

Here what the Stand Up Slate is all about, and why I support their candidacy.

"If the law is on your side, pound the law. If the facts are on your side, pound the facts. If neither are on your side, pound the table." You're going to hear a lot of table pounding in this episode out of Branch 70.I want you to think about something as you listen to this episode. What are the damages? The Branch 70 president compared Rivera's sharing of an election appeal to "yelling 'fire' in a crowded theater." The reason such speech is not protected is because of the obvious harm: loss of revenue, people get trampled, people can get killed. Compare that to the harm Branch 70 has suffered because people who read the appeal might have thought there was only supposed to be one microphone for nominations.4.5 years of suspensions, for a harm that Branch 70 doesn't even articulate.

I was followed all day recently, and it went well. I want it to go well for you, too. I have the 4584 that management used for my street delivery observation, and I'll go over it with you so you know how to keep yourself out of trouble.

This is the other side of the story. Branch 70 prepared a reply to Michael Rivera, and I am going to read every word of it and discuss it with Michael Brasaemle. This is part one of two. While listening, bear in mind the two statements, written within an election appeal and shown to be false, that have caused all this trouble. To summarize, one is that the Branch President didn't relinquish his microphone to accept his nomination. The other is that there was going to be one microphone for nominations, but there wound up being three.Again, both of those allegations wound up being false.Think about the harm those statements caused to the branch in general, and specifically to the members of the election committee. Financial harm? Emotional distress? Loss of work?Or did nobody care, because they're insignificant accusations.The Branch makes its case for why Michael Rivera deserves an 18 month suspension for those two statements. Listen and decide for yourself.

Michael and I talk about HOW you can make the most of your investigative interview. We read two actual interviews, and discuss the way the carrier's answers helped to defend against any impending discipline.

Today we continue our reading of the JCAM with Article 9. This article covers our salaries and our COLAs. We'll go over what a "diet COLA" is, and how we're all actually getting screwed by our COLA system. We also go into the wage provisions for carrier technicians.

Michael and I discuss management's improper use of the 3999 (one day inspection) for harassment, and other ways they harass carriers. Even more important, we talk about how to push back.

Michael and I talk about some convention resolutions, and give our thoughts and recommendations.

Michael and I revisit our endorsement of the CLC, in light of their closing ranks around what Michael and I perceive as the wrongdoing in Branch 70.

Michael Brasaemle and I go in depth with the story out of Branch 70. We'll go over the charges, national level decisions, federal laws, and more.

More presidential rulings, more insights. This time, shorter! And it's available on video by searching "Alan Gegax" on YouTube.

This episode is available on video by searching "Alan Gegax" on YouTube. Michael and I talk about a variety of presidential rulings, and what they can tell us about due process, appeal rights, and the NALC Constitution.

Management is destroying the Post Office from the inside. We're not going to be part of it.

This is the rest of Article 8, which includes your work hour guarantees, and a bunch of memos.

I met up with Eric Ellis at the close of the Region 1 Rap Session. He will be retiring in a few months, and we discuss how much retirees earn in their pension, and a few other topics of interest.

When the rap session ended, I met up with Bill Kriebel (NBA candidate) and Howard Komine (trustee candidate) to get their thoughts on Renfroe's speech, the way the rap session is run, and a handful of other topics.

The rap session has ended, and it was quite an event, especially on a personal level. Michael and I talk about Renfroe's speech, and share our experience at the event.

What does Michael rant about? I don't remember! Let's find out together. This was one of four episodes we recorded that day, and Michael was on a roll.(OK, I listened. The episode is mostly about route inspections.)

Three quick topics on this one. First, an apology to a CCA, for forgetting what it's like to be new. Second, please come and say hello to Michael and me at the Region 1 Rap Session happening April 30 through May 1, 2026, in Las Vegas. Third, I am looking for people to help me do research for upcoming episodes of Classes of Mail.

When the grievance process is delayed, carriers can be irreparably harmed. David Grosskopf joined me to talk about how we can best make carriers whole for the damage caused by management's violations of the contract. We also discuss the importance of filing grievances BEFORE the carrier gets harmed.

Michael and I answer your questions.