Eric Jackson

Branch President & Scribe



November 2025



Thank you! In this month of Thanksgiving, we have many things going our way. But typically, we focus on the negative or challenges we face. But before I tell you how good we are doing (in context), I must still warn you of the ills of postal management.


The postal management structure is rooted in nepotism and straight-up a$& kissing. We all know that. There are some good ones, but most of their complement has changed over as well. Remember that guy who had three accidents in one month but was the nephew of a supervisor? He probably is a postmaster now. Remember the lady who always needed help on her route and still brought back mail all the time? She prob ably is a postmaster now. Oh, let’s not forget the son of the postmaster who only carried mail for four months and becomes a 204-B right away. He/she becomes an ass right from the start.


The moral of the story is that they are re verting to the only thing they know. When the going gets tough, manage better? Hell to the naw! The problem is our new members are not used to how things used to be. Their skin is not toughened. We want to make the rules instead of following the rules. So, unless you have a mother/father postmaster, you might want to figure out the old-school mantra, “If you do things their way you will make more money and never get in trouble.”


Our membership has turned over drastically. Over 60 percent of our brethren are 10 years and under. Everyone is adjusting. But carriers always adjust. It’s just something in us that makes us special.


They are now starting inspections. We should be thankful they didn’t do them the last two years.


#PersevereEndureLaugh #TheLightMail PieceisReal #StopFightingOneAnotherDammit!



October 2025



Your 2025 shop stewards: Jim Argondezzi, Keith Bailey, Joe Benning, Dan Diillio, Ed Donahue, Phillip Dunfee, Rick Murphy, Gary Smith, Anthony Talton, Nick Thompson, Belinda Tridente, Leslie Villines, Mike Watson, Eric Weible, Frank Winslow, Zahmira Jordan, Yvette Mali, Terea Powell, Mason Williams, Paul Tugwell, Carl Achtert, Ralph Purri, Justice Jones, Colleen Robinson, Candida Swinson, Mark Vital and Angie Bucannan.


The steward is the most important, yet (sometimes) least respected amongst postal employees. They must learn the contract and take shots from both management and our own carriers. But they set the standard on what the office can/should be. They represent people who dissed them just yesterday. They even represent (by law) non-members.


The steward serves as the primary point of contact on the workroom floor. But they never get credit. Yet they take all the blame. However, this union is nothing without them. So, we reinforce their work ethic with training!


My primary focus is to get our branch the best training possible to serve the best members. I ask you for your patience with a new steward. There is so much that goes into building a quality leader. Our challenge is great. But this branch seeks to meet the challenge. Please join us and get involved. It all starts with thanking your steward.


Many of the stupervisors are purposely in fringing on our rights. The fight never stops. There is so much incorrect information on social media. There is also good information on social media. Please check with your steward to gain clarification.


Let’s also take accountability for our actions. A delivery company cannot survive when employees do not come to work. There are only so many excuses. At some point the union will be fighting for your job and your steward will be there for you.



September 2025



Many take the summer grind for granted, but it is not to be messed with. The mail is so light that it brings pivoting and forced overtime in some cases. But every generation of letter carriers has fought through their respective challenges.


But stuff isn’t so funny when the culprit is you. Some of our new employees don’t have the experience to compare. Most of the experienced carriers are quick to judge the next generation of carriers. “They are different.” The reality is that the membership has changed so quickly. So, who can they learn from/watch from a distance? The carriers they mimic are the pandemic babies (carriers who were hired and spent most of their career during the pandemic). That was a time of survival. The rules were not enforced just so that the mail got de livered.


As leaders, we must change our mindset. We must embrace the challenges before us and actively mentor these carriers. It’s easy to criticize, but if we turn the other cheek, we only create worse situations for ourselves down the line. Get involved! Stop crying and help the next letter carrier.


It will take time for the New Employee Experience, Retention and Mentoring Program (NEERMP) to take root. The first challenge is to get volunteers. The same people who cry the most are the first to turn down the opportunity to volunteer and make an impact. Don’t blame the union. The same union leader is the steward/OJI/Customer Connect rep/mentor, etc. And yet, they get criticized!


We are all in this thing together. Management could give two #$%^& about us! They want us to be robots. While we are not perfect, we exhibit character, resilience and intestinal fortitude on the daily. So, stop crying, help your brethren, and feed your family.


#ThereIsNothingLikeALetterCarrier!




August 2025



The heat is on (both literally and figuratively). We always talk about safety, but we sometimes forget to practice what we preach. We must look out for each other like no time before. Our membership has changed drastically. Therefore, we can’t simply assume carriers know how to deal with the elements like we have over the years. That, coupled with management shoving pivots down our throats, presents an insurmountable challenge.

Please remember to use comfort stops as needed to avoid heat-related events. If you need to take extra time to cool down, be sure to contact management to let them know of your situation.

Many of the new contract provisions kicked in on July 1. The new Overtime Desired List (ODL) lists allow choices that many carriers were asking for. To have the same ODL experience as before, just sign both lists.

The New Employee Experience Retention and Mentoring Program (NEERMP) has rolled out. The goal is to retain new employees by giving them good training, along with a schedule that allows for growth and stability. Each carrier will only work in their office in the beginning, have a scheduled day oª, have a schedule that allows for familiarity, and limited hours until they reach a certain number of weeks. They will be assigned a mentor who will be there to advise, talk to, and sit in on 30/60/80-day reviews, among other things. We must all buy into this program for the betterment of our future leaders.

When management places a carrier on emergency placement (EP), they must ask if the carrier wants to use their annual leave (pending the outcome of their case). Previously, management would use EP to financially demoralize carriers (“I’ll make that %$#* miss a mortgage”).

We don’t die our fighting spirit only multi plies.


July 2025



During our last meeting, Branch 725 President Les Dillman announced he was stepping down. But because we were having such an engaged meeting regarding a proposed national special meeting (convention), we forgot to inform the members that our branch always must be looking toward the future. A good leader first looks for his/her replacement and sets forth a plan for the future of the branch.


Branch 725 has been operating under this premise since initiated by former Branch President Don Coughlin. Next, Jim McCullough, then came Rhonda Massari, leading up to Les Dillman. I spoke in detail with these leaders while we were entrenched in this fight. We made plans while simultaneously doing everything in our power to benefit the lives and general welfare of letter carriers. Each president did their best. But the support given by each member allowed them to get us to this point.


Life is all about challenges. But the question becomes, are you ready for the challenge when it comes? Are you willing to do everything in your power to serve your brethren? I will be taking over as president of Branch 725 at the end of July. I am humbly honored yet thoroughly invigorated to meet the challenge surprisingly afforded me. Those who know me know I have only one speed. You get my best until there is no more to give (skip the B.S. (! But please remember, I recognize that there is no “I” in this thing! I endeavor to simply move this branch closer to all the goals that I have spoken about with my predecessors. Thank God for all the past presidents!


And as for Les Dillman, as we got caught up at the last meeting, I say (Rick Murphy voice), hip-hip…hooray!


#Blessings!



June 2025



Where are you getting your information from? I authored an article 20 years ago titled “The Power of Information” that is still apropos today. Several carriers use social media platforms to provide detailed responses to inquiries. Yet, a call to the branch office would serve them better.


Carriers often seek to represent themselves by taking contractual language to management. However, the complete narrative pro vides additional information that makes the language irrelevant. There is a saying, “A person who chooses to represent himself has a fool for a client.” The other part of this dynamic is that carriers often use these formats to criticize their steward/branch. This has contributed to the divide in our great union!


Our challenges get greater every day. The current administration continues to attempt to dismantle our company. If the USPS is privatized/dismantled, we will not have this discussion because most of our hard-fought rights will be gone.


Utilize our stewards/branch presidents. The organizational structure is set up the way it is for a reason. Please get the correct information to help you.


Management has a new program that predicts your undertime. Do not fall for the okey doke. Like any other DOIS-like projections, it is just a tool. Your reporting responsibilities do not change. When you are of the opinion that you will not be able to finish the assignment, fill out a PS Form 3996. Your assignment includes the estimated pivot. But that is their estimate. The estimate is provided on Form 3996. Either they will be right, or you will be right.


The USPS has been writing up carriers for as little as one mistake on our clock rings or not answering our SPM surveys. Do not accept discipline for these infractions. We are not perfect and management damn sure isn’t! #

StayUnited,NeverGiveUp! #DontBelieveTheInternetUnlessItIsOffcialNALCSource



May 2025



Stay positive! Stay strong! Thank you to all who came to our last meeting. It is encouraged that all attendees invite other members to attend the next meeting. There is so much to discuss as weight for our very existence.


We need everyone in our sphere of influence to aid us in our time of need. Letter carriers have a long tradition of assisting others. Political action is what’s most needed currently. Now that the contract is resolved, internal disagreements have resumed. It is OK to disagree, but we can do both at the same time.


Let’s keep it 100, NALC is a democratic organization. Any person can run for any position (provided they meet the requirements set forth in the Constitution/bylaws). When we focus on other things, like saying an election is rigged, etc., we diminish the intellect of everyone who hears that bull---t!


The very premise of what we were founded on is at stake. And that is unity! That we can do more together and apart. Everyone in the union recognizes that anyone has a right to run for a position if they think they can do better. The members only want the best leadership. But the same energy applies to the more important challenge of our survival. So, cut the b.s!


A couple questions: Are you signed up for the LCPF? Do you attend regular branch meetings? Do you…? To sit on the sidelines and be an internet commentator only is cowardly. Let’s indulge, interact, communicate, and resolve our differences. Oh, snap—that is what we are supposed to do with management, but with our own blood, we set expectations so high that we can’t meet the expectations.


The next step is local negotiations. Training is coming. Will you be there?



April 2025



NALC has a slogan: “Fight like hell!” It is very apropos currently. But I’d like to add, “Until our very last breath.” Not literally, but isn’t this our purpose as union leaders? The other side will never stop its stated goals, but this current attack on us hits differently!


We are in an existential crisis! This is not some “boy who cried wolf” B.S. We need everyone to continue to rally, contact your congressional representatives, etc. The good news is that NALC is set up for this fight. Why do we always ask for contributions to the Letter Carrier Political Fund? Now, these “relationships” we have built over the years must pay dividends for us. But this crisis so huge that the whole company is at risk. So, even the management organizations have vested interests in warding off the attempts to privatize the USPS.


As carriers, we are used to doing many things at the same time. So, when some of our newer carriers came to me asking about the contract, I refer them to the NALC app, where they can not only get updates on the contract, but can display their opposition to the privatization directly to their congressional representatives.


But while we fight the previously mentioned issues, we must stay vigilant. Because when we win our stated goals, we still face the challenges of the low mail volume. Management will be coming at our routes soon. There has been so much turnover in our workforce that we are vulnerable because so many of our in experienced carriers are running these routes (even with the pivots).


We must get back to all the basics. We must wear the correct uniform, work in a safe manner, and not let management provoke us into emergency placement.


#NeverGiveUp! #OnlyThroughUnityCanWeReachOurGoals!




March 2025



On Feb. 5, NALC Region 12 Business Agent Brian Thompson and his staff (Leo Zachwieja, Steve Wiley and Beth Lloyd) attended our meeting to install our executive board. Also in attendance was NALC LPO Marc Ashmon. After installation, an impassioned Q&A ensued.


One of the best things we can do to dispel the plethora of bad information that is out there concerning letter carriers is to speak accurate information to bullsh*t!


While it would be edifying to rip management for their inept depth of character and lack of empathy for the very people who make them earn their bonuses, the focus must be what we do to prevent them from attacking us.


Just look around and see how our culture has moved to place us in a very vulnerable position. So many carriers walk/drive around with earpieces (bright white for effect) just waiting to be placed on emergency placement by the “new guard” of postal management. So many carriers walk around with accents to their unforms that would make most proud re tired letter carriers’ skin crawl. When has burnt orange, hot pink, etc., been incorporated into our uniform color scheme? The ties and dress shoes of the far past have been replaced by leggings under shorts of a color I can’t even pronounce (but not red, blue or silver, let alone black).


Management has employed a safety team (not including union representatives) that has been out already. Their stated agenda is to place letter carriers on emergency placement for safety violations (i.e., earbuds, no safety belts secured while driving). Also, carriers will be written up for uniform non-compliance and not doing their routes in line-of-travel order.


Let’s not give them what they want! Stay safe.


Also, please use PS Form 3996 daily (if ap propriate).



January 2025



Happy New Year! For most, this is a time to reset goals and aspirations. 2024 was a long and arduous time for letter carriers. Post al management has been steadfast in keeping their proverbial feet on our necks. As hard as it has been for them to find staff to deliver the mail, it has been even harder to find supervisors. So, instead, they promote letter carriers who will do anything not to carry mail. These “stupervisors” (in most cases) don’t look the part, dress the part, or act the part. Just when we thought (20 years ago) things could not get worse, they still have not hit rock bottom.


The current crop of managers doesn’t do what their titles suggest. They just bark orders spoon-fed to them by their superiors. Carriers are now being disciplined for as little as one missed day of work, one missed parcel scan, and one mistake scanning to the street. The pre-disciplinary interview (PDI) has become a verb (“I’m going to PDI you” “Have you PDI’d those carriers yet?”). And don’t get me start ed on their misuse of emergency placement. Some carriers are illegally placed on EP, only to be bought back to work a er a few days (but without pay for those days missed). Thank God for NALC!


Thankfully, we successfully fought these illegalities. But often, we don’t know these things occur. Carriers do not inform us they were issued discipline, etc. So, to blame management for everything would be inappropriate.


We all know about management, but we must take accountability for our actions. We can’t give them reasons to under serve us. We are not required to be perfect, but management will always over discipline us as an intimidation tactic. Let’s not make it easy for them!


#NewYear,SameOldUSPS #WeAreTooProud ToNotFightForOurBrethren



December 2024



Holiday wishes to you and your families! This time of year, is very special in many ways but the most important time is spent with your loved ones. The other time is what it means to carriers. It is a fulfillment that lay people would not understand. We provide the service when it is most needed. And it is appreciated by the customers.


“I have something for you. I wasn’t going give it to anyone until I saw you.” You walk up to a house smelling of fresh baked goods, etc. Everyone is in a great mood. And then we “deliver for you.”


The company is so hot on the trail of scanning. Even now, they are writing carriers up in offices for just one missed scan. They are trying to make a point, but it is pathetic that we must endure this B.S. They are also writing carriers up for one or two occurrences for attendance. When the union gets notice of the discipline, we prevail in these matters. However, carriers not notifying the union is our greatest challenge currently.


We have some office elections for Shop Stewards. That is a good thing. We must guard against apathy. To have people who care is enormous! Our next challenge is getting those new stewards trained under these dire circumstances.


Approaching the new year, we will face the same challenges. Staffing remains #1. If our new carriers stick, it will enable the rest of us to catch up on rest and regeneration after the holiday push.


After last year, we must focus on the mission at hand. Management will always be …., but we can unite and still have adult conversations about our internal business. Whatever the result of our contract negotiations, etc., unity is the goal!



November 2024



Happy Thanksgiving! During this time of thanks, there are many people in this great union to be appreciative of. However, our union works for the membership. Without you, there is no one to represent.


Hopefully, by the time you read this article, we will have a newly ratified contract. It’s vital that our membership votes in any ratification/election.


Our branch is having an election as well as some We encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote. NALC is democracy at its best.


There is so much going on right now. We all must decide if we are going to be part of the problem or are a part of the solution. Yes, it is di cult and challenging. However, the union principle was built on there being strength in numbers. Together we do great things for the benefit of the individual.


Management has been consistent in targeting letter carriers. We must lessen our exposure to discipline and harassment by doing the right things. It sounds simplistic but think about it. When you do things the way the handbooks and manuals state, you become more stress-free. You will make more money or have work taken o€ you. But what is so offensive about working safely? What is the big rush?


The power of information reigns supreme. Take time to learn the rules so that if you choose to skirt them, you can at least have an adequate story for management. Nothing has changed. Do the job correctly and get out of the once. We still own the street. Being where we are supposed to be alleviates so many potential problems.


Another great time was had by all on Oct. 10 at the latest retiree luncheon. We look forward to the next one.


#StayUniƒed #WhatDoesntBreakUsMakesUs!



September - October 2024



Unity! It’s easier said than done. What is very easy is the divide-and-conquer. Every carrier has their own trials and tribulations we are going through in life. But we must remember that what makes these challenges better is fully exercising our rights. Every office has stupervisors who pit us against one another. But who must be an adult? Yes, the union.


Much has been made of our contract negotiations. However, members are under attack more than ever! For me, all my energy must go toward the eradication of management’s overt tactics, which harken back to times past that resulted in all the violence in the workplace memorandums. Management talks a good game, but their bull$%#! is increasing.


Ironically, our branch has stayed the course. As a result, we have won in arbitration to win back jobs with full back pay. But if you are a carrier out of work (or having to work another job), your life may be changed forever. We know of some managers who use this line of thinking as a strategy! The overt use of emergency placement incorrectly is another tactic. Some managers are placing carriers on emergency placement only to bring them back but not pay them for the time. This is incorrect. Please inform the union if this happens to you.


We still have a big problem with carriers not informing the union when they have received discipline. We have 14 days to file a grievance. Do not assume management is right.


So, while we quarrel with each other about family business that should be handled internally, we allow management to attack us unjustly. In fact, we seem to have more empathy for management than our own union members.


Let’s all look in the mirror. Are you a part of the solution?



August 2024



Thank you! You began the month by enduring extreme heat challenges. That has always been taken for granted by management, but now it’s more challenging to get people to come to work, let alone work through heat exhaustion. Last year, management was found to have lied about giving the required heat related training (HIPP). I hope every office received this vital training. It should not take the death of a carrier for management to do what is right.


The tougher the situation becomes, the more we must stay united. It’s so easy to turn on one another when management fails to do their job. In fact, it’s hard to resist the temp tation to succumb to “Stockholm Syndrome”- type activity. We should not be in the business of instructing other carriers what to do or chastising carriers for calling out sick.


Management chose these carriers, but fails to provide proper guidance when necessary. The M-39, Section 115 provides basic rules management must follow before resorting to discipline. Management typically says, “I am not a babysitter.” Well, WTF do you think you are? You are a combination of secretary/babysitter. Many of our carriers need real supervision instead of “stupervison.”


NALC has negotiated many processes that protect the rights of our brethren. Don’t ever fall for the okey dokey that makes us feel bad for exercising our rights while attempting to hold us accountable for our responsibilities (except for the people who need it).


As more of our carriers retire, the more mindful we must be to our ever-changing work force. The day we give up on our less experienced carriers is the day we lose our way! I’m not saying it’s not hard, I’m saying our members are always worth fighting for. But carriers deserve our tough love as well.


#StayUnited,ThatsTheUltimateChallenge



July 2024



We are many things, but we will never be fools. Yet, it seems management’s actions say so. To quote former NALC President Vincent Sombrotto, “Either they will be right, or you will be right.”


Postal management has reverted to a time long ago where carriers were routinely intimidated, misinformed and disrespected daily. This process has been hastened by the current generation of management. But you can’t blame them for their ignorance. They will accept anyone to become a supervisor and mold them into their way of thinking. However, the USPS provides them with all the training they need, but the supervisors lack the wherewithal to absorb this training. The result is that they rely on daily phone calls to their superiors. But in the moment, they just employ the old tactics to satisfy their edicts from their bosses.


Our biggest challenge is the “divide and conquer.” Remember when we were kids and we would say, “We can talk about one another, but don’t let anyone else do it”? We cannot let management treat us like fools. We have the rights to sick leave, injured-on-the-job claims, etc. But we can’t buy into management thinking that they can bully our carriers by peer pressure or actions that result from the peer pressure.


Many people think it’s us against the front-line supervisors. But management has recently cut supervisor’s tea (management working more than their eight hours). This is so crazy because they waste so much money with contract violations. They can’t see the forest for the trees.


Management has been directed to do at least two driver observations per week. Please be careful and take time to do the job right! Earbuds, seat belts and safe-driving practices are essential.


Check the PS Form 4584s for accuracy when you receive your copy.



June 2024



“My dog ate the homework.” This phrase is synonymous with the worst of bad excuses. However, while most of our members do a great job at work and in exercising their rights, too many of us are still not getting the “memo.” NALC is set up to provide information and training for the benefit of our members. It appears that now, many are seeking no advice or are seeking the advice of the “jailhouse lawyers” to base their decisions on.


The result is that too many carriers are losing their jobs. In some cases, management puts their proverbial arms around a carrier and says (words to the effect of), “This letter is just to let you know…Don’t worry, we will work with you.” After a notice of removal, it’s brought to the attention of the branch. However, it’s our worst nightmare, because the union only has 14 days to file a grievance. This scenario is becoming far too common!


For many reasons, the union fights all discipline, because if discipline is not challenged, it stays in the carrier’s file for two years. Typically, that term is entirely too long for the discipline to stay in the carrier’s file. How many times do we have to say management is not your “friend”? Currently, management seems bent on intimidating our membership by any and all means. The only way to meet their actions is through representation of the NALC.


But while management is acting their typical foolish ways, we are basically sending our stewards to a gun fight with a water pistol. Some of the excuses we are getting now from our members for their actions don’t even rise to the pathetic level of “my dog ate the homework.”


Let’s be the best version of ourselves, because management won’t!


#ThankYouToAll98%OfYouWhoLeadBy Example



April 2024



We cannot be April fools! USPS management is sending mixed messages as usual. They are violating the contract at a rampant rate. It is so overt, Stevie Wonder can see their plan. If they violate so much, we won’t be able to keep up. But guess what, grievances are being filed at a historic rate. What’s the moral of the story? NALC does not die, we just multiply. We are not fools.


The biggest obstacle we have is us! It is so hard to stay united in the wake of sensationalistic tools such as social media. People will believe anything that fits their immediate needs. Lies are sexy! The truth is boring. But NALC is built on a foundation of fact-finding protocol and truth seeking. The organization has internal structures that ensure accountability and is built on a democratic premise.


NALC is always working hard for its membership. Just look around and if you take an objective accounting, you will see this great union has always been there for you. At a time where unions are making a comeback, we must give credit to the best of the best unions—yes, NALC!


If we look in the mirror, we will know if we are not coming to work. We will see if we are driving around talking on the phone or with earbuds displaying like white feathered wings at a Victoria’s Secret fashion show. There is a sad trend going on where carriers seem to think it is OK to fight one another at work or threaten management with our loved ones coming to the office to “see” them. OK, you get fired, and your mate faces federal criminal charges. Is that a good thing?


The situation is so dire, we have help one another!


#WeCannotGiveUpOnOurNextGeneration OfCarriers



March 2024



Please understand one thing. The union members are under attack in the Philadelphia District. The attack has been unrelenting. But it seems like most of us are unaware. This is probably due to most of us doing such a great job that we are just fed up with those of us who don’t.


But this is not the time to mess up. The DRT is deluged with work because if we do make a mistake, management is overcharging us. They continue to break the contract daily. And this is due to the unabashed disregard for the rules by management. But some in management will never care enough to learn the rules, and the rest simply are not very clever.


One response we must employ is to tighten our belts (be our best version of ourselves). We have become lax in our attention to detail. Invariably, we drive around without seat belts fastened, with earbuds clearly in our ears, and continue to call out from work at a rapid rate. Carriers are being fired and hired daily.


Some things are just inexcusable. Many carriers are getting caught up in the misuse of gas cards. In fact, a carrier was approached the other day at a gas station with an offer to fill up his private vehicle for $20 from a person who reportedly had a FedEx card. The thing is, if we get caught doing anything illegal in our uniform, we face removal. Some carriers are selling Arrow Keys, gas cards with passwords, etc. But there are cameras everywhere. And our brethren are just going for the okeydokey. Please do not think there is a shortcut to success. NALC works hard for you and your rights. Don’t send us to the gun fight with a water pistol!



January 2024



New year, and we ain’t (sic) taking no sh*t. I say this to let people know not to take our kindness as weakness. We work so hard. We may not be perfect, but we are not saying we are. The same letter carrier called a “bum” by management becomes a 204-B and thinks their athlete’s feet don’t stink.


Letter carriers are embarking on a new year that is different from all other aspects of life. Where in the world can you be the best in the world at what you do, yet still be treated like second-class citizens? But we are so strong that we take these hits year after year.


The time has come for us to galvanize in intellectual reasoning. We simply must embark on the supreme challenge to educate all letter carriers on our rights and responsibilities. Management is quick to threaten us with our responsibilities but always neglects to inform us of our rights.


OK, it’s sexy to tell the brutal truth about management (lest we forget, they are only hu man) but how about us. The most successful people exercise self-awareness. So here we go. Right now, we may be our own worst enemy. We tend to let the games management plays separate us at every level.


NALC and USPS signed a contract. The binding contract protects the interests of both parties. This is fair play. However, things get dicey when one party reneges on their written agreements. How about this: Pay us what you promised and treat us like the partners we are! NALC will have it no other way!


This company has led the industry even with governmental constraints. But it’s only because of the dedication and loyalty of its workforce. Respect us! Otherwise, we all fail.


#WeWorkToProvideForOurFamilies #ThePowerOfEducationIsReal



December 2023



Happy holidays! It’s the time of year we pay thanks to our loved ones. Let’s not forget our postal family. We work together, complain together, and generally drive each other crazy sometimes. But at the end of the year, we can look back and see all we accomplish.

The facts are that we deliver more mail and packages at a cheaper price and with more ac curacy than our competitors. Don’t let anyone tell you differently—there are many independent studies to prove this. You are great at what you do. And it seems to be that you care more!

The NALC held an OWCP training at our hall on Nov. 12. It was well attended. The event covered all the rights letter carriers are entitled to with regard to workers’ compensation. Our branch is committed to the rights of workers injured on the job. If you have any questions, please call the branch office.

As we approach another calendar year, NALC is hard at work to procure your next contract. There are many opinions out there with regard to our contract. Please note, our union chooses not to negotiate our contract in public. It has worked wonders for us. The other unions look to us for guidance in contract negotiations. NALC President Brian Renfroe stated we could have a contract instantly. But NALC wants a good contract for the membership, and that takes as long as it takes.


We are approaching a new year and all it brings. We have a lot to look forward to. Only hard work pays off in life. And NALC works very hard for our membership. Let’s do our part to continue to make our experience the best it can be. Don’t count on management they won’t help.

#WeCanOnlyDoOurBest #UnityInThePostal Community #LearnYourRightsThenExerciseYourRights #DontLetThemIntimidateYou



November 2023



Thanks to all the retirees who attended the retirees luncheon. It’s a chance for retirees to get together twice a year for a few hours. Many forget the importance of the retired union member. They are very dependable and help the branch in so many ways. Again, thank you, retirees!


NALC is still hard at work trying to secure a new contract. It is not an easy task. In that process, it takes two to tango. In the end, our next contract will be our best contract, because one contract builds on another. All the other unions look to us as an example. We are simply the best!


We are still embroiled in a tough fight with management. They are attempting to write us up just as intimidation. In fact, lower management is being bullied as well. And we know the stuff rolls downhill.


Please look out for your fellow carrier. Let’s be safe and do our best. The one thing I do know is that the NALC never stops fighting.


Social media has played a big part in the messaging of NALC. There is so much bad communication out there. Please be careful where you get your information from. The best source is the NALC Member App. It provides up-to date information when it is fact. When we op erate in the rumor mill, we become poisoned with incorrect information. We then get angry when the truth is not what we purported.


Remember the mantra “together we stand, divided we fall”? This is so apropos. It’s during the tough times we show our true character. But life as a letter carrier is always tough. Don’t let anyone tell you what you experience daily is not a challenging experience. Management is supposed to help, not hinder!


Thank you, NALC!



October 2023



This time of the year is a time for solace. After a long summer, we have a break in the weather and a respite before we endure the holiday season.

The problem is that we are stuck with a level of management ineptitude we have not seen before in our district. The postmasters and POOMs are running scared of their bosses, and you know what that means. The sh%* rolls downhill.

Management has also invested in the most people in labor tasked with everything, including writing letters of discipline. This is unheard of! But this is Postal Service ineptitude.

Years ago, many decisions of the postmasters were taken away. Postmasters used to have so much autonomy. They would hire carriers and do what most still think they can do. But that day is long gone.

But if you think about it, the inept supervisors eventually became postmasters. And now the new supervisors? It’s so hard to find good help.

The best thing we can do is to endure and fight like hell for our rights. Even though the Dispute Resolution Process is clogged up (which has created a huge delay in a process built on speed), we still must file grievances where appropriate and not give them some thing to easily get rid of us.

If you continuously ring up unscheduled absences, you will eventually be fired. But be cause you have such an impactful union, you get chance after chance.

One of the ways carriers are losing their jobs is due to not responding to official USPS correspondence. If a carrier is missing for a period, they are sent a letter requesting that they con tact the USPS to let them know why they are not coming to work. It’s so bad people will be AWOL for months.

#AlwaysApplyForFMLAProtection #Don’tLetThemDivideUs



September 2023



Thank you for another great summer. We can not take that for granted. The job you do is unenviable. Management could not keep up with your work ethic, yet they are the harshest critics! They can talk the talk, but you walk the walk.


Management has stocked the labor division at the USPS. The supervisors are so bad they must get labor to write the simplest discipline on our carriers. But don’t be intimidated by labor or anyone. They are just titles. In fact, their arrogance precedes them! They are just manufacturing discipline in hopes that the union won’t be able to keep up.


We must be aware of these things to combat management’s tactics. We are vulnerable with our younger carriers, though. They seem to not see or hear what we have been talking about for such a long time. So, if you are at work, look to your left and right, because chances are some of them won’t be here if we don’t take heed.


Management will never give us our just due credit for carrying this company. We must de pend on each other to get through each day. Just know you are great!


Our false sense of security was built on the pandemic and has placed us in our current state. Management was like a fish out of water. They didn’t lead then, but now they want to correct those three years in six months.


Your union works so hard for you in front of and behind the scenes. If you doubt that, then step up to the plate and become a part of the solution. Get in the fight for the rights of letter carriers by getting involved, because when the chips are down, it’s either us or them.


#It’sEasyToTalkAboutCarriersOrTheUnion #StayAwayFromRumorvilleItWillNotHelpYouInAnyWay #WeAreHereToAdvocateFor LetterCarriers #StayAware!



August 2023



It’s on now! In case you have not noticed, management is coming at us with a vengeance. They are now poised to fight the fight. That means minimal attendance problem, “write them up” if they sneeze, “write them up.” Now during the pandemic, carriers were looking around and wondering, “Where have all the rules gone?”

They are back! Enforcement is at an all-time high. But what is our saving grace? NALC. It’s what we all take for granted. But desperate times call for desperate measures. The fight between all unions and management is cyclical. They act, we react. Just remember they have the initial power. NALC must react to the B.S. that is pervasive in postal management. Let’s face it, they will accept anyone to be a supervisor. We all just got the card in the mail. They are begging for supervisors to indoctrinate.

But let’s be real: We are desperate, too. The union’s job is so much harder than the bully structure of management. The union does so much with so little. The easiest thing to do is divide and conquer. Even Stevie Wonder can see the ways of our opposition. So, when you feel the need to read some salacious news about a union leader, please pause and think, what does it actually do for you? Everyone wants to know information instantaneously. But one person does not make a union.

We are enthralled in the midst of a contract negotiation. We are being attacked daily like we were 20 years ago (partially because of these new yahoo supervisors). We have moved backward in labor/management relations!

But ask yourself, what role are you going to take? Are you going to be part of the problem or part of the solution?

#AUnionSticksTogether #Let’sFocusOnOurMissionWhichIsTheMembership #WeAreAllInThisTogether


July 2023



Summer is here! It is a great time for so many carriers. We have our vacations to look forward to, but we also must endure the heat and extra hours. The good news is our staffing issues have slowly gotten better.


The classes at the Carrier Academy are pumping out about 25 carriers per week. The USPS reality is we now have many small offices with too many CCAs. This causes many carriers to complain about hours. This does not surprise any of you experienced carriers.


Carriers are also being put up for removal at a rampant rate. This all stems from our acting district manager. He has all his management people shaking in their boots. That causes them to choose the path of least resistance. Postmasters would rather violate our rights than answer to their boss. The ultimate dis grace is for them to have to go on the daily teleconference at 6:30 p.m. and be belittled amongst their peers. See how they treat their own? This is evidence of the “s#*t rolls down hill” method of management.


Let’s focus on us for once. Protect yourself and help the younger carriers, because it is only because of you that we reign supreme! They can try to harass and treat us like ani mals. But sometimes domesticated animals fight back. How we fight back is to learn our rights and exercise them. But please do not be afraid. Your union will always be here for you like a mother bear.


Thanks to all the shop stewards for the un enviable tasks you face daily. Please reach out to the branch for training and guidance. We are all in this thing together!


We must come to work. Otherwise, we will be fired and applying for other jobs, period!


#YouMakeThisCompanyWork #YouMakeThisCountryWork #NALCWorksForYou!



June 2023



Fresh off regional OWCP and retiree training held at our hall, Branch 725 just held our annual “Beef and Beer” fundraiser for MDA. Although we are off and running, it’s still not enough. We must do everything to benefit our members. Thanks to Norristown Branch 542 for always showing us support. We love you guys, too!


It’s that time for postal management. They are talking tough. So please be careful. The acting district manager has instituted a policy to attempt to have carriers off the street by 6:30 p.m. (previously 7). Now he is trying to push back the start times in offices. Yeah, you get it. It is an attempt to circumvent Article 8! Just remember, these actions are only goals for management. They cannot do anything to violate our agreed-to and firmly negotiated contract. But because of the pandemic, arbitrations are backed up.


We can see what management is attempting to do from a mile away. But how smart are we when we give them what they want? When our attendance is so poor, we ask them to fire us. When we drive around on the phone or without our seat belts fastened, we ask to be placed off the clock for safety reasons. The thing is, they are not willing to do the hard work of “managing” us, so they resort to intimidation tactics, etc. So, what’s the solution? How about we do our jobs safely and according to the rules? In the end, we are here to make money. Do it their way, we make money and/or work less. But so many of us still want to do things “our” way. The B.S. retort of “that is not fair” doesn’t carry weight. Sometimes the mirror has all the answers!


#ThanksToBarbaraKearney #ShoutOutTo WestChesterAndTriCountyWeAreWithYou #NeverGiveUp!

#WeUsOurNotMineMeOrI



May 2023



The month of May epitomizes “hope springs eternal.” May flowers mark the renewal in the cycle of nature where a “rebirth of sorts” happens. But the fatalistic “woe is me” attitude doesn’t help anything.


The USPS/NALC have begun contract nego tiations. For some, that would elicit those com plaints we just spoke of. But it is the very op portunity that we fought for, for so many years at the inception of the NALC. And now we are the best at contract negotiations of any union. We plan and perform because we have a legacy of great leadership! And with extreme humility, I say we are the shiznit!


We are the best when you look at all the other unions in the world and compare results. But that entails so much hard work. But people don’t want to work for the right represent let ter carriers like we do. So, people start with us and peel off because they can’t hang with the standards we place on ourselves for the benefit of our members. So, they then go into management where everyone can claim to be something they never was or will be.


Our greatest challenge moving forward is our new carriers. They need the direction and care that our carriers who retired 10 years ago would give us. Change is going to come. The Carrier Academy classes are approaching lev els that we had pre-pandemic. So, that means the system is now ready for carriers to be re placed.


So, please don’t send your shop stewards to the gun fight with a water pistol. We will adjust, but not without many “I told you so”s. Just be great!


It’s an honor to represent letter carriers. More importantly, in an honor to be a letter carrier. Don’t waste that opportunity!


#YouAreWorthAllTheHardWorkTheNALC GivesYou #YouHaveAGreatJob/Opportunity



April 2023



Spring is here! A sign is when management gears up to go “outside.” Yes, to proactively go after us under the guise of improvement.


What happened to working together? But they know everything. So now they need the training! This group of inexperienced supervisors don’t rise to the level of ineptitude. But the whole company is undergoing training. We need them to be better. The worst thing you can do now is get hurt or ask for a report. #OMFG


But guess what? The NALC never stops training! And that’s what I love about our great union. There are a lot of things to be happy about. Our company is doing well. And February marked the start of contract negotiations. Yep, the NALC never stops working for you. But are you working for the NALC?


I mean, are you doing your best to concentrate on getting the job done and getting back home to your loving family? The reality is that parcels are up 350 percent. But what do we do? Well, some of us still go out and scan the parcels “business closed” when in actuality, the place was a residence. Some of us scan parcels “animal interference” when the delivery was to a business. But when I say “some of us,” I mean some of us! We have to do better. We can’t call out using the same excuses from the pandemic. Those days are behind us now, and management has assembled a group of managers on detail to labor just to write us up. And this is because the new supervisors can’t even spell their own names, but they will point (to labor) out who should be written up.


So please look out for the next carrier. Other wise, they will get fired or become a supervisor!




March 2023



We recently had a shake-up in the Philadelphia USPS management structure. We now have an acting district manager. I emphasize “acting” because it means “temporary,” but for us carriers it means “acting up.” Of course, when this happens, the stuff rolls downhill fast.


The very first action he took was to focus on our staffing short offices. Mail was being rotated with routes not going out daily. Our carriers were being worked to the bone with forced over time. This brings us to the inevitable issue of attendance. Our attendance had gotten so bad during the pandemic that it has caused some bad habits.


Many of us think that if they supply doctor’s notes that it excuses their unscheduled absence. It does not. The fact that it is unscheduled is the problem. The only thing that excuses an absence is FMLA protection. There are criteria to qualify for FMLA protection, but once your sickness or condition is accepted, the absence will not count against you. So, the best way to avoid unscheduled absences is to schedule them if possible. Doctor’s, dental appointments, etc., if scheduled in advance will no count as unscheduled. But if you are incapacitated for work, please keep a note so that when you are questioned about it later you won’t sound like someone who doesn’t care.


The objective is to allow you to work, prosper and provide for your family. As we are finally get ting our staffing back, you know management will now look to exercise all the new training they have received to discipline us. Let’s not forget how inexperienced their new manage ment workforce is. And no, they don’t train them to be nasty, mean and illiterate. Some of them just are! But they will only get away with what we allow.


#TheyWillBeOutMoreForDriverObservations SoBeware!



January 2023



Happy New Year! A new year is a time of re newed energy. We welcome that and the spirit it entails. But let’s not get it misunder stood, the challenge is the race to information/ knowledge.


Our next generation of union members has joined us at an inopportune time. The last three years have handicapped us because we were in “survival” mode. But now we must wake everyone up to the reality of NALC/USPS relations and what the company will expect from us. The problem with the company will always be its lack of vision and its misdirected energy.


They should not focus on the fallacy of discipline. Because of us, the USPS made $78.5 billion in revenue in 2022. So instead of “riding our backs to billions,” it should be “riding our brains to billion.” The emphasis must be more union collaborative. We have so much to offer.


You move this company, this country, and therefore, this world’s economy! But with great opportunity comes great responsibility. So, let’s take this company to the next level so our membership reaps the rewards of that next level.


Our branch will push forward to therefore mentioned end. The way we progress is now and always will be through training and personal development. The power of information will always prevail. But also, the power of love over hate.


Let’s go to work, have fun, and enjoy our selves as we progress. Laughter has always been a part of the culture of the workroom floor. It’s how we have always dealt with stress. It can never be eliminated from our day to day.


The Media Post Office will be hosting its an nual Groundhog Day pancake charity breakfast. It will take place at the beginning of February. Please contact the union office for details.


Stay unified!



December 2022



Happy holidays! This time of year injects happiness into most people. The emotional connection to our youth, that same energy seen in the eyes of our kids, and the sense of family it emboldens brings us to a place of positive vibes like no other time of the year.


For us letter carriers, we see this time of year as “parcel time.” But let’s remember the same feeling we got when we realized what heroes we were during the pandemic. It felt great, right? People were so genuine in their praise of us. The truth is we were/are always heroes. Not only do we bring them their mail and packages promptly, but we also do it better than our competitors. We also are part of the communities we serve in every way. We look out for our elderly, we collect food for the needy, and simply be ourselves. So, why not embrace our holiday season as “Letter Carrier Time.”


Why do we always feel good during this time of year? In addition, it’s a time when our customers feel it is necessary to tell us how much they appreciate us. Inevitably, the conversation comes back to you being there delivering all year long during the toughest of times. Why? Because sometimes you just don’t know how much you mean to this ecosystem of ours. Letter carriers are a special breed.


Post-pandemic, I hope everyone can return to the “office holiday party.” Some of our new carriers missed out on this. They have not been exposed to the full experience of being a letter carrier. We are a family! The new year is just around the corner. Relax, enjoy the moment of being the best at what you do in the whole wide world!


#LetterCarrierPride #NALCandUSPS makeAgreatTeam



November 2022



Thank you! In this month, those words are the greatest thing going! We must be grate ful. Thanks to the USPS. Yeah, it sounds cute to belittle the company on this platform, but no, hell no. Why? Because without it, there is no us! Let’s take the emotion out of what we do and focus on our best interests.


We know what management is, but the key to success is self-evaluation. As carriers, we are in transition. Post-pandemia has presented challenges the likes of which we have never seen before as unionists. We have become the victim of our own success. Our branch has done such a good job of applying the MOUs agreed to by NALC that the new carriers have misunderstood what we are about. The union has stated goals. NALC wants more jobs. Once we get those jobs, then we can focus on better wages and working conditions. But NALC does so well, we take for granted the negotiations and 24-7/365 advocacy provided by this great union.


We just received the highest cost-of-living allowance (COLA) in history. But that is negotiated! We are that smart. It’s like the actor who chooses to take a stake in the success of the movie (as a percentage) as a part of her/his salary) and less up-front money. Okay, $1 million salary and 5 percent of future earnings of “Star Wars!”


But if you notice, just like the prices that go up (of our goods with reasons pertaining to the pandemic), when those reasons dissipate, these same prices never go down. But the flip side is that our gains from our COLA never go down. The fact is, we have gained more salary increases through our COLA contractual provi sion than our stated contractual increases.


#NalcIsTheGoat #Don’tBiteTheHandThat FeedsYou #TheMoreUSPSMakesTheMoreWe Make




September / October 2022



Thank you for a job well done this summer! We went straight from the pandemic to a very hot summer. Our customers tell us, but management gives us that fake thanks. But we know the deal.


Management is really trying to make up for whatever after the pandemic. We have recently had to adjust (which is our strength). Check this out: We now use our scanners to do our time clock moves/entries. Can you retirees imagine that? Only to find out the reason behind it is the old-time clocks lacked parts for maintenance. Now, many of the stations have discontinued the FSS (imagine that and the ramifications). But we persevere!


Please remember, when the FSS was implemented, the manufacturing company sued the USPS when the USPS failed to pay the balance on the order. The USPS’s answer for not paying the more than $380 million was essentially that the FSS machines did not deliver the expected savings.


Now we get news that selected offices will be moved into the Tri-County facility. Stay tuned to which offices actually get moved.


So, the post office moves are coming. We realistically have challenges (post-pandemic) as it relates to staffing. Sometimes we have to look in the mirror. Our No. 1 priority is the prompt and accurate delivery of the mail. Sometimes we lose focus on what is our purpose. One of the union’s goals is salary and benefits. Basically, it comes down to the more successful the company is, the more we can get. But beyond that, the letter carrier has always been a proud employee.


As of last month, NALC and USPS agreed to the Technology Integrated Alternated Route Evaluation and Adjustment Process (TIAREAP). All the details are to come. But stay tuned. Please protect your route!


#TheComplaintsDeptIsClosed #PleaseHelp TheCCAs #WeAreAllWeGot #UnionsProtect WorkersRights



July 2022



Summertime, and the living is easy. This is the title to a song but for letter carriers, summertime is never easy. So, kudos to every carrier for the hard work you will endure this summer. It’s also a badge of honor for us. That “rain, sleet and snow” mantra serves us well.


I always tell you in these articles how resilient you are (among other things). We just endured an unprecedented pandemic, and you led the way! Of course, we complained, but that’s our inalienable right as carriers. Sometimes we get so bogged down with the complaints though that we deny ourselves an old-fashioned pat on the back.


Things are moving at a rapid rate now. The new route adjustment process has been agreed to and training is currently taking pace in Florida at the beginning of June. We will soon be doing our clock functions by our scanners. To me, anything we can do to minimize management affecting our times will be a benefit.

Remember when management used to enter our times based on our 3996s? But they screwed that up and the result of an OIG audit resulted in us doing our own clock rings.


Our pandemic babies (those carriers who were hired during the pandemic) have no idea what is about to hit them. The count and inspections. The street observations. The one-day walks. The “hot issues.” The “my boss is on me” speeches. The “let’s stay under the radar” floor talks, etc.


I know you retirees are laughing. You are legends. But you know you secretly miss the pain on your bodies, the bleeding of your ears (caused by carrier complaints) and the pain in the asses that are postal management. Okay, I go too far. But you must admit….


#AlGreenLetsStayTogetherBecauseWeAllWe Got



June 2022



All of the protective MOUs relating to the pandemic have officially expired. Hats off to NALC for being there for us when it counted the most! Thanks to all of the stewards and Branch 725 President Les Dillman for facilitating our rights under those MOUs. Remember, though, if you caught COVID-19 as a result of your

workday, please fill out a CA-1. The rule for CA-1s was modified to make for easier consideration regarding COVID-19. Congress set aside millions to allow for future medical expenses. We do not know what future effects COVID-19 will have on our bodies. Let’s put our health first.


Thanks to our union carriers working down at the Carrier Academy, the flow of carriers has increased. This is the No. 1 problem we have had (staffing). But we need your help. Many people don’t know about West Chester and Tri-county as choices to pick for work (call the union office for information about these two choices). These are not only good places to carry mail, but CCAs will make regular in these places almost instantly. Pass the word.


We will soon have a new route adjustment process. Let’s be mindful to protect our routes. This is even more important given that many more carriers will be retiring. All of our newer carriers will soon learn what we have all been talking about for two-and-a-half years concern ing route protection.


Our branch stewards have embarked on an intensive training schedule to meet the anticipated onslaught of discipline that will be forth coming from postal management. Birdies have heard many high-level postal officials extolling the virtues of discipline.


Their mentality is fruitless. Don’t take us for granted. Manage us, dammit!


The primetime choice period is here. You have earned it. Enjoy your time with your loved ones.


#ManagmentTakesOneStepForward10Steps Backward #YouCanHitUsButYouCan’tKnockUs Out



May 2022



This month reminds me of the childhood game, “Mother, May I?” Remember when you would ask the host a question before you were allowed to move forward to the finish line? It also reminds me that management is coming out to play.


We all know when the weather gets nice, they appear like little roaches scurrying away when the lights come on. One problem is that when they do hit the street, they tend to find ways to fire us (oh, just the carriers they don’t like). Safety appears to be the new vehicle. But in their haste to get us, they place our brethren on emergency placement unjustly.


Some of our offices are still suffering from staffing issues, so what do they do? They emergency place and try to fire carriers. We grieve the cases, and the carriers get full back pay because of the evil intent some supervisors/postmasters operate under. “Let them suffer and miss some bills.” But some of our carriers have been working so hard that they welcome this “vacation.” And who suffers? The other carriers, not management! #BigDummies


Please be aware. It’s been a long journey coming out of this pandemic. But now we move into the pandumbic (postal management games). Just remember your value. You are strong, resilient, smart and dependable. And you happen to be the best in the world at what you do.


Let’s protect our pandemic babies. We have carriers whose whole career has been during these two years. They worked at a time of desperation. The company was just trying to survive. But now the correction phase is coming. They must be indoctrinated into being more professional carriers. We all welcome a time when they will come to work regularly and not drive with earbuds, etc.


#WeAreProudCarriers

#UnitedWeStandDividedWe… #NeverStopFightingForEachOther!



April 2022



Sometimes management must be called out on their bullsh*t! When a national contract is ratified, it only takes a few weeks before USPS reneges on parts of the agreement. NALC files grievances. When a PDI is given, the steward is there to protect the member from being rail roaded into unwarranted discipline. During the PDI under Article 17, the steward is obligated to call management.


#Don’tBeAnAprilFool



March 2022



March 2022 Are you Union or Management? Are you good or evil? You get the picture. I am so tired of all the wishy-washy people. When situations become their most stressful and volatile, the only thing that matters is are you part of the problem or are you part of the solution?


This month marks to two-year point that we become Covid-19 indoctrinated. I'm proud of the way NALC and USPS dove headfirst and came up with the solutions to enabled us to work as safely as possible. We dwarfed our competitors with respect to this. This is a clear example of being solution based.


Now (two years later), with the onset of the other variants, we find ourselves in the same predicament in our branch. In the initial onset, my office and others were coming in with mail everywhere and routes not going out for days. Finally, my office is finally coming back to the point where our PM doesn't have to case and/or carry Routes. But now, the offices that went through it before are coming around and other offices are suffering the same fate we endured. Westchester and Tri-County deserve our moral support now.


Westchester has people from the L'Enfant Plaza and other Management person they can find in that office to "fix it". Routes are not going out and chaos ensues.


Tri-County has similar circumstances but, they walk into work and Management tells them to do another Route (piece) to the point it violates their Article 41-1-C-4 rights to do their bid assignment.


In both offices, Management has acted like supreme pricks and without regard for our decency or voice.


We filed grievances, we had meetings to fix the problems. Everyone bitches and complains. But without solutions...


#TheFightNeverEnds #ImageTheseTimesWithoutAUnion



January 2022



Happy New Year! Usually, this time exemplifies a fresh start. But in the PO, it means business as usual. So, we must create our own realities. The world doesn’t stop because of a pandemic for us. In fact, postal management has moved on from safety and other agreements in the name of “that is just what they do.”


We still had all the COVID-19-related MOUs in effect until the end of December, but they had largely been ignored. Most offices walked around with no mask or respect for COVID-19. Yet many offices had reported new cases. One office reported 12 cases in one day. And although many carriers were vaccinated, others were not. But management must enforce policy.


An example of the attitude that “new management” has is this quote, said to a shop steward “The attendance at our office is bad because you don’t have the guts to tell carriers to show up for work.” According to him, if he would just not grieve these disciplines, the attendance would improve.


Imagine that! Now they want us to do their job and not fight their mistakes. So, you see, the job we do is endless and essential. Thanks to all the shop stewards.


Many of the senior carriers are looking forward to retirement. We will miss you. But while you are still here, please take time to pass down some of that knowledge and experience to the CCAs. Even if they don’t want to hear it, they need to hear it. As carriers we must hold onto our traditions and culture of excellence.


It’s our company. We can’t let management or new employees ruin what we have built. If your little brother or sister was walking away from school instead of to school, what would you do?



December 2021



Former President Don Coughlin always said, “we know where management is coming from, but our carriers…” We all have family members who sometimes don’t act in our best interest. It starts with the “jailhouse lawyer” and goes all the way to the “both sides of the fence guy.” We know these people and you can have fun naming all the types.


But when it comes to management, they can’t help it that they are uncharacteristically inept! One would think management would be the best and brightest of the bunch. Not in the P.O. Especially now, they will accept anyone. And we see the result of it. Many have “tried it.” That is, become a 204-b in hopes of becoming the next postmaster general. This is to only fail to relate to the very people they were only a few weeks ago. They seem to think the title will somehow make them smart. Hey, Johnny Supervisor, you were a horrible carrier so what do you think you are now as a manager?


With all the challenges we still face, we need the best of all of us. We are now facing the end of the pandemic at the same time the holiday season awaits. We are going to do great (we always have). But please try to be safer and more supportive of one another. We are all we have!


A letter carrier once told me there are three things in life for certain. Management doesn’t give a f@#k about you! You know the other two things.


Let’s not ever give up on the CCAs. But they must rise to the level of letter carrier.


Shout out to anyone struggling. You are not alone! Get ready for the next shoe to drop. Use your union.


#WeAreTheGoatsOfThisDeliveryBusiness #EdCarpenterThanksIseeYou



November 2021



Management will try to eliminate routes based on the current state of business. Many businesses have not returned to their offices. So, we will lose on that front. We will fight, but the company knows when it has an advantage. Fortunately, our branch is not on the list for walks/inspections. But we have developed bad habits throughout the pandemic (survival mode) that won’t bode well for us. Please focus on protecting your routes by doing office work in the office and street work on the street function. It will make all the difference.


The fact that we do as well as we do against management is all attributable to you. Our leaders. If you are reading this article, you are a leader. If you share, care and help our fellow brethren, most likely you are exhibiting leadership qualities. And I thank you so much! It does take a village. It’s so easy to divide us.


Our stewards play the most important role in our leadership ladder. But the truth is, we are getting old. We must look for the next generation of leaders. That’s where I ask you to encourage carriers to step up and get involved with the union. We will train and nurture them. Have you looked at the next generation of management? God help us! But our fight is the righteous fight. And well worth it. Although some of our members can be a pain in the ass, we love representing them. The bigger picture is what counts more.


Our general meetings (the first Wednesday of every month) have been on since July. Please come out and get involved.


The pandemic didn’t defeat us, and I’ll be damned if these little weasels who lead with their egos will either!


#StandOnRighteousnessAndPurpose #InUnityWeWillDoGreatThings #LeadWithLove


#BusinessIsBusinessButOurDignityHasToComeFirst #ThankGodForTheNALC!



October 2021



I just left the 2021 Labor Day parade. And it felt great! It was very inspiring to be around so many leaders in unionism. It marks a sense of normalcy that we haven’t had since March 2020.


As we approach normalcy at work, that means management will commence their shenanigans again. And they will do it knowing the effect the pandemic has had on our routes. Because in route adjustment, routes always lag behind the reality. If you have new growth on your route, you won’t get credit until you show it on your walks. And now you have an overburdened route. Your other alternative is to qualify and apply for a special inspection. But don’t forget that many of the businesses have closed since the pandemic. So, I suspect management will pounce on this opportunity to take routes out. Please always consider protecting your route.


Many of our offices start times have been pushed back again. Don’t you hate it when it is changed to :15 or :45? The next thing you know, carriers are counting on their fingers to deter mine their return times. The time changes are based on the “up” time that the clerks get the mail sorted. The bad thing is that with COVID-19, etc., many offices have had shortages of clerks. So, we pay the price for things that have nothing to do with us. But we will adjust like we always do. We may complain, but we always get the job done. A funny thing happened during the pandemic. We were getting so many complaints from CCAs and junior carriers that I proclaimed, “the complaints department is closed.” The others laughed because we were all up to our necks in work.


“There is no crying in letter carrying.” Just do it!



September 2021



How do we do it? We have endured 17 months of COVID-19 sprinkled with prime time vacations on top. Just when we thought we couldn’t take any more of this s%+t, we arrive at September 2021. We are still here. We are exhausted and bewildered by the challenges we face, but we are here!


But a funny thing happened on the journey of the “pandemic.” As we still see no definitive end in sight, management has decided to bar rage us with discipline for attendance. Mind you, had they attempted to issue corrective discipline while we were really suffering from a lack of staffing, maybe we would have averted some of the attendance issues we had. Now they are trying to write up the wrong people for as little as two occurrences. It’s just a glimpse into the ineptitude that is current postal management. So now we waste time (and money) defending our people when they did nothing wrong. We will prevail, but how about working together for the betterment of the USPS? No, that will never happen. It will always be “our way or the highway.” But this great union always ensures that they must earn the discipline they propose against our brethren.


I cannot go any further without extolling the virtues of our fallen comrade in unionism, the trying to write up the wrong people for as little as two occurrences. It’s just a glimpse into the ineptitude that is current postal management. So now we waste time (and money) defending our people when they did nothing wrong. We will prevail, but how about working together for the betterment of the USPS? No, that will never happen. It will always be “our way or the highway.” But this great union always ensures that they must earn the discipline they propose against our brethren. I cannot go any further without extolling the virtues of our fallen comrade in unionism, the great Mr. Richard Trumka. He was the president of the AFL-CIO. NALC is associated with this great labor organization. As president, he led a great part of the labor movement in this country. I was fortunate to have a retired gentlemen who was delivering Meals on Wheels to a condo on my route. Our conversation led to him telling me that he was the college roommate of Richard. Take the time to google Mr. Trumka!


#ImTellingYouWeCarriersAreTheShisnit! #StayHumbleAndKnowYourPurpose#


#TryTo BeAPartOfTheSolutionNotTheProblem




August 2021



The Carrier Academy does a great job of preparing the newly hired CCAs. There are lots of good OJIs out there as well. But the overriding factor has shown that once they get on their own, they are doing whatever they want. I always say experience is the best teacher. Sometimes we must ask what these people are thinking when they apply for the job. Everyone knows the “rain, sleet, and snow” mantra. But you would be surprised at what our new employees complain about. The sad part is that, in my office, the last three have just quit after their first day on their own.


I subscribe to the thought that we letter carriers cannot lower our standards to accept any body. We are proud people and although we have problems with management, we take pride in our company. And we are the company! If you retired carriers saw what was going on now, you would come back to carrying (well, let’s not take it that far). This COVID-19 continues to challenge us. But some people will use any excuse not to come to work. We have to be honest and show our tough love.


Remember that all the experienced carriers would say, “Doing that takes time.” Everyone was so hyped about the elimination of MSP points. But you know that is just time. And I just don’t think our family was thinking clearly when making those comments. You know that our job is about time. They will come after every minute we have. I will scan 50 MSP points instead of walking up to a house on the top of a hill.


Remember that all the experienced carriers would say, “Doing that takes time.” Everyone was so hyped about the elimination of MSP points. But you know that is just time. And I just don’t think our family was thinking clearly when making those comments. You know that our job is about time. They will come after every minute we have. I will scan 50 MSP points instead of walking up to a house on the top of a hill.



July 2021



As we celebrate the independence of our great nation, we also must celebrate our theoretical independence from COVID-19. President Les Dillman would like to thank you for your patience, diligence and understanding throughout this past year.


Our No. 1 challenge continues to be staffing. CCAs have a 20 percent retention rate in our district. We simply cannot keep them. The good news is that letter carriers are built for these challenges. You continue to amaze everyone. The public recognizes you, but the USPS will always see you as chattel. I do not expect anything less from it anymore.


As the new contract takes effect, our local agreements have been renegotiated and only a few offices have items up for impasse. We were successful in getting two items into the locals that were opened. We wanted language that required us to have labor/management meetings quarterly (this is the first leg of President Dillman’s workroom floor initiative). We also wanted language to require management to notify the union when discipline is issued. So many members received discipline and did not notify the union.


As things get back to normal, we know what to expect. But let us be smart. Let us help one another. We just went through our hell. Now management is enduring another reduction in force (RIF). Postmaster General DeJoy is reportedly trying to “cut the fat” at the management level. Well, cry me a river as management scurries like little roaches when the lights come on to secure jobs.


Please welcome and nurture the new CCAs. They are not only our future, but they will help us to lead a normal life. There is no doubt that most of you already understand this. We are only as good as our most inexperienced members.


#LetsStayTheCourse #EveryCarrierIsImportant #UnityInTheFaceOfAdversity #EverydayIsCarrierSeason



June 2021



Don’t let them tell your story. Let’s talk CCAs. It has been a struggle to train, retain and develop our next group of letter carriers. In fact, the retention rate has fallen to 20 percent. Some factors are that they are not interviewed anymore. They do not have to take the test. But to give up on them would be criminal of us. They represent us carriers. And if the more experienced carriers don’t play more of a role in their development, who knows where this company will go.


But I’m a glass-half-full type of person. And to that end, there are many CCAs out there carrying on our legacy. One such carrier is Cristine Johnson from the Bala Post Office. She was going to be let go by her previous office for being “slow.” So, her trainer at the carrier academy (Beth Lloyd) talked to President Dillman about facilitating another chance for her. Les Dillman has given many other carriers second chances by facilitating transfers. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t. But as of this writing, things are going well for Cristine at Bala.


On March 30, Cristine witnessed an accident on the route she was delivering. Upon arriving, she discovered a man unconscious. But she was the only one to respond. She called 911 and stayed until an ambulance arrived. The wife wrote a letter to the postmaster and stated that Cristine’s actions saved his life.


So, call her “slow” or whatever you want. But be sure to call her a hero as well. And she is one example of many. Silly management will never get out of the mentality that we all have to be fast. The same haste causes more mistakes and only serves to negate our image as postal employees.



May 2021



Many thanks to President Les Dillman. He is the first to never want the attention placed on him for doing the job that he was elected to do. But I feel that life must be put in perspective. This unprecedented time has caused all of us union leaders to become “jugglers.”


We all have strengths and weaknesses. But one of Les’s strengths is his ability to handle many problems concurrently. First, we had/ have the pandemic. Les had to ingest all the daily memorandums and rules pertaining to COVID-19. Then, there were daily teleconferences at night to get everyone on the same page (both union telecons and management telecons separately). On top of that, there were daily calls from human resources to notify us of which offices had positive tests and the protocols that would follow (cleaning of the office, next-day office stand-up talks).


Another strength of Les is his patience when taking calls from the membership. He has a keen ability to reassure the members while being straightforward with them.


Fast-forward and our building encounters problems. The hot water heater goes, and water is “everywhere.” We suffer damage. Next, our roof goes. This results in damage to the extent of almost $40,000. But thank God that our branch has insurance. The next picture is Les calling us and doing business from his truck as the building is gutted for rehabilitation. But his “juggling” skills had already been strengthened. Thank you, Les. We are lucky to have you.


Now take that same premise and thank every shop steward and executive board member who sees the big picture. We came into this job with great union leadership. And now we moved for ward stronger and more prepared only because of this great union.


#BeCarefulWhatYouTakeForGranted



April 2021



New year, new district manager, same old bull! I have come to the realization that postal management will never appreciate its workforce. But thank God for NALC.


Hopefully, when you read this article, the membership will have ratified another hard fought-for contract. These contracts only come about through a lot of hard work and preparation. What we must all remember is that gains through negotiations take generations. In the last contract, a workroom floor task force was established. Now watch as the NALC builds on this. While it takes two sides to “tango,” a mechanism must be in place for our workroom floor issues to be addressed contractually.


NALC has provided us with language and binding agreements at every turn (COVID-19). But without our stewards, without our experienced carriers, without all of you, this can be minimized. We need the next generation of leaders to step up before things become critical. When someone complains to me about their office, after trying to help, I always ask, “Why don’t you become a shop steward? We will train you.” Unfortunately, they act as if it is our job. But it is everyone’s job! We are only as good as our collective efforts. The current stewards are doing their best. And some offices do not have stewards. One the best characteristics of leadership is preparing the next leaders. Presi dent Les Dillman speaks on this daily.


So, when the weather gets a little better, and management drives around trying to catch you doing something wrong, remember a few things. Their lazy asses are only there when it is convenient for them. Remember us, the people risking our lives diligently and literally daily? Remember the insane hours we were forced to work? Thank you, letter carriers.


#PleaseLookAfterOneAnother #AttendanceIsTheHotIssue #LetterCarriersAreEssential



March 2021



New year, new district manager, same old bull! I have come to the realization that postal management will never appreciate its workforce. But thank God for NALC.


Hopefully, when you read this article, the membership will have ratified another hard fought-for contract. These contracts only come about through a lot of hard work and preparation. What we must all remember is that gains through negotiations take generations. In the last contract, a workroom floor task force was established. Now watch as the NALC builds on this. While it takes two sides to “tango,” a mechanism must be in place for our workroom floor issues to be addressed contractually.


NALC has provided us with language and binding agreements at every turn (COVID-19). But without our stewards, without our experienced carriers, without all of you, this can be minimized. We need the next generation of leaders to step up before things become critical. When someone complains to me about their office, after trying to help, I always ask, “Why don’t you become a shop steward? We will train you.” Unfortunately, they act as if it is our job. But it is everyone’s job! We are only as good as our collective efforts. The current stewards are doing their best. And some offices do not have stewards. One the best characteristics of leadership is preparing the next leaders. President Les Dillman speaks on this daily.


So, when the weather gets a little better, and management drives around trying to catch you doing something wrong, remember a few things. Their lazy asses are only there when it is convenient for them. Remember us, the people risking our lives diligently and literally daily? Remember the insane hours we were forced to work? Thank you, letter carriers.


#PleaseLookAfterOneAnother #AttendanceIsTheHotIssue #LetterCarriersAreEssential



January 2021



Happy New Year! 2020, haul A$$! 2020 was a challenge to everyone. But if we are reading this, we are here, dammit! I am so proud of how we all handled this unprecedented challenge. Branch 725 moves on to the next great challenges that will undoubtedly present themselves. And President Les Dillman and his executive board will do their best to meet those challenges.


But COVID-19 is still rearing its ugly head. So, let us finish strongly to protect the health and welfare of our membership. You are and will always be heroes! No one can take that away from you. So, let’s use this strength as body amour for the things that we know the company will throw at us.


A long journey led to us having a proposed new contract. Let us move forward in unity to strengthen our resolve for future challenges. So now when management does their driver observations, etc., they should seem so minor compared to COVID-19. When management tries to take advantage of us during a walk, let’ s think about COVID-19. Whatever they will try to bring to us, we are armored in knowing that we were there when the country needed us. And now, do not play with us. But you know they will. Thanks to Les Dillman and his leadership along the way. And to all of the thankless work that your shop stewards put in. We love you, shop stewards! And to the members. The executive board could not be prouder to serve such deserving people! You are why we are here. And we will never lose focus of that. But keep this in mind: We have a new district manager. POOMs have been moving around. So, you know what that means....


#Let’sStayTogether #TogetherWeCanMoveMountains #AMountainWithoutFissuresWon’tBreak


Let’s just love!



December 2020



Happy holidays! During this season more than most, we appreciate it this year because of all that this year has entailed. The pandemic remains a great challenge for us. Because of this, our MOUs most likely will be extended for another period. These MOUs have protected our members through this challenging time.


Through this storm, we have endured again. NALC has made the case for us in arbitration for our new contract. While most members take this process for granted, I must tell you that it is the culmination of all the time since our last contract. This is what the NALC excels at. So, rest assured that we will prevail.


The big news since our last “talk” is that this country elected the NALC-endorsed 46th president of the United States of America. The impact is great for us. We went from an anti-union administration to a pro-union administration. So, we will be able to play offense instead of being on the defense.


As carriers, we often do not understand the big picture. The importance of our legislative efforts, our Letter Carrier Political Fund (LCPF), and its impact. These things become evident when we win a presidential election. But all elections are important. NALC has always taught us that our relationships (established through lobbying efforts) over the years always pay off.


During the pandemic, most of our customers have recognized our value. They really relied on us with regard to the ballots. I could not have been more proud of our members and how we as a union (and company) handled the political football that was the ballots. There is no way that anyone can blame theworking men and women of the Postal Service. Instead, I salute all of you!


#PleaseStaySafe #TheBestIsYetToCome #LoveOnOurCCAs #YouAreThePostalService



November 2020



During this month of Thanksgiving, President Les Dillman and the executive board would like to thank each member of this branch. This has been a most challenging year for us all. But we cannot gloss over one of the most obvious acknowledgments. And that is to give thanks to one another. Yes, we have been pulled in all directions by the ramifications of this pandemic. We are tired, overworked and under-appreciated by postal management. But let us not be like them!


We have done our best to get every member the service provided to each carrier through the various memorandums agreed to by NALC/USPS. Many members have had to stay home for various reasons. Instead of judging them, let us understand them. For that could very well be you told to quarantine or left without childcare because of the pandemic. And praise to all the other members forced to work extraordinary hours. I have noticed the short tempers and frustration that this has caused. Let us just be mindful that our unity and resilience are some of our most valued characteristics.


Many of our offices were so short-handed that managers had to carry mail. I wasted no time in trying to organize a “carry off” with my postmaster and another. I could not resist the opportunity to let them know that we are working 12 hours a day. If they took 10 hours to work what it takes for us to work five hours, then do not act like you have street credibility with us (LOL). But through it all, I would like to share with you what was asked of me by my postmaster: “What does your check look like?” “It looks like I have been working harder than you!”


#WeAreBranch725AndProudOfIt! #WeThankYouBecauseWithoutYouThereIsNoUs!



October 2020



Southeast Pennsylvania Merged We are enduring unprecedented times in the Post Office. NALC has spent millions of dollars and so many hours trying to bring awareness to our issues. Then we get a new postmaster general (and all the political ramifications), and voilà, we are the news. Our plight was the No. 1 story nightly. But all of our hard work did not fall on deaf ears. When the politicians talked, they knew our issues from all of our lobbying efforts. Every customer wants to know our story and blame anything that happens to us on the current administration in the White House.


NALC has asked us to not say negative things about the company online and on camera like our sister unions. We are still in negotiations for a new contract. NALC chooses to keep those words in-house. And with our union set to go to arbitration for our next contract, we must be strategic. So please be careful to not get roped into an uncomfortable interview. Our problem has been staffing. Once the pandemic hit, we were not able to fill positions lost through resignations, removals and retirements. All the while, we started our prime-time vacation period. When we “opened” the country back up, we had to start training in a social distancing setting (16 CCAs). But the training teams fell victim to retirements and COVID-19 as well. That left only a few teams to train the new classes. Now, more teams have been trained. We should slowly get our staffing back. In the meantime, we have been challenged by 12-hour days (or more). And routes not going out for days. But we will get past this. What doesn’t kill us will make us stronger that is if we don’t kill each other first (LOL).


#StayUnified



September 2020



Southeast Pennsylvania Merged Challenge given challenge met! 2020 has been one obstacle after another. And the persistence, perseverance and patience of the letter carriers prevailed once again. Yes, it was tough, but we adjusted and stand at this point ready for the next “thing.”


At the beginning of the year, many rumors of the demise of the Postal Service came to the surface. Then the pandemic hit and shook the whole nation. Projections were that without financial assistance, the company would be bankrupt by the end of this month. But we went right out and delivered for America. We were hailed as heroes. Ironically, we are still heroes. But you would never know it, because, as if a switch was flicked, us carriers were vilified again by management. But the new challenge became survival because staffing issues caught up to us, because of the halt to training new carriers due to COVID-19. So, when training started back up, the stuff already had hit the fan. Offices were starting days with more than 20 routes down. Parcels built up and routes did not go out. Mail was brought back daily and became a regular occurrence. And then they brilliantly pushed our start times up. But we pushed through 12-hour days (even on Sundays). Then the 60-hour became relevant.


And through all this hard work, we were suddenly not told by management that we were valuable (at the most apparent time). So, when postmasters and supervisors were forced to carry mail, we knew we had reached an apex. Now, the heat, the soreness of our bodies, and general discuss with management became secondary to our lack of days off and that thing called an eight-hour day.


And through it all, carriers were fired, quit, retired, and now we are here.


#WeAreReadyForTheNextChallenge #WeWillAlwaysEndure



August 2020



Imagine this: A pandemic hits the world suddenly and the whole country goes into lock-down mode with only essential-service employees going to and from work with a paper verifying that they are indeed allowed to be on the streets coming to and from work.


The employees are lauded as heroes because they are putting their lives and their families' lives at risk. As time goes by, more and more of these dedicated workers still come to work and most work more to make up for those who are not at work. Then suddenly (as if overnight the virus went away), management goes back to their same old tactics. The only thing is, people are still testing positive for the virus weekly. President Les Dillman will tell you that most of his calls are still COVID-19 related. That is, until these management fools turn up their discipline on us. Please stay focused and vigilant. Your health is more important than any games that these weak-minded supervisors may play.


With all that is going on, let us keep our eye on the prize. Please continue to write/email your members of Congress. Through these challenging times, NALC has come through with flying colors, and we all owe a debt of gratitude to President Dillman. He has exhibited patient leadership with a steady hand. And kudos also go out to the executive board and the shop stewards. But what I am most proud of is our membership. Together we have endured. But we are all smart enough to know what comes next. They will bring the noise, but we will bring the funk! We are the ones out there pounding these streets! And without us, this company is nothing.



July 2020



Happy Fourth of July to all of our proud members. We are enduring a most trying time in our country. And letter carriers, along with this great country, are strong. First, we adjust, then we excel. And that's what you've done.


During the pandemic, the greatest threat to our livelihood has been the financial hit taken by the company. This made the USPS seek funding in the first round of stimulus funding. While most private industry received billions, our company was only offered a $10 billion loan. NALC, along with all your help, went on to lobby Congress for monies that we deserve be granted, not loaned. There has been an email / letter-writing campaign daily. The death scenario was / is that without additional funding, the P.O. would run out of money by the end of September. And therefore, all your hard work with political activism is so vital. Whether you are active or retired, there are scenarios out there that can have a grave impact on your future. So, please keep up your good work of writing your representatives when asked by NALC through the NALC Member App. If you have not downloaded it to your phone or computer, please do so. It allows you to stay aware of all things pertaining to your job.


The saving grace has been parcels. They are up more than 50 percent. But parcels alone will not sustain our futures. You will! Your work ethic, integrity and political activism to lobby on our behalf will be key.


So, please understand very clearly, you are the company's most valuable resource. You are the engine. You have been our saving grace. And while "hero" is thrown around loosely now, your resiliency exemplifies what it means. Through rain, sleet, snow and the bull*^t management decisions, you endure!



June 2020



I take my hat off to the most loyal, dependable and prideful employees in the world. Yes, you letter carriers. What you displayed this past to the world and your customers is truly admirable!


Thanks to Branch 725 President Les Dillman, this branch has steadied the ship in the most trying time. Les answered your questions and endured both day/night telecons. And if you think those rules were confusing, then ask Les. He might say yes, but he worked through the initial stages of the pandemic seamlessly.


Also, the stewards did a fantastic job through this trying time. You exhibited leadership that is to be applauded. It's not easy to relay the unpleasant that we had to disseminate. When we talk about heroes, you are among the elite.


Let's be honest, at any time were you scared? I was. But we show the way, not show fear. I saw no fear in my brethren. What people showed were intellectual choices. So many of us support people and family members who have compromising health issues that we had to make choices that place us out of work. I salute you! This issue is no joke. Death is final.


But through it all, stewards (including myself) had to endure more discipline that was place on carriers. Some offices had less awareness for the pandemic. They still practiced their bu@*$^it!


So, among enduring the travails of life, carriers had to endure the travails of the Postal Service. For that, you are to be applauded. Because we all know what that means.


That's why this executive board serves you. We have been and will be there for you until the end.


Let's use this as a steppingstone rather than a boulder!


You held this country together!


#UnityPrevailsThroughChallenges



May 2020



Thank you! I can’t express that strong enough to you. This past month has been one of the most challenging times in the history of this country. And the letter carriers took heroic steps daily to keep this country going. This scenario has been talked about for years and you passed with flying colors! You not only have diligently come to work, but you have bravely done it while adjusting to the most unforeseen of circumstances. The NALC led the way and quickly pressured the USPS to provide supplies for our safety and that measures were taken to help contribute to your safety at the same time.


But it is your patience, understanding, and pride that allowed us to push through the current challenge. You did it through the anthrax scares. You do it every day in the most severe of situations. So, just know your value. You are heroes! You are the bridge that allows our country to get through this trying time.


A huge challenge has been managing rumors. They often are the enemy of progress. The NALC/USPS put out a series of MOUs that set policy in how we were to move forward in this demanding time. They were all geared toward the protection of the letter carriers (their safety, benefits, and welfare). Your President Les Dillman worked tirelessly (taking calls from NALC leadership well into the night). The result was that our branch was well prepared to handle the daily barrage of information.


Unfortunately, this still didn’t deter some managers/supervisors from acting like fools. But they know not what they do. Let’s forgive them for their ignorance where perpetrated. Because if you can’t be understanding and unified in purpose at this time then when? In the end, It’s you! Thank you!!!!!


#LetterCarriersAreUniquelyStrong #TheWholeCountryIsCountingOnUs!



April 2020



Safety! It’s a major priority in the district. The NALC will never disagree with an emphasis being placed on safety. After all, article 14 of the National Agreement addresses safety. Simply put, we want our members to have a lasting and safe experience while at work and beyond. The problem comes with management. They always go too far to make their point. This is when discipline comes into the picture. Many members are being taken off the clock (placed in a non-pay status) when found by management to not be following safety rules. The #1 issue is earbuds and seatbelts. It sounds simple but our members seem to be cutting corners. But in doing so, we can be cutting our lives. The seatbelts work. But until it happens to someone close to us, we seem to think “not us”. Let’s change this way of thinking.


Elsewhere, our greatest challenge has been attendance. But it directly ties to staffing. Many of our members have been so worn out due to so much work that they break down or wear down. The challenge has been unscheduled absences. Please be careful when calling out sick to stay away from social media. Believe it or not, that has been a major problem. We have been battling every attendance discipline but eventually they are removed. So, when a carrier talks about calling out for not the “right” reasons, we must give them tough love and good advice. It sounds hokey, but when a member is removed, it seems to take away a piece of that shop steward that worked harder to save the carrier’s job than they seemed to have.


I would like to thank every member who appeared in the February Postal Record for their contributions to the LCPF!


#LetsNotBeAprilFools



March 2020



Hot Issues! These are the things that management places their laser focus on at the time. Please stop by our branch meetings the 1st Wednesday of every month to hear in more detail. I’ve placed an emphasis on this in the reports to the membership at our meetings because it may help you understand why your offices feel like they are under attack. But please understand one thing every office in the country is “under attack”. Its just the new approach at the higher levels that management has been taking.


Attendance. The focus is for obvious reasons. But the union disagrees with management’s discipline 1st policy on every issue. They are having weekly attendance reviews at the district level. On the telecons, they are ordered to discipline carriers for absences. The problem is that any discipline must be for just cause. And while we are doing great in defending our brethren, we have lost some carriers due to exceptionally bad attendance records. Now, they are trying to write people up for only a few occurrences. Please be careful.


Safety. The district manager has made a new year’s resolution to reduce accidents in the district by 50%. This is a VERY lofty goal. The union would be first in line to reduce accidents of any type by 100%. We would only differ in the tactics used negatively against us and any discipline used to meet their goals.


While these hot issues are very valid and need to be addressed, the NALC prefers a more broad-based approach to reduction of employee absences and safety accidents. Neither of these issues are necessarily the fault of the carrier. Let’s work together!


#IfYouWorkLongExhaustingHoursYouWillBreakDown!


#WorkHarderToGetCarriersToBuyIntoSafety-NotDisciplineOrEmbarassment


We have started our annual Letter Carrier Political Fund Drive. In an election year, it’s most impactful.



January 2020



Happy New Year! The Executive Board and I wish you and your families good health and prosperity in the coming year.


For those of you that have not heard, Rhonda Massari retired as Branch President effective December 31, 2019. So, it gives me great pleasure to address the membership in this first scribe article for the year.


I would like to thank Rhonda for all that she has not only done for the branch but what she has done for me personally. She has served this branch as President for the last four years but also served the NALC for over 30 years. While I’ll be sad to see her go, life must go on for the branch. Fortunately, we planned for this day. We have trained our next generation of leaders well. And now it’s time for them to step up. But again, thank you Rhonda! I always said, “you are the big sister I never had” and you said “you are the little brother I never wanted (LOL). Thanks again for making this transition somewhat seamless for the branch. I also would like to thank two other board members who retired during this past year. Bill Mellon and Gerry Gallagher. Your many years of dedication to this branch will be missed.


I have appointed Eric Jackson as my Vice President. Colleen Haynes will be moving into Eric’s former position as Branch Treasurer. Also, Ed Donahue will be filling Colleen’ s former position as Branch Trustee. With this newly formed executive board, I’m confident we will move into the future with the strength and stability that the membership deserves.


I am aware of all the challenges that we face as a branch. But together we move without fear!


Great things happen when people work together.


Les Dillman, President Branch 725



December 2019



Happy holidays from the Executive Board of Branch 725. While this month is a busy one for all of us, let’s focus on the most important thing… our families. From Thanksgiving through the new year, these times reenergize us for all the challenges that we face. But none of this means anything if you don’t have anyone to share it with.


Our Union family continues to grow and prosper. There are always members retiring just as the new CCA is hired. Visiting different offices, I am noticing the ever-changing landscape. But I look at it as growth and opportunity. These new members represent a chance to be taught the traditions and integrity that it takes to be a letter carrier.


And for all that the future will bring, we have so many to thank. Thanks to all our valued stewards. They do the thankless job daily. To our President Rhonda Massari, Thank you! You have given us so much. To our executive board, you do so much to make this branch function. And you provide the framework from which our success springboards. The members give us inspiration. Without you, there is no purpose for existence. But mostly, I am thankful for the NALC. The all-encompassing organization that brilliantly guides us. Their tireless work should never go unnoticed! They do so many things concurrently that we tend to take them for granted. Let us not forget that we are still in negotiation for a new contract. Those very negotiations are well planned and strategized to set the union up for years to come. And through them we have benefitted immensely. But let us not forget our beloved retirees. You have done it. You have shown us the way.


But our greatest asset is our unity!


#NoIOnlyWe #Let’sLeadWithLove



November 2019



Thanks to everyone who voted in this round of elections! Your concern and intellectual investment in not only your community but also your branch sets you apart from the others. Our next action is to “convince” others to get involved in the process. I believe every vote counts, and that those very individuals can count tenfold when we realize that they talk to their family and friends about issues important to them. For the NALC, the issues are those that relate to our jobs. The NALC does not support any party but instead supports individuals who best serve our interests.


Congratulations to those elected by our branch to serve on the executive board for the 2019-2021 term. And now, as we organize for the business of the branch, we refocus on our mission to serve the membership and uphold the contract between the NALC-USPS. For those not elected we say, “there are no losers in a Branch 725 election”. By running, you have shown that you CARE enough to get involved. And THANK YOU for your participation.


This all contrasts with Postal Management refocusing their energy on letter carriers because of their financial situation. In a recent meeting at the area level, management stated that they can save money by “going after letter carriers”. Please be aware that they will engage you with more demands and tactics to intimidate you into skipping breaks, lunches, and using “pivots” as a vehicle to do this. Nothing new right? Please use your form 3996 and phone calls to meet our obligation to notify them when we are unable to complete our assignments. Our fight never ends.


Congratulations to Les Dillman and Joe Pease on completing the NALC Advanced OWCP training.


Stay safe, stay vigilante, and most importantly, stay #725STRONG.



October 2019



Sometimes we must look in the mirror. That time is now! The NALC is in negotiations for your next contract. That fight looks to be a long and arduous one. But at the same time, Postal Management has made their intentions very clear (discipline).


Some of our offices are up for inspection. Les Dillman is running training for EVERY office that will be inspected. He invites any carrier to attend (even if your office is not inspected). This training has resulted in great benefit to our branch. The numbers bare out that people who attend these trainings do better during the actual inspections. Attendance and safety have been our Achilles heel lately. While most of you do such a great job with these issues, we are in a “crisis” mode! And we are asking our family to look out for one another. One of the best forms of love is touch love! We must put out the word that we are not holding up our end of the bargain. The result has been our brethren losing their jobs for attendance, and so many more being “taken off the clock’ (yes that means fired until we can hopefully get them back) for safety (i.e. earbuds, no seatbelts, etc.).


The district has been out and pulling people off the clock for being out of uniform, wrong footwear, etc. Yes, they are sending a message! But being a proud letter carrier encompasses all those things. We should look professional, act professional, and work safely. And we damn sure never condone carriers doing embarrassing things like throwing away mail! We are proud, professionals who are the best at what we do. Let’s keep OUR standards high. And while management sucks, we can’t let their inferiority permeate our family.


#TakeControlOfOurDestiny #EachOneTeachOne



September 2019



Bye bye summer! Your dedication is applauded. This summer recorded two of the hottest months recorded in history. But letter carriers always endure. That is why our branch is working harder than ever for the membership. Imagine this during the aforementioned heat of the summer postal management has quietly declared war against us. The numbers don’t lie. Everyone sees all the driver observations, write ups for expansion of street time, etc.


Imagine this you give us floor talks about hydration and the negative effects of heat exhaustion/stroke. But then when we work safely, you write us up knowing very well that the discipline is not for merit. We obviously will need more comfort stops from drinking fluids. Ironically, comfort stops are also meant to serve us to get our body temperature down in the event of heat issues. I personally know of many carriers who had to go to the hospital and miss days of work because we ignored our heat related symptoms. But the crime by management is that they talk out both sides of their mouth when they tell us to be safe, but carriers hear that others are being disciplined. And don’t forget, they only “care” when a carrier dies on the job. This latest “concern” is a result of another letter carrier’s death.


We must do better regarding attendance. The district is very hot on this issue. And frankly speaking, we have not done well. We are losing jobs due to our unscheduled absences. There is a point where us calling out sick (be it for a legitimate reason or not) will result in removal. So please be careful. Attendance, and those damn earbuds will be the death of us if we don’t be more careful. We are proud letter carriers!


#LetsMakeOurForfathersProud



August 2019



Thank you! Thanks for being the best at what you do. Our district has been very aggressive towards us (especially considering our recent bad financial quarter). But they always act as if it’s us. The truth is we are better than we’ve ever been. But our workforce is changing at the same pace as the management staff.


But the new carriers face unprecedented challenges. With DPS, FSS, low mail volume, and a lack of guidance from management our CCAs take longer to catch on to this very challenging job. That’s where I’m asking all of us to continue to nurture them into professional carriers. One of the most important things we can stress to them is the importance of coming to work. Our job requires staffing. And the district has put an emphasis on attendance. They are now trying to make lateness an occurrence equal to missing the whole day.


They are also focusing on “stationary time”. Please be careful. They are always watching us. But we are resilient. We will endure. But we don’t want to give them the satisfaction of disciplining us and ultimately having us lose our precious jobs. Let’s pay special attention to the earbuds too. If we make these adjustments, maybe management can focus on something other than us!


On June 19th, Branch 725 participated in the Variety Club Camp for MDA. This camp is provided for kids with Muscular Dystrophy. It’s a chance for them to participate in fun times with other kids like them. At the urging of President Massari, our branch participated for the second year in a row. Les Dillman, Barbara Kearney, Beth Lloyd, Joseph Pease, and I gave of our time to volunteer for these kids. But I think WE all benefitted more!


#LookOutForYourBrother/Sister #KnowYourWorth #RespectYourselfAndOthers



July 2019



Happy July! A month that signifies heat, fireworks, and independence. The temperature is real this time of year. We must do our best to stay hydrated through these “dog days”. The threat of heat exhaustion and heat stroke are real. Have you noticed the PO’s emphasis on hydration lately? Yes, because it has had a negative affect on their bottom line. But that makes it more offensive that they would turn up the “heat” on the carriers at this time of the year. Carriers are being harassed on the street as well as the office this summer to make numbers that are unrealistic. In fact, these numbers are so unrealistic that they have to be shoved down our throats. Now does this aggressive approach make sense when the heat is at record highs? How are we to drink more to stay hydrated and not have to have more comfort stops. And how about the comfort stop to cool down your body temperature when you face symptoms of heat related illness? The PO’s actions never match their words.


With the new aggressive approach by management (couched as cost saving measures), their actions are consistent with fireworks because they are causing people’s lives to explode (metaphorically). We should not have to put up with this.


The independence that this month represents is apropos. We still have control of our actions. They can try and pick at us with their tactics, etc., but the overriding notion is that if we do the right thing, they will be working hard only to get an empty result. And you know that they don’t like to work. This is our reality, so complaining only serves to make us feel better, but it does not help our existence.


So, stay strong and united.



June 2019



The best days of branch 725 are yet to come. I know that sounds odd but that is the attitude we all must have if we are to get where we need to go as a branch. We must stay hungry and work harder and (more importantly) smarter in order to serve our members in this ever-changing USPS.


Last month, Vice-President Les Dillman held a class at the Coatesville PO for our members for their full inspection. The training was well attended. The subject matter addressed almost every aspect of the process. If you have ever talked to Les, you know he has a passion for route inspection. His knowledge and experience greatly benefit Branch 725. Kudos to the members who attended. Management has made no bones about it that they are coming for routes. And in this environment of reactionary and alarmist management we have to fight for what’s ours. #Fthem!


We had another successful fundraiser for MDA at our annual event. The fellowship and family fun reign second only to the money raised for MDA. Great job by the events committee (chaired by Colleen Haynes. Members are Shirley Hagner, Joseph Pease, Steven Curry, Belinda Tridente, and Joe Benning). The upcoming Phillies outing promises to be another chance to share time together as a family. The Phillies game proceeds benefit the Branch scholarship fund.


We also held an event organized by NALC Leadership Academy class #24 member Beth Lloyd to reach out to our CCAs. It was a big hit and well attended. Our future rests on the backs of our CCAs. We will continue to invest in their growth because the next branch leaders will move forward from the seeds of knowledge that we plant amongst them. But currently, our focus remains on you!



May 2019



Thanks to all who attended the retiree’s luncheon on April 11, 2019. It’s always nice to break bread and have fellowship with our highly valued members.


President Massari always said “our routes are being inspected daily”. The USPS is always looking at the numbers. They instantly try to take out routes when given the opportunity. So, when our routes are “overly pivoted’ daily, these opportunities are created. This ends up costing us routes. And when bad financial numbers come in for the quarter, the super squeeze commences. But we all know that when routes need to be put in offices, they drag their feet. This has always been the approach. So, we must take advantage in those circumstances with our other options (271-g special count inspections) if it benefits us.


The prevailing thought has always been that full-blown inspections were too much of a risk. But our branch has always left it up to the carriers in their offices to decide. But now, the PO is just coming in for the inspection with no pre-walks in some cases. My office just underwent an inspection. In retrospect, I agree with all the retirees who said “years ago we used to do inspections yearly. And it taught us how to walk routes better”. This notion could not be truer. While and inspection is uncomfortable, it’s nothing to FEAR. We provide training (if needed) and guidance from Vice-President Les Dillman. And we have an aggressive disposition. Basically, let’s fight for ourselves, for our routes.


The best thing we have going is each other. The more that management gets us arguing or disrespecting one another, the more they negatively affect our union. It doesn’t matter what we face. Rest assure, we will face it together and directly.


#NextStopContractNegotiations #EachOneHelpOne #PowerInNumbers



April 2019



While the most apparent fight that our members face is the day-to-day “battles” with management on the workroom floor, the NALC is fighting for you on all fronts. So, as we move through these challenging times let’s be mindful of how each of our letter carriers play a vital role in the future prosperity of the NALC.


The national leaders are gearing up for negotiations for our next contract. So, if you get a survey from the NALC, please give them your feedback as they are gathering information for a possible arbitration (if needed) to settle the next contract.


Many national level grievances are always in the works. In the last contract more attention was payed to the workroom floor issues that may arise. That will continue. Those very issues are also being addressed at the regional level through training that takes place at the regional rap sessions. Your stewards sacrifice their time to get essential training to help you. But none of us are perfect. We need our members to help us help them.


We are always vulnerable to attendance because its finite. We were there or not. We were late or not. Management is seeking removal for almost anything now. So please be careful. And stay the hell off social media if we have called out!


The most IMPORTANT thing right now is our contributions to the Letter Carrier Political Fund (LCPF). The best thing that the NALC has going is its relationships with our elected officials. With the simple stroke of a pen, most of our long fought for rights can be gone! Consequently, most of the ideas that are proposed yearly would cost us so much more than our chosen contributions. I respectfully implore you to contribute.


Branch 725 will always fight!



March 2019



While driving home from jury duty last month, I stumbled onto a short but esoteric conversation with President Rhonda Massari. After having sat through a long trial, I expressed the impact that we have on the USPS as unionists. For three weeks I served while handling a union situation in between breaks, and during lunch because I (obviously) couldn’t have my phone on in court.


But this is what union officials do daily. We are so used to doing five things at once that sometimes we forget how much we matter. You may not think your steward is “great”. But He/she is doing their best. Or you may not get the answer that you would like, but when you compare us to any union in the country, the NALC is the very best. We practically hold this company up just by our pride, determination and love for our members. That same pride is sometimes crushed by management when their lack of foresight and insistence on a management-by-numbers style conflicts with our realities. Let’s keep fighting, scratching, and most of all, staying unified in the face of our daily adversities. But it’s the members who inspire us!


Much of the years long work that culminated in our new contract is working its way to our members. The CCA back-pay was recently paid. While money is usually the focus in a contract. All the “other” provisions that lead us to getting more money and a better quality of life must be enforced. The fool’s brigade (postal management) are always looking for a few sellouts, lazy, and soulless people to do their bidding. But at some point, we must ask ourselves “are they getting dumber or are we getting more educated to their BS?”


Congratulations to Richard Murphy on his completion of the national branch officer's training.


#LearnAndApplyYourLearning #TeachAndApplyYourTeachings



January 2019



Best wishes for the upcoming year go out to each member.


Your resiliency has shown it’s face again. Up against the new “aggressive management” you have endured what weak people would crumble from. This new style of management first spoke of by USPS Postmaster General, Megan Brennan has filtered its way down. They are using the route adjustment team to go to “underperforming offices” and do what they are supposed to do per the handbooks and manuals. However, if they say or do things to us that infringes on our dignity and respect (while doing their “aggressive management”) then they are violating the same handbooks, and manuals that are covered under the contract.


The very supervisors and upper managers who prey on some of our members inexperience are the very same ones who internally envy us. How many times have you heard references to the money we are making? How many times have they judged us in saying something so wrong contractually? The level of ignorance is appalling! But they still look down on craft workers. In fact, this whole “crackdown” on letter carriers and references to us the being in ANY way the problem with this company is absurd! They want to make our money, but they don’t want to put in the hard work that we do. Why? Because that’s why they went into management (to sit on their asses and criticize what they couldn’t do).


But YOU must know your worth. You are the backbone of this company. You do amazing things daily better than all your competitors. And the thanks we get can ONLY come from our peers. So, thank you family! You had an amazing year. And your national union is already at work on your next contract.


#TeachTheCcas #StayUnified #LetterCarriersRock