Classes of Mail
by Alan Gegax
Latest episode
JCAM Article 11 - Holidays
JCAM Article 11 - Holidays
About this podcast
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 [email protected] .
Episodes
The newest 50 of 318 episodes
- JCAM Article 11 - Holidays · 31 min · Season 6 Episode 98Just in time for the Veterans Day holiday, we're reading Article 11 of the JCAM, which covers all the provisions relating to holidays. Most importantly, we cover the difference…
- JCAM Article 10 - Leave · 1 h 28 min · Season 6 Episode 97I'm finally getting back to re-reading the JCAM, and this is a marathon session. I read all of Article 10, which covers all types of leave: annual, sick, LWOP, AWOL, court, and…
- National Election Results · 28 min · Season 6 Episode 96I go over the election results in the 2026 NALC national election, and I give my thoughts on some of the races.
- Joshua Shrum Talks about Delayed Mail · 38 min · Season 6 Episode 95Joshua Shrum (Parcels of Knowledge) joins me via Zoom for this joint episode about delayed mail. We talk about how management got us into this mess, and what we should be doing…
- Build a Fighting NALC Has a New Podcast - The Relay Box · 42 min · Season 6 Episode 94Today I'm joined by Derek Liemohn, Chair of Build a Fighting NALC (BFN), and Michael Still, a previous guest on Classes of Mail and a member of the BFN organizing committee. They…
- ECRWSS, ECRWSH, the Electronic Mail Improvement Report, and Malicious Compliance · 27 min · Season 6 Episode 93In this episode, I talk about Enhanced Carrier Routing (the way mailers put our bundled mail in sequence), and how to deal with it when the routing is wrong. I also go over a…
- Chris Persampieri Discusses Labor History and the 8-Hour Day · 1 h 21 min · Season 6 Episode 92Chris Persampieri (Next Generation Carriers) and I had a wide-ranging discussion about the fight of organized labor to achieve the 8-hour workday. There were riots, strikes, and…
- PS Form 4588 - How to Protect Yourself During Management Observation · 31 min · Season 6 Episode 91Michael and I go over PS Form 4588 in detail, so you know what management is looking for, and how you can protect yourself.
- Austin Webb Talks about Mental Health · 31 min · Season 6 Episode 90*** WARNING: This episode include frank discussions about substance abuse and self harm. *** Austin and I have a VERY candid conversation about mental health, including telling…
- Letter of Warning - What It Means for a Carrier, and How to Protect Yourself · 1 h 27 min · Season 6 Episode 89Michael 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…
- Part 2 of the Office of Inspector General Report on Fraudulent Labels · 42 min · Season 6 Episode 88We go over the rest of the recommendations, and management's response.
- The Office of Inspector General Report on Fraudulent Shipping Labels · 49 min · Season 6 Episode 87On 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…
- Who We're Voting For · 36 min · Season 6 Episode 86I 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…
- Chris Reed Teaches Us about Article 16 - Just Cause for Discipline · 57 min · Season 6 Episode 85Chris 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…
- Bill Kriebel and I "Chop It Up" · 38 min · Season 6 Episode 84Bill 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…
- David Grosskopf Talks about His AMAZING Resume for NALC Trustee · 36 min · Season 6 Episode 83I 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…
- Elliot Simmons Discusses What It's Like Being a Candidate for National Office · 52 min · Season 6 Episode 82Elliot 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…
- Sam Adams and Greg Donaldson Talk about Being Presidents of Small Branches · 40 min · Season 6 Episode 81What'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…
- Joanie Weber Unveils MailCarrierHub.org - Training for Carriers · 46 min · Season 6 Episode 80Joanie 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…
- Rich Vala Discusses Why Management Continues to Violate the Contract, and Why Branches Violate their Members · 30 min · Season 6 Episode 79Rich 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…
- Michael Brasaemle Weighs in on Corey's Politics, Politics in General, and the Table 2 Wage Gap · 22 min · Season 6 Episode 78As described in the title. We also get an update on Michael's shoulder.
- Chris Reed - Candidate for Business Agent in Region One · 25 min · Season 6 Episode 77Chris 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 Talks Politics, Corey Walton, and Josh Hawley · 46 min · Season 6 Episode 76Eric 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…
- John Murphy and Joshua Towne Discuss What's Next for the Stand-Up Slate · 39 min · Season 6 Episode 75John 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 Simmons - Candidate for Business Agent Region 7 (and Host of "On the Workroom Floor") · 39 min · Season 6 Episode 74Elliot 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…
- Chris Strickland - Candidate for Business Agent in Region 8 · 37 min · Season 6 Episode 73Chris 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…
- Final Recap of the Convention · 34 min · Season 6 Episode 72Hear 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 - CLC Candidate for NALC Executive Vice President · 53 min · Season 6 Episode 71Corey 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…
- Day Four of the NALC Convention with the Amazing Melissa Rakestraw · 1 h 10 min · Season 6 Episode 70We 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…
- Day Three of the Convention with Tom Cser and Michael Still · 44 min · Season 6 Episode 69I 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…
- Day Two of the Convention with Michael Rivera · 35 min · Season 6 Episode 68Michael Rivera joins Michael Brasaemle and me for a recap of day two of the 2026 NALC National Convention in Los Angeles
- Day One of the NALC Convention · 42 min · Season 6 Episode 67Michael 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…
- We Have Arrived at the Convention! · 7 min · Season 6 Episode 66We 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.
- Our Plans for the 2026 NALC Convention · 41 min · Season 6 Episode 65Michael 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…
- Margo O'Neill and Chris Persampieri of the Stand Up Slate for AFL-CIO Delegate · 34 min · Season 6 Episode 60Margo 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…
- Cristal Czajkoski from Beyond the Satchel · 29 min · Season 6 Episode 59Cristal 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…
- C Moline Is the Best Candidate for AFL-CIO Delegate · 31 min · Season 6 Episode 58C 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…
- John Murphy Talks Labor Issues and the Stand Up Slate · 37 min · Season 6 Episode 57It'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…
- Michael Rivera Takes His Victory Lap · 1 h 5 min · Season 6 Episode 56Michael 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…
- The Stand Up Slate for AFL-CIO Delegate - Sarah Cuello and Joshua Towne · 36 min · Season 6 Episode 55Here what the Stand Up Slate is all about, and why I support their candidacy.
- Branch 70 in Their Own Words (Part 2) - The Response to Michael Rivera · 1 h 11 min · Season 6 Episode 54"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…
- What You Can Learn from My One-Day Inspection · 30 min · Season 6 Episode 53I 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…
- Branch 70 in Their Own Words - The Response to Michael Rivera's Conviction Appeal (Part 1 of 2) · 1 h 0 min · Season 6 Episode 52This 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…
- The Investigative Interview Is Your Day in Court · 35 min · Season 6 Episode 51Michael 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…
- JCAM Article 9 · 37 min · Season 6 Episode 50Today 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…
- The 3999, and Other Forms of Harassment · 25 min · Season 6 Episode 49Michael 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…
- A Selection of Convention Resolutions · 27 min · Season 6 Episode 48Michael and I talk about some convention resolutions, and give our thoughts and recommendations.
- Thoughts on the CLC in Light of Branch 70 · 32 min · Season 6 Episode 47Michael 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.
- The Railroading of Michael Rivera and Mari Thompson in Branch 70 · 1 h 9 min · Season 6 Episode 46Michael 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.
- Presidential Rulings - Part 2 · 24 min · Season 6 Episode 45More presidential rulings, more insights. This time, shorter! And it's available on video by searching "Alan Gegax" on YouTube.
