Episode 14 : New Year’s Halo Halo
Coolman comes back to Wallingford Station on December 4, 2023 just in time for the Holiday Season Madness. There is an Acting Manager in place.
The Little Dictator still hasn't provided Coolman's backpay and benefits for the last three (3) weeks of his Emergency Placement.
Coolman has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board in Seattle for unfair labor practices designed at denying the City Letter Carriers at Wallingford Station full representation. We'll be following this over the next several months as it develops.
Coolman will be getting a new Alternate Union Steward at Wallingford Station . Colman will be adding a month interview to the Podcast to go over what it is like to become a Union Steward.
Episode 13 : Statements and Notification
Coolman has just been placed on Emergency Placement before he even clocks back in to work after helping a Clerk defend themselves. Coolman hasn’t even had the time to file for his backpay and benefits.
One of the Witnessing Carriers writes a statement of what they witnessed immediately following the event.
The Little Dictator (tator portion silent) finally issues Notification of Emergency Placement after Coolman complains to both USPS management and National Association of Letter Carriers Union Officials.
Tuesday the Little Dictator makes a surprise (and slightly ambigious) announcement that they will be leaving Wallingford Station at the end of the week. The Little Dictator’s final move is to claim that Coolman’s back pay forms were filled out incorrectly and he can’t process the return of Coolman’s wages and benefits!
Coolman outlines his next moves as he sits a home waiting for the grievance process to work it’s way to another settlement for his return to work with backpay and benefits.
Episode 12 : The Little Dictator
Coolman gives his Manager the nickname the Little Dictator (tator portion silent) after the crazy events of his reutrn to work after 56 days!
Coolman finally returns to work on Monday November 13, 2023. He arrives about 30 minutes early to organize everything that has piled up on his desk during the previous 2 months. Within 5 minutes of his arrival Coolman gets a plea for help from one of the Clerks being escorted to an office by a Seattle Police Officer and The Little Dictator.
Coolman doesn’t go ont the clock for another 25 minutes and responds to the Clerk’s cry for assistance. IT’S ANOTHER UNWARRANTED EMERGENCY PLACEMENT! Coolman tires to negotiate a peaceful resolution. The Little Dictator does not take kindly to Coolman’s efforts to quiet the situation. Eventually, the issue is resolved and the Clerk leaves confused and upset along with the Seattle Police.
Coolman walks back on the the floor with about 5 minutes left before his return to work. He’s talking to his feelow Letter Carriers and the Little Dictator approaches the group and informs Coolman he is back on EMERGENCY PLACEMENT. Once on Emergency placement Coolman expresses his true thoughts on the Little Dictator.
Episode 11 : Down the Rabbit Hole Part 3
We’re still down the USPS Rabbit Hole. Management can stop paying Letter Carriers if they are not delivering everything fast enough. Union Stewards are removed from the workplace floor and sent home without pay if do their jobs. They can be left at home without a word from their Station for months at a time. The pattern of abuse goes unacknowledged by those above the Union Stewards being sent home.
Coolman reacts to the resolution of his Emergency Placement. He will not be silenced while the pattern of abuse continues.
This isn’t a new issue. Coolman went through this in the spring. Coolman emplored the NALC Regional Office to fight the practice. He was rebuked for not using the broken grievance process.
The real issue is the WEAPONIZATION of Emergency Placement. Coolman gets his backpay and benefits returned. The Union has done nothing to protect him for being removed the moment he returns to the workplace floor on Monday morning.
Episode 10 : Down the Rabbit Hole Part 2
Wynn Wright has been sent home on Emergency Placement in a non-pay status indefinitely! Wynn terms this, “The employment/unemployment version of being sent to Hell”
A complete disinterest in the Emergency removal of Coolman seems to have embolden Wallingford Station Management to WEAPONIZE the non-pay status.
Coolman finds out the charges and finds everything unacceptable.
Episode 9 : Down the Rabbit Hole
Everything comes to a head when Wallingford Managment crosses the line on taking away peoples livelihood. Coolman is feed up with the abuse and inactions. So, he takes us down the Rabbit Hole of complete disfunction of the entire system of Management and Union incompetency and indifference.
This is a long, scary story. It wall take more than a single swinge to tell it. It documents the details in the words of the unidentified participants.
All the Documents
Episode 8: The National Contract — Vigilance or Slow Death
It is still Coolman’s 50th day in a non-pay Emergency Placement status. Coolman follows up on the previous episode on the National Contract with Part 2 of the National Contract — Vigilance or Slow Death. Coolman goes over what we won and why it is so important. He then askes the question, “Have we lost everything we won over the past 53 years?”
Articles on the National Agreement
Episode 7: The National Contract
It is Coolman’s 50th day in a non-pay Emergency Placement status. Nobody on either side (management or NALC) seems terribly interested in his return to work and acting as a Union Steward at Wallingford Station. This week Wallingford Station had absolutely no Union Representation!
Today, Coolman continues his background lessons designed to reach both City Letter Carriers as well as the general public (aka — Customers) with information on our National Contract. In Part 1 of the Contract entitle, “Determination and Sacrifice” Coolman highlights the conditions that led the Great Postal Strike on 1970. Hundreds of thousnds of past City Letter Carries risked everything for higher wages, better working conditions and COLLECTIVE BARGANING in the form of a National Contract.
The Great Postal Strike of 1970
As Report by the New York Times
New York Times Articles March 18, 1970 — Mail Carriers Go On Strike in Manhattan and Bronx
New York Times Articles March 19, 1970 — Mail Service is Paralyzed by Postal Systems’s First Strike; Business Beginning to Feel Pinch
New York Times Articles March 20, 1970 — Union Walkout Heading to Midwest Cities, Union Heads Meet Today
New York Times Articles March 21, 1970 — U.S. and Mail Union Chiefs Agree on Peace Plan
New York Times Articles March 22, 1070 — Walkout Widens
New York Times Articles March 23, 1970 — Negotiations Set
New York Times Articles March 24, 1970 — Military in Post Offices, Begins Handling the Mail
New York Times Articles March 25, 1970 — Union Faces Fines
New York Times Articles March 26, 1970 — Troops Move Out
New York Times Articles March 27, 1970 — Postal Unions Open Pay Talks with U.S. and Mail Deliveries Resumed but Guardsmen Are Kept
The Postal Record — The Great Postal Strike
The Postal Record March 2020 — The Great Postal Strike
Articles on the National Agreement
Episode 6: Halo Halo
Today is Coolman’s 44th day on non-paid Emergency Placement. Both parties (USPS and NALC) were supposed to meet at the Formal A step ofthe grievance process last Wednesday (October 25th). SURPRISE — The Wallingford Manager was too busy to meet!
So today, Coolman shifts gears and starts a periodic spot he’s calling Halo Halo in honor of his fellow Pilipino City Letter Carriers. It’s a traditional dish of shaved ice and a little bit of everything. Designed to be both a refreshing and interesting break from the tropical heat.
In the Halo Halo sessions Coolman will give you a little bit of everything that’s on his mind. So, let’s get started!
Halo Halo
A little bit of everything!
Episode 5: The Union Steward
Today is Coolman’s 37th day on non-paid Emergency Placement. He’s ready to get back to Wallingford Station and represent his fellow Letter Carriers as thier Union Steward. While he’s been gone Wallingford Station management has usedd those 37 days to take a Carrier’s Annual Leave, falsely claim a Veteran does not have Service Status or Wounded Warrior Leave, conducted Investigative Interviews without Union Representation, continued to Deems Desirable Carriers on their Holidays, and placed another Carrier on Emergency Placement because they had the audacity to say they did their job well!
In this episode Coolman reaches out to both Carriers and the General Public to go over what it means to be a Union Steward. Stay tuned as Coolman beleives he will be returned to Wallingford Station soon and is anxious to get back into the game.
What the What? Crazy Grievances We Have Won!
No You Cant Show Us Your Guns and Threaten Us! Branch 79 Grievance Case Number 1804-C-14 SE
Episode 4: Emergency Placement - The Road Back
This isn’t Coolman’s first time around the block. He’s been on Emergency Placement four (4) times before. He’s won each previous poacement because Wallingford Managment doesn’t care about the actual rules. They just want Coolman out of the station and away from representing his fellow Carriers. It costs less to pay Coolman not to represent and file grievances than it does to pay him for not working. They’ll draw the grievance process out as long as possible!
It sounds like a free vacation. But, Coolman let’s you know about the stress it creates in his life.
Grievance Case Files for Download
Interview Carrier — Emergency Placement Charges
Interview Management — Emergency Placement Process
Settlement Offer — Sample of Emergency Placement Offer
Episode 3: Emergency Placement — The Event
Coolman returns to Wallingford Station and files for a Grievance Invesitgation over Deems Desirable. Management doesn’t hand over any information. Coolman finally files a Request For Information with a Grievance Settlement agreeing time should be provided within 24 hours or management will provide a written statement of the Operational Need to deny Union time to represent thier Carriers.
It all boils over when Coolman stands his ground and insists Wallingford management keep their agreed upon obligations. The result is our current topic EMERGENCY PLACEMENT.
Grievance Case Files for Download
Emergency Placement — Complete Contract Interpretation
Request for Information (RFI) — Emergency Placement
Coolman Written Statement — September 19, 2023 Day of Emergency Placement
Episode 2: Deems Desirable
Prior to the Labor Day Holiday 2023 the Wallingford Station Manager called in selected City Letter Carriers without Union Representation and proceeded to intimidate by telling them the were “DEEMS DESIRABE” threatening them with Disciplinary Action if they took any time off during the holiday.
Grievance Case Files for Download
ELM 513 SELM 513 Sick Leave Documentation Deems Desirable — The Only Basis for Deems
RFI Deems Desirable — Word Document — Submit This RFI
Manage/Supervisor Deems Desirable — Word Document — Detailed Manager Interview
Carrier Interview Deems Desirable — Word Document Detailed Carrier Interview
Simple Step B Decision — Everything You Need -- Short and Simple
More Detailed Arbitration Decision — Include in Any Deems Grievances
Managment Instructions
M00704 Notify Carriers of Pattern of Sick Leave Abuse
M01597 Management Must Follow All Leave Instructions
M00002 Notify of Restricted Sick Leave
M01629 No Diagnosis Required
Postal Intructions Handling Carrier Medical Records
Reference Materials
Deems Desirable Contract Talk Download Article
Deems Desirable Union Times Download Article
From A to Arbitration
For valuable additional resources I highly recommend this website by Corey Walton. Corey has been working to educate and organize NALC members since July 2021. He has cover numerous topics in fantastic detail. I’ve been using Corey’s From A to Arbitration since it started.