[MUSIC] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Roseville Ricking Ball, the Roseville Ricking Ball. [MUSIC] Joshua Strump is a very talented, Stuart very knowledgeable. The Roseville Ricking Ball. This is one of those podcasts where I listen to every episode. I love what he's putting out there. Joshua Strump, Carlson's a knowledge. It does a fantastic job with that body. [MUSIC] The Roseville Ricking Ball. He is an article eight scholar. And thank God we need article eight scholars right now. Two into the post of Mowing Podcast while you're on the road. That's the real man's playbook brother. [MUSIC] Good morning and welcome back to parcels and knowledge. The podcast dedicated delivering knowledge to the City of Liddick Carrier with your host. [MUSIC] Today we got a special guest. He's a surprise guest and he's here for a particular reason. Would you be able to introduce yourself and let us know why? [MUSIC] Yep, Aloha everyone. My name is Christopher Reed. I'm a Table Two Liddick Carrier out of branch 551-6 Carluacona-Hoye and I am running for Region One National Business Agent. All right, so first things first, we're going to have to get this question out of the way. Why are you running for Region One NBA when last time we spoke, you had said that you're not going to run against this particular individual. Yeah, I'm going to get to get that out the way. Yeah, I made that promise. That is a promise I will never make again and not because of him in particular, but democratically from a member in good standing and I want to run, I should be able to run. But more importantly, my promise to him was as good as his commitment to the membership is. And I'm going to talk about some things I've noticed to put it in perspective. Today, we're recording this on Wednesday, July 29th. Today marks this 100th day in office since he's been appointed. He was appointed on April 20th of this year. And so I've been in the office since about May 11th. With exception of a two week vacation that I had planned, I have primarily been on TAs in the business agents office in Ontario or have been sent on behalf of them to various offices as an outside steward or even in arbitration. And so once again, that promise to him, that promise to just one person in a region is only as good as his commitment is to the membership. And so one of the things right off the bat that gave me some concern is we have a new field director of labor relations for the Western Pacific air, otherwise known as Wespac. His name is Monage Manon. Wespac doesn't just cover region one. I believe it covers region two, a portion of region four. And even I believe New Mexico, which is region 10. And so when in our collective bargaining agreement, we have the DRT memo and or the DRP memo. If there's an issue to where the parties can agree on how to address it or will have you, it gets escalated to the National Business Agent. And this new diff to the National Business Agent and the field director or otherwise known as a Diffelor. So this Diffelor, he's new. The current MBA reaches out to Monage and says, hey, you know, we need a schedule meeting to discuss some of these issues with the DRT process. Monage's response was, well, I'm a little too busy with you. I'm dealing with Sean Boyd right now. So why don't you meet with my assistant? And our National Business Agent agreed to that. I have a huge issue with that because one, that's not what the memo states. It's supposed to be the business agent and the Diffelor. Not the assistant, not someone working under him, it's supposed to be the Diffelor. So right away that gave me calls for concern because if it were me, I would not have agreed. I would have pointed out what was in the what is in the DRP memo and you know, press them that we have to address these issues, whether that requires me to go to Colorado or the Westpac offices to travel there. Secondly, another issue that gave me calls for concern and the business agent and I spoke about it. However, I still disagree with that premise. It was regarding an employee that I have represented as an outside steward previously on a few occasions and this individual was put up for two NORs a while back. I represented this individual in that. In both of them, it was able one get one of them rescinded and expunge that informal step in another one, the DRT rescinded and expunged it. And so, but this individual has an issue with their president, their branch president and some of that is a reason as to why I was sent in as an outside steward with certain conflicts of interest that I will not go into. And so, when this individual came back to work, was returned to duty, they tried messing with this person again and changed their start time greatly. Just this one individual start time was changed. This person hit me up. I said, I need an outside steward. I said, you need to contact the business agent's office so that they can appoint someone if it's me, of course, so I'd love to represent you. And so, when I get to the business agent's office around May 11th, I get pulled inside and the business agent states that person requested an outside steward. I said, okay, I said, what we're doing? Well, I talked to the branch president and the branch president is going to assign someone from their branch. And so, I took an issue with that because I was like, oh, so you're going to let the branch president where there is a known conflict of interest is it is not a private thing. Yeah, it's a very known conflict of interest between this carrier, this member of ours and the branch president. And yet, you're going to let the person who has a conflict of interest assign to representative. That is an issue I had with that. And this kind of goes back to when I represented this individual's and outside steward in the two removal cases. A couple months prior, they conducted the PDI with this member. And this person had requested an outside steward and then come to find out later. They actually specifically requested me. And I've never met this member before, but my understanding was, it says something along the lines of Chris is an honest person and won't misrepresent me or something to that effect. Anyways, so I get a call from the business agent. I was on the other side of Ireland as an outside steward assisting a branch. They got a new slate of officers and very new to the degree and procedures so I was helping them out. I get a phone call, hey, can you, this individual requested a steward? Can you be on a wahu tomorrow? I said, yeah, just get my T.A. sorted. Yeah, then I'll book the flight. And then he says, well, I need to talk to the branch president. So, well, why would you do that if you know, there's a conflict of interest? This was known prior to, you know, this has been known for a little while. And he said, it was the right thing to do. I said, I don't believe that because if they're saying they don't trust a branch. And so I bet I'm $100. That's $100. This person is not going to want to use me. And he goes, well, why is it? This president is like trying to get this individual fired. In fact, when I had a 16-6 case for this employee in front of me, when I was attempting a pre-arbor, I got a phone call from this branch president saying, I hope you do the right thing. I said, yeah, it looks like they don't have reasonable cause. So it should be make whole and return to work. And then this individual followed up with, I hope this member gets fired. And I said, well, that's not what a 16-6 is for. But anyway, so, as for the business agent says, well, I'm going to talk to them.
And I'll give you a call back five minutes later. He says, oh, you're right. I said, I knew I was right. That's why I bet you money on this. I said, who did this individual want as a grievance handler? And he said this name. And it was funny because this branch president and I, and another individual that holds a national officer position had dinner, just a week prior to the phone call to potentially represent this member. And we're talking about the grievances in the state and the individual who this branch president recommended his name was brought up at the dinner. And that branch president said that individual's the most useless grievance handler in the state. Yet that's who you wanted. That's who you submitted to the business agent as someone that should represent this individual. So it's just tying it in to where there's a non-conflict of interest. And so that gave me more calls for concern. I think there is-- I think there's missed opportunities in the first 100 days to capitalize on trainings. We haven't done-- we haven't done any training in the region since the wrap session. And I've preached on about it that it-- I believe it should be done every four months. I said three to four months. Four months will give you 17 weeks to do training throughout the region. Not even beyond that, there are cases out of certain areas such as JSOVs where they're coming up to arbitration. And we're not-- unfortunately, once again, it goes back into training. We're not meeting our burden of proof. Our requisite burden of proof. And so when I've seen these cases, I've sent emails out suggesting that training be provided. And it's fallen on deaf ears. Start time cases. I've made mention that we should be sending out demos from the region on how to attack start time cases. Majority of the branches generally attacked at 80% rule found in section 122 of them, 39. However, the start time changes, effects, wages, hours, and working conditions. And so that falls into Article 5. Before we even discuss the 80%, did they negotiate with the union, with the branch president? There's a case I did that Corey talked about a few months ago in front of Arbitre de Boson out of San Diego. And Boson's entire decision-- the Arbitre de Boson's entire decision was on the unilateral action and the violation of the National Labor Relations Act. But yeah, we're not sending that out to the region so that we can better prepare our grievance handles on how to attack these things. Oftentimes, when I'm talking to branches throughout the region, and they bring up start time, how to attack it, the 80% rule of reports. I said, well, let me ask you first. Did management negotiate with the union? Oh, no. Well, and then I will go on to explain the requirement to negotiate with the union under Article 5, National Labor Relations Act. So these are missed opportunities that I've brought up. In addition, he is missing work quite often, about two days a week. That equates to 40% of the week as this individual's not at work. Now, I'm not going to go into the reasons why or any of that. But if you are going to run a region of 40,000 active and retired letter carriers, and you're knowingly going to miss 40% of the work week, there might be an issue. And I'm not dogging him on that or anything, but it's the fact of the matter that if you know that you can't be readily available to the membership, maybe you should not be the business agent. A lot of carriers would care about attendance, for sure. Yeah, I know it's a hot topic. You see it on social media and discussing other regions and things like that. And so once again, though, that's why I believe my promise is only as good as him as his commitment to the membership was. But he is a great individual administratively. He does a lot of the work in the office administratively. However, he does not like to travel. And I believe the region needs a face to rely upon when things escalate. When there's hot topic issues such as in California right now, we have a place. There's a hot button as you were. A full-time officer has been barred from a building from a post office. And they're not along this individual to step foot in this post office. It may have been resolved now through my understanding of potential EEO process or labor charges. But when it was escalated to the business agent's office, instead of sending himself there to address it, nothing really happened. And so this may be a negative as a business agent, but it's not negative to him as a RAA. Administratively, he is great. But because he doesn't like to travel, that creates an issue within the region. We're the biggest region geographically. We've got California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Guam. Would you say there was any change at all since he's taken office? Or does it feel the same as before? It feels the same as before when there was not a business agent. Yeah, when there was-- yeah. Essentially, when we didn't have a business agent after Keisha was installed on September, it feels like everything is the same. It hardly tells the difference. Yeah. But once again, though, I think he's a great unionist. I just don't think he's qualified to be a national business agent that requires travel. That requires when there's hot button issues to be a presence for the branches that are requesting it or hoping that the business agent's office will help out. And this might be me being naive to the politics within the NEOC or politics in general. I am the branch president in Kona. However, we are a very small branch. So there's not much politics to it. But the way I view our NEOC politics is like we're a sports team. We have the NEOC team, and across from us is management for the postal service. And so if I want to exercise my democratic right, as long as I'm a member in good standing, challenge for the first string position or the team captain, C-Roll, I should be able to do so. And if I'm lose, and I'm dropped down to second string, third string, JV, what have you, I'm still there on the team, pushing the team, pushing the first string person right in front of me to get them better, prepare, get them ready. That ultimately help out the membership, which is the NEOC. And so maybe I'm naive because that's how I view it. And that might be because I played competitive sports well into my 30s. But I don't think-- and vice versa-- and he and I had discussed this. I informed him Monday that I had a plan on running against him. And I discussed this exact scenario. And I said if the roles were reversed as well, and I won, I hope you would be there right behind me helping the team. Because I believe competition drives performance. I believe competition, iron, sharpened iron, is a phrase, often used. I believe competition creates greater results. And it doesn't create complacency where we're just sitting behind a screen all day. So I love the man. But yeah, I am running fourth of the members. Like I said, I'm going to last time I'll see your membership first. All right, that's pretty exciting. It's certainly wonderful to see that you're back in the race. Because I was pretty hopeful for when you-- I'm not saying I'm not in Region 1, so I can't vote, obviously. But I thought it was pretty cool you were running. And I think it sounds nice to see that there's competition again instead of just one. Whoever's going to be the best, I imagine it's going to win. Yes, so-- Exactly. And it's no hard feelings. I told him when I had this conversation, I said I don't view it as-- and then once again, it goes back to me being naive with how I view it as a sports team. I don't view this as ruining anything. I said I can't tell him how he feels or how to feel. But for me, if I win, I hope he's with me as an RAA. I hope he's with me as an RAA, continually help the membership and the fight lose. I'm going to be right behind him to help the membership. Are you running under any particular slay or is it independently? I'm running independent. I will say I've had there have been conversations with the ticket. But--
I'm running independently. Not sure if that'll change. Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn't. But right now on July 29th is independent. But what I'm running on though is education, communication and enforcement. And so once again going back to education. I view the region California Hawaii Nevada and Guam essentially split up into five sub areas. You have Hawaii, which Guam would be inclusive of. You have Nevada and then you have Northern Southern and Central California. And so I want to do training in each of those sub areas every four months. Now if you look at a four months gives you about a little over 17 weeks to get that done and so Maybe every other week or something. There's a training in one of the areas and utilize the R.A.s myself any trainers. I mean, I know the state association for California has a director of education and you utilize the resources we have, whether it's from the leadership academy pool of the graduates. Whoever wants to train and can competently train we will look at them evaluate them and look to utilize them because we cannot have enough trainers. And then if there's branches to kind of look back and then within those sub areas, you know, I want to rotate it. We'll use Northern California example. You know, maybe San Francisco the first time around Sacramento the next time around Yucaya or Yoreka or I believe Yoreka or San Jose rotated so that even the smaller branches are able to participate because we do see smaller branches such as myself hurting without training. You know, we had to raise our dues so we can send people to trainings throughout the region or to the conventions or wrap sessions. So making making the union accessible to every branch and every member. And then if there are branches that need more specialized training because there's a hot topic topic issue, we'll send a team in. We'll send trainers in. And then communication. I want to be have monthly meetings like I did previously discuss monthly meetings with the branch presidents. And I want to be transparent with the exact with what goes on during the exact account meetings. Maybe not getting into the detail and depth stuff. But I want I want the region to know what is going on nationally, regionally and kind of go from there. But I want transparency is a huge thing for me. And then missed out on that enforcement. Contract enforcement. I want and that goes back into training, right? And communication. You know, I want the communication to know how to attack things so that we can provide training as well. But also if we have great stewards at which we do, I'm not knocking any stewards or formal aid doesn't ease. But if we continue to train them, continue to train them iron sharpens iron, these cases will be unbeatable. If it and the event goes in the event goes to arbitration or it's so good solid for us that we're actually getting DRT resolves on it. You know, we have great. We have awesome members in our DRT. However, management. Just doesn't want to settle. And so Yeah, that's kind of that's what I'm running on as we previously talked about. And you know, that's what I'm going to promise the membership is you're going to have an open line of communication to me. I'll be a face in the region. I'll be present. I won't be behind a computer screen and we'll have training transparency, communication and strong contract enforcement. Now, will you be personally invested in developing that training as it pertains to the applicability to arbitration because as I understand you are an arbitration advocate, aren't you? Yes, I am actually just did a case about last Tuesday. I thought I went well. My two TAs thought I went well, one was a TA one was those ever both thought I went well. We'll see what the arbitrator thinks ultimately, but yes, it will be geared towards I believe every case file she should be prepared as if we were going to arbitration because 15.2 formal step air talks about fully developing the file on our and fully developing it on our everything you relied upon contractual provisions and sorts. So yeah, they need to be prepared if they're going to arbitration. I gave a discipline. I've given a couple of discipline trainings recently in the region. One was in Reno on assignment and then one was in Las Vegas on my own dime and Reno, I guess had a lot of great things to say about it. They've spoken to other branches in the region and said it was some of the best training they've had. So I want that not saying I'm the greatest trainer. We have great trainers in the region and I want us all to come together and develop these trainings so that we are educating our members and our stewards. That's funny. You mentioned that 15.2 because even though 15.2 says that the cases need to be developed at formal a every single time I get a decision whether it's mostly its in passes every time I get an in pass, my management step. Right to or three pages about how they're allowed to add into the case file at step B and that they're the ones who end up finally developing the case file fully it's crazy. Is that something you'll be looking at is your step B I'm sure you guys have great step B's out there, but is that something you're also as an as an MBA would you be geared toward developing your step B. To be the best day to be. Yes, we will hold step B trainings. I believe step B trainings have been held. Previously and but yeah, we will get together get the DRT together to provide step B training. Let me say this though the step B team does a great job of countering their arguments when it comes to this new evidence BS that they get at and yes, in the DRT memo in the J Camus as the DRT is not responsible for building the case file. Yes, so you know, we're going to address it all. I almost started putting in my case file because it happens every time. You know, they're going to do what they're going to do because ultimately manage they're not being held accountable right now anywhere. You know, the R a that oversees the step B team and our regions doing great on it, but overall management, just nationwide just puts whatever they want and the DRT decisions. I sent the case file up on attendance based discipline. They failed to meet. So I don't put anything in the file. I was in the 81 90. The charge letter and my contentions that management could have me just cause it and somehow the DRT decision cited 3971s 3972s or arms calling log. That was even a damn file. That's crazy. I don't understand how they can do that. I don't know either, but you know, I have you know, I talked about Alan's first 100 days and I want to talk about my first 100 days of coming office. You know, I want to establish those monthly meetings with the branch presidents right off the get go. And so that's about first 100 days. That's about three months. So I'd like to have at least three meetings with the branch presidents. I want to meet with the different person as right now is my knowledge. Menon. I want to meet with him in person and establish how we're going to address these issues. Well, there's a DRT arbitration issues because there's a bunch of BS games being played in arbitration right now. And they're just running a muck of it. In fact, there was a hearing, which I was a TA for management. And it was a remedy here. We're going we're going back in front of the arbitrator because the arbitrator was retained jurisdiction for Peter 60 days to enforce compliance and they didn't comply with his original award. We go in front of the arbitrator. I wasn't the advocate. I was a TA and this service raises three arbitrability issues. Funk to sufficient and that claiming that to go back in front of an arbitrator on a remedy hearing only that we had to actually meet a informal a formal a and it was crazy. And so they, you know, they present they present their arbitrability arguments. The arbitrator bifurcates the case. So he wants to rule on the arbitrability issue first. And and then in the services closing brief, they withdraw all their arbitrability arguments. So we went to a hearing on arbitrability. And then in a closing brief. They withdrew the entire issue. They withdrawing issues. So as a waste of date, the arbitrator got free money. You know, congrats to him. I guess. But the arbitrator there was it was a nonsensical what took place. It was crazy. And then any hot topics.
on the workroom floor that need to be dealt with with the different myself with the business agent. Whether that's heat illness, whether that's safety to discuss issues that is affecting the region in a whole or even more localized. I want to develop and begin the implementation plan for the region with the training. At that point, we should have a few trainings throughout the areas that the sub areas. So I want to start that and then I want to send teams into places where management is currently running a muck and branchsters are currently asking for help and not getting it. There's a branch in up north that has been requesting assistance for station and it's fallen on deaf ears. I will send there for a couple of days. And we're talking about over a hundred backlog of cases because management is just violating left and right. And I'll give the example. Every day there is grievances concerning unauthorized use of overtime. So this place in this northern area, management's position is if you're a medical aid carrier and you fill out a 39.96 because there's more than you know, you need more time and they give it to a CCA to do it. They put them on an author's overtime. They put the medical aid carrier who doesn't work in the overtime. As the unauthorized. It is ridiculous. And they were heard at anything stupid. I didn't hear anything either and there's a DRT decision to basically says cut that shit out. And they say, well, we disagree with the DRT decision and we're going to start creating a 1017 C. We're going to create the local home form. Yeah, I want to address the places that need need teams to go in. We'll send teams. We'll send individuals that are equipped to handle that workload and assist the branches wherever they need be. And then my first six months, I want to have the educational plan in full effect. At that point in time, we should have two rounds or we should have one round completed and midway through the second round. I want to establish consistent communication with the branch presidents and their membership. I want to hear from the members as well, whether that's attending a branch meeting or what have you setting up a Zoom meeting once every quarter for them. These are things I want to explore because I want to hear from the branch presidents who are ultimately the members, do we elect the representative? But I want to hear from the members too. And then I want to plan a rap session and hopefully have a rap session within the first six months. You know, I don't think there's been with exception to the last election in 2022. I don't think there's really been elections for the business agents position in Region 1. And I want to have I want to bring us together have a rap session host the training there and discuss what's going on the region and how we're going to proceed moving forward. And then I would like to develop an organizing team throughout the region. Do I have an idea of how that looks like right now? No, but I want to find a way to get our membership more organized, the ledicators more organized. I want to increase the organization of the region so that they can benefit from the full effects of being a being a member in good standing, you know, able to use utilize original workers comp with any of the O WCP issues, you know, yeah, make sense. Now, if any folks were to support you, where would they go? Do you have any sort of media? Yeah, I have a Facebook page. It's if you look up Chris Reed for Region 1 NBA, it will pop up there. I have an Instagram page. It's the handle is read for NBA. And I'm hoping to have the website up by tomorrow. I'm doing the saw myself. So and I have to actually go to a branch meeting here in that way. Yeah, we have a branch meeting tonight in about an hour and a half. So I have to head there here shortly. But I should have the website up. It will be read for NBA.com. I've already secured the domain and all that. And then I'll have a link tree, which is not necessary social media, but it has all the relevant, you know, you can put all your links in there for where to go. And if you know, I am obviously since I've gone back on the promise, I am open for donations. You can my memo is my into my personal Instagram handle, which is at Chris J M Reed, which is the at handle or the, you have the at character, C H R I S J M has a Michael Reed, or EED, take Vemmo. And I'll probably have a go fund me up. And then if you want to sell my phone number is 808 756 1861. I know it's dangerous, just giving out my number on the podcast. However, if the region does want to contact me, most of them have that number anyways, I don't have a work cell phone. So feel free to donate in any of those ways. But I just want to close with this look. I'm running once again for the membership. It's a membership first platform. Nothing else matters when you run for these positions, but the members and their best interests. And like I said, previously, to fight fighting for what's right is an innate ability. You know, and I'm a fighter, you know, Corey said a multiple times on his podcast that I'm a fighter. You've heard of various podcasts that I'm a fighter. And that's what I'm promising to the membership that I'll fight for you and with you. And it doesn't matter if you're the loud few or the silent majority. I'll be here for you. And that's how I end it is. Yeah, fighting is an innate ability. complacency is something you can do behind the screen. Yeah, I like that. That's pretty exciting. I think I think a lot of that is true. From what I know about you myself. But hopefully we can see you in LA as well. I'll be in LA. Do I have any events planned right now? No, I'm working on it. It will probably just be something at a nearby bar and grill type situation. No charge, but I'm looking to get some raffles and all that. Once again, how to yeah, I just informed our business agent data on Monday that I run. So we are put into this together. However, you can find me. I'll be very everyone can find me on the convention floor come talk to me. Let's chitchat, even if it's not about the elections. Let's just have a conversation because ultimately, I'm not here to get any have any issues at the convention. I'm here to have a good time and and that good time is representing the members. While at the convention, I'll be representing my members from branch 5516. Well, it was good. Evan, yeah, and and hopefully you have a good meeting. If this I'm hoping so too. They are, you know, they have been a little aware that I'm potentially running for, you know, we discussed it back in April and March and then discussed it in the last meeting that, you know, I'm kind of considering. So yeah, our meetings are always good. We do it out of members house overlooking the cone of coast and we either cook or bring a lot of food. I like to barbecue for them. So yeah, look forward to it. Well, anything else you'd like to add before we wrap it up? No, I appreciate you having me on and to all the members in region one, and I go into the convention come see me and for all the members that are not going to the convention, you have my social media is now reach out to me. My email is read for
[email protected]. That's the email I'll be using for this campaign. So hit me up and let's have a chat. All right, sounds good. And yeah, and then yeah, also I have reached out to Keisha Lewis. My understand that branch 1100 is doing a candidate form. For the president's the presidential candidates and the EVP candidates. So I have reached out to Keisha Lewis about having the regional candidates for business agents on and I'll be there Tuesday and hopefully I can hopefully we can have an open forum and hopefully we can have a debate about what's the best for the membership. All right, sounds good to me, man. All right, it's good. If these guys are getting educated, we will be in big trouble. The management's been weaned down like a bag of wet catalogs, but you don't got to take it. You strap on the elbow of education digging. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the Roseville Racking Ball. The Roseville Racking Ball. The Roseville Racking Ball is an article eight scholar. The grievous genius. Doing amazing work. Tune into the process of now its podcast while you're on the route. That's the meal man's playbook.
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