Latest / United We Scan / 100th Episode Celebration and Christmas OT

Transcript

100th Episode Celebration and Christmas OT · United We Scan

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Everybody views expressing this podcast are the presenters and
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the presenters only and do not represent the views, opinions,
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or strategies of the United States Postal Service or the
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National World Letter Carriers Association.
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Welcome back everybody. Episode 100, we made it to the
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Big 100. How was your week, James?
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Oh, it was all right. I mean just the ring.
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It was free Thanksgiving and then I had the week Thanksgiving
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through the rest of the week off so it was really nice.
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I had to take my X day for working my Saturday 2 weeks ago.
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So I took it on Friday. So I had a three day, four day
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weekend. Now because of the holiday and
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everything, Thanksgiving went really well and planning for
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this episode, I had to get a stand for my cell phone so I
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could do the video on here, get everything set up right for that
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and then prepare for this while running my new page for running
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for the national President. So that's been put up and spread
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around. A lot of people are seeing posts
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everywhere so I appreciate you guys supporting me in that and
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everybody that's followed me so far.
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Shameless plug, it's James Brennan for NRLCA president.
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Feel free to go follow the page, give it a like, share it
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wherever you feel your friends will see it that are part of the
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world craft. And yeah, ready for a heavy,
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heavy week. According to my sub, Friday and
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Saturday were terrible. I ran into him on Saturday as I
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was driving down one of the roads that I deliver on and he
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was going on there and I'm like, yeah, he won't be done until
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like 6:30. So I felt kind of bad for him on
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a Saturday to be out there till 6:30.
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But hopefully next week it'll be nicer.
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But we got Black Friday and Cyber Monday stuff starting to
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roll in. So wish us all luck.
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How about you Bill? How was your not To Do List
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week? I never got around to doing
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anything on my not To Do List. I was blessed with my wife
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getting off early on Wednesday, which helped because of the fact
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that we had everybody over yours on Thursday and Thursday
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actually got up at 6:00 AM to start and for everybody's
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arrivals, you know, table settings and everything else,
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setting out an extra table for food so that they weren't
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crammed in the kitchen trying to get it.
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And it, it went nicely. Everybody, like I said, you
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know, I had a good time. I, I posted up our family
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picture there. We got everybody in one shot.
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That was good. And it was just wonderful
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spending time with them. Then my wife was lucky enough to
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have Friday off and Saturday and, and today we had our
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grandson's third birthday for the the third time.
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Oh wow, imagine that third birthday on the 3rd time.
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That was, that was amazing that we worked it out so well.
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And you know it it. Again, it's nice having the
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family and all. Not as good as having the Eagles
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win over Baltimore. In Baltimore this past week
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though, RSD and C has run into problems processing pallets of
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parcels. Pallets of parcels being left in
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the parking lot by the Amazon truck, on the dock by the Amazon
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truck, and not getting work until Saturday and Sunday.
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So today, whereas the past they've been only doing 50 to 70
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parcels per run for Amazon, Sunday, they were with 210
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average per route and there's 5 routes that they had to do
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today. So it's getting busy folks.
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And God bless you all, especially in this dark, in the
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cold and, and wherever you people have winter weather
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already about yourself, Kristen. Oh, was a week?
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Had to put it mildly. Tuesday was it.
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Monday, it was Monday or Tuesday, I don't remember.
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Tuesday, Wednesday. Yeah, it had been Tuesday
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because I had the stupid Mailer and I blew a radiator hose, so
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the one that goes from the thermostat down and around
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within the first hour of my route.
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So I called the office and I said I am spewing any freeze all
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over, I'm on my way back. She said just take it straight
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to the shop because we have a local contractor.
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They said please call them ahead of time.
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Needless to say by the time I got to the few miles away where
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it was from where I started at, they saw me coming down the
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road, the billow of smoke around me coming in through the
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dashboard on the inside. Then had the part in stock.
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Nobody locally had the part in stock, but they temporary fixed
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it and had called BMF and had the correct hose sent up and
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that'll go in Tuesday to get switched out I guess.
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So yeah, that was a fun day. Wednesday was so I only did half
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of my box holder just because of the time and spending of 45
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minutes setting up at the shop to continue on my route.
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Walk in Tuesday night and there's a WSS for Wednesday.
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So Wednesday was a WSS and the rest of the box holder and then
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Thursday obviously was family time and I Wednesday when I was
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out on the route stopped, talked to my customer who was putting
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in for a hardship and discovered that she was going to be home by
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herself Thursday. So I told her I would bring her
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some Thanksgiving dinner and I did.
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As soon as that stuff was coming out of the oven, I was putting
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together platters for dishes and I looked at the other half, said
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I'm going to borrow your truck because Ruby had little man over
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at baby Daddy's side of the family and was doing all that
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stuff. And I said I'll be right back.
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So I brought her Thanksgiving dinner, still hot and came home
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and then ate. So it was just Eric and I home
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on Thursday, and then Friday royally sucked, but that's
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pretty normal for the day after Thanksgiving.
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And then I had to work my K day yesterday, which wasn't quite so
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bad except for we had another WSS come in.
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So yeah, that was pretty much my week.
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I'm sure all the carriers will have to pay money back are
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encouraged by getting all the WS s S you know right now.
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Right. Yeah, a lot of good that'll do
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them in the next 49 weeks. I know 48.
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Yeah, 'cause the from the sounds of it, their new their
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evaluations from prior to the mini male survey went back into
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effect yesterday. Yep.
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Yep, and. You can help notice notice how
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many comments have been posted about that MOU pull over a
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gazillion. Oh yeah.
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Oh yeah. I've talked to several carriers
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that it's looking to adversely and some that just don't know.
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And I do know of 1 carrier who was cut to a 45 and remained a
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45. So they got pretty lucky.
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Yeah. And there are some that got cut
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to the 43 this pay period. Yeah, the next pay period.
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So it's it's it's a disaster overall, but we're here to
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celebrate our 100 episodes of the United We Scam podcast.
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Now, Kristen and Bill are the Ogs of this podcast.
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They've been here since the beginning.
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So let's give them a little bit of a round of applause for for
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making it 100 episodes together. That's not hard.
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She's a good work wife. I try my best.
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You know, I joined, I joined them later on, you know, and
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people have come and gone from this podcast and we appreciate
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the service that they provided to this podcast through the
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through the episodes. But Bill and Kristen, these two
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people had a vision to create a space where rural carriers could
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get information and questions answered so they know what's
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going on in the royal craft because there was a desperate
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need for that. And getting to 100 episodes is
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the very pinnacle of starting with a podcast these days.
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But they've made the first milestone, 100 episodes.
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So good job, guys. Let's keep it going.
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And the the applause is mostly for Kristen because Kristen was
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involved in the last podcast that we were in and saw a need
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to go into a different direction as far as not like being
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entertaining, but informational and constructive and supportive.
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And and that was her sight was that, you know, we could be a
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benefit to the rule carriers instead of being the negative,
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you know, Nancy all the time downplaying the mismanagement
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of, you know, the post office. And then it's, you know, Miss
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leadership of our union board or anything else.
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She wanted to provide an Ave. for people to learn.
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And I was glad to jump on board and say, yay.
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I mean, she's the captain and I'm the first mate.
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Yeah. I mean, unfortunately we have
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had to pay some penances for doing this.
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We're still here. We're still here.
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Yeah. I I would say it it it has been
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worth it in ways. Definitely, definitely it's.
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I'd I'd do it all again. Thank you.
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Yeah, that was that was the main goal was educating and getting
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people to realize the importance of being active.
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Not just, oh, I pay my dues and that's all I do.
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If you're one of those that, yes, being involved, even if I
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understand that everybody can make meetings, There's many
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factors of why people can't get in to a meeting, whether it's
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distance for some child care. Ruby's gone to a meeting with
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me. You know what, You can make it
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work. I've been active nearly since
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day one. I hired in today's the 1st, so
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my 10 year anniversary is in 12 days.
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I hired in in December and I went to my first local meeting,
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which was our annual meeting in April and I was elected to the
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local board at that very meeting.
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Four months in. I went to my first booster in
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the fall of 2015, my first state convention in the summer of
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2016, and my first National Convention was 2018 and as well
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as my first mid states was 2018 as well.
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So yeah, I mean, it's, it's possible.
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I've made it work and all that time for nearly ten years, with
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the exception of the last few years, but and technically and
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all around as a single parent and I know you can make it work
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if you really, really want to. You know, that's I, I in 10
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years going on 10 years from when I first started going to
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boosters. So you know, we're looking at 9
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years now going to boosters. I've missed two since I've
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started to go. Only two.
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I have not missed a state convention since I started going
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and I have not missed a National Convention since I started
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going. And I have only been a delegate
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2 times to National Convention. The rest of the time I was an
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unpaid alternate delegate and went on my own accord.
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I've paid my own accord for mid states it you know, you you find
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a way to make it work and that's what I've done because it is
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important to me. And that's what I like to see.
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Even if the most you can do is go to a local meeting or, you
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know, try and go to a booster or if a regional conferences
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somewhat locally. Do you trying to get to that?
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Because I understand finances, childcare work demands are it's
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not always possible. But when there is a will, there
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is a way. And that's, you know, that was
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my main goal is like, say, guys, you know, this is a will.
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There's a way. And that's what I say.
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Even if the, the, the, the smallest thing you can do is,
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you know, not throw a ballot away when you get it, whether
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it's for national delegates or a tentative agreement, especially
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a tentative agreement in your national delegates.
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I just when you only have 15 to 20% voting, that's it.
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I mean most when 7580% of the people or more 8590% are just
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throwing them away don't even realize what they are.
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And that's the smallest thing that you can do as an active
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member to use your voice is voting on a ballot.
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But yeah, and educating yourself and, you know, helping people
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discover where the information comes from and how to find the
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information. That has always been my biggest
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thing. I mean, you see it all the time,
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people asking this and that. Yeah, somebody say, where can I
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find this or what does the language say?
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It's easy to post a screenshot up there or send somebody a
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screenshot, but at the same time, you got to tell them it's
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in the contract, it's article, blah, blah, blah.
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Here's the language you know, but you still have to educate
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yourself as well. And I think that's what we need
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as a craft for many people, is to take those.
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Even if it becomes your bathroom.
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Excuse me, bathroom reading material, but educate yourself
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so you know when it's time to stand up that you are knowing
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exactly what you're standing up for.
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And you're right, it, it, it starts with your local meetings
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and then you get that kind of taste in your mouth saying,
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well, I want to learn more. And then you start attending the
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boosters and then you go on to your state conventions.
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And then like yourself, you, you've gone to several national
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conventions on your own dime. And if a single mom can do that,
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then the the rest of you people who are married ought to be able
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to do that because at least you have somebody back home
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supporting, you know, the family structure while you're attending
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these conventions. And it's important because of
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the fact that, you know, you learn so much.
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You see the in, in and outs of the procedures.
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You see the, the little nuances of the political party
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trafficking that they go on you, you, you watch the little clicks
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who turn around and, you know, pull off to the side of, you
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know, to have their discussions. You get the, you get the full
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feel of, of how these people's minds work in regards to
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promoting their own agendas. And you know, the same thing for
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you. You can get in there and start
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talking up your agenda, your topics of interest.
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But if you don't participate, you don't have much of a voice.
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I mean, you know, it's nice to, you know, say I'm a union
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member, but if you're, if you're not actively engaged, you know,
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it's like making the charitable donations because you're a
16:48
millionaire and you want to be able to say, you know, oh, I did
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something nice for the homeless people.
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No, you know, you're just paying your dues to be a union member.
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Get involved. You'll have a voice.
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Speak up, stand out. I mean, you know, it's funny
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because when I go to the National Convention, then you go
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to registration, usually have 3 or 4 booths, man, manned by
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individuals and you go to whatever booth, you know,
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alphabetically you're assigned to.
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And I walk in there and, and as soon as they see me, they go
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over here. Bill, I don't even have to
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present my name or you know, ID. They know who the hell I am
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because of the fact that I go up, I stand out and I speak up.
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You might not like my message, but you recognize the asshole in
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front of you and I'm proud of it.
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Yeah, I, I got involved because I wanted to make a difference.
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And it started out with having problems in my own office and
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having to file grievances. And that's when I got asked,
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hey, you know, we have an open position for the local steward
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in your office. You know, maybe you should
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attend some meetings and become the steward and things like
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that. And I went to my first local
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meeting and at my very first local meeting, they went, do you
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want to go to Mid States? And they said, we'll pay you to
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go to Mid States. I'm like, where's it at?
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Council Bluffs IA. OK, so I drove all the way out
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to Council Bluffs IA, ended up meeting Kristen for the first
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time there. She introduced me to the first
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podcast and I listened to it and I felt like it was not something
18:38
I could actually listen to due to issues that were going on
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inside the episode. So I told her I'm not interested
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in that. And you know, if, if something
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changes, let me know. Later on, she decided to start
18:54
this podcast and approached me saying, hey, we started this new
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podcast and I said, well, let me listen to a few episodes and
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I'll let you know, listen to a few episodes and said, hey, if
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you need somebody, let me know. Ended up getting on.
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What was that, episode 12 or 13, something like that?
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Kristen Yeah. Going back, Yeah, it was back in
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there, yeah. Yeah, way back in the beginning
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there and then getting involved and then the aftermath and
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stepping up and actually, you know, speaking our minds fully
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on something like that and finally finding our groove
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together as as a group. And it has been a whirlwind
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episodes that for us. But again, it all goes back to
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Kristen. She's the one who started it.
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She's the one who encouraged people to participate, get
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people involved, started the podcast page, the podcast group,
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everything involved with that. You know, she's been a really,
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really good leader of everything.
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You know, she won't call herself a leader, but she has LED this
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podcast all the way through. And held us together in a lot of
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ways, you know, even when we've had issues amongst had
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disagreements and things like that, she's came through and
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made sure that everybody got onto the same page before we got
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onto an episode. So if anything, this this 100
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episodes is a tribute to Kristen herself.
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Thanks guys. I appreciate it.
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This has been been an interesting couple of years to
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say the least. I mean, we've had many good
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people on here. We've, you know, sad to see some
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of them go, but we completely understand their reasonings and
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you know, it's I don't support them.
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Oh, don't even start. You know, it's, it's been, it's
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been a whirlwind, to say the least.
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Definitely. Well, I, I can say I don't
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because of who I am, but most people can't stand up to the,
21:13
the bullshit that I attract. But yeah, yes, people have have
21:21
withdrawn for their own reasons. And we, we agree with them and
21:25
we respect our decisions. I mean, we don't agree among
21:28
ourselves all the time, but you know, that's part of the, the,
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the discussion is that not everybody can agree all the
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time, but we can respect each other's opinion whether James is
21:40
wrong or not. But the fact of the matter is
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that you know you have that right to voice your opinion.
21:48
Oh, absolutely. We get to, and we just get to
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the point to where, you know, we, we agree to disagree on
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stuff. I mean, we're all different
21:56
people and you know, sometimes things go out of control and it
22:03
happens and we reel it back in. Hell, you looking to me for?
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I wasn't looking at you looking at.
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Me. She was looking at me, remember?
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So I've been talked to you by several people about you, James.
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So you know, I try to do what? I can, but I know.
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Hey, he's his own person and I am not his Mama.
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I I hear it from, I hear it from all over the place too, you
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know, just like, just like Bill, everybody has their own
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opinions. Yes they do.
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Yeah, with this this recent MOUI mean, I, I don't know how many
22:41
times I've counted, you know that people who don't agree with
22:45
me, you know, agree that I'm 100% right.
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There's not a carrier in this craft that should be paying one
22:51
penny back to the post office. Yep, I agree, especially on the
22:57
cusp of Christmas time and insurance rates going up at the
23:02
first of the year and we have no tentative agreement.
23:07
So we don't know what's going to happen.
23:10
You know, when it comes to Colas and general wage increases to
23:14
hopefully offset some of the other stuff, we have no clue.
23:18
You know, it's it and it's yeah, it is disheartening to have to
23:21
see carriers pay back money regardless if it's only three
23:25
pay periods or, or more or less. Even a a penny is too much in
23:31
all honesty. Right?
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Yeah. So, yeah, but we are going to
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cover a topic tonight only because the impending is coming
23:43
up starting Saturday the 7th is Christmas overtime till the
23:47
27th. So we actually get through
23:49
Christmas this year with the Christmas overtime.
23:52
So yeah, I'm just going to start off because I've seen people
23:58
talk about the Christmas overtime coming up.
24:01
Rcas, designation 78 and 74, nothing changes for you.
24:09
Your pay stays the same. You work over 40, you go into
24:14
straight time plus overtime, you work under 40, you're getting
24:17
your evaluation. The only ones that change for
24:20
RCAS are designation 70 nines those with a hold down on an
24:25
auxiliary route. Your auxiliary route will go
24:29
hourly and it's only the destination. 79th What?
24:40
About the 69th. Well, I don't think we cover
24:46
that one in here, so we're not going to talk about that one.
24:50
I'm sorry, wrong channel. We don't have an OF or a
25:00
Patreon. We're not going to discuss that
25:02
one. As for regular carriers, and
25:09
this will be my second Christmas overtime as a regular carrier.
25:15
Hey, there's Ruby. Hi Ruby.
25:19
Hi. Where's the baby?
25:21
In the dryer. Baby in the dryer.
25:26
Well, it's warm. He's sleeping, she's going to
25:31
put her headset back on and she's going to talk into my mic
25:34
and listen on her headset. So that way we don't have reverb
25:37
from me talking and coming through both mics.
25:42
But yeah. So designation 71, regular rail
25:47
carrier. Oh yeah.
25:50
I should also include the PTFS are included in that with the
25:54
Rcas, Christmas over Christmas holidays and the free Saturday
26:02
provision. Little bit of examples here.
26:07
They did change the deck of codes which is nice to know.
26:10
We don't have to worry about the free Saturday because the free
26:17
Saturday's fall for J routes and H routes.
26:20
So that's, you know, if you take a full week of leave, you get a
26:23
free Saturday, not charged leave for it.
26:27
And please. Fill out your leave slip
26:29
correctly. Yes.
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People have people have, you know, assumed since they get
26:35
their free Saturdays, they don't have to include them on your
26:38
leave slip. You must to get that Saturday
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off. All right.
26:44
So the effect of ELWA and Christmas overtime compensation,
26:48
any use of OWAP during the Christmas period can be
26:51
detrimental to the calculation of your Christmas over time.
26:55
Because of this, use of OWAP even for union business should
26:58
be discouraged during the Christmas period.
27:02
In the calculation of weekly hours, the OWAP days are counted
27:05
as zero hours worked, but the day is still included in the
27:09
calculation. Example 40K route carrier works,
27:14
we're out four days and takes one day LWOP.
27:16
Total work hours for the four days are 40.
27:19
No overtime will be paid because the carrier did not exceed the
27:23
weekly evaluation. Total compensation will be 4
27:26
days times the daily evaluated rate.
27:31
Second example, 40K route. Carrier works four days, takes
27:35
one day LWOP. Total work hours for the days
27:38
are 42. Two hours of overtime will be
27:41
paid because the carrier exceeded the weekly evaluation.
27:45
Total compensation will be 4 days at the total evaluated rate
27:48
plus two hours at the overtime rate.
27:51
So don't take LWOP if you don't have to during the Christmas
27:54
overtime period because that gives you a 0 for the day.
28:01
However, if you take sick leave or annual leave or an X day,
28:07
those hours count towards your calculation of hours worked for
28:12
the 8 for eight hours effective working over evaluation on your
28:18
relief day. All hours worked over evaluation
28:22
on relief day are included in the weekly overtime calculation
28:28
for a code 5. All work hours are included in
28:31
the actual weekly hours and then one day of evaluation already
28:36
paid at the OT rate is subtracted in the calculation.
28:40
If the carrier takes code 3 or R and is given an X day the same
28:44
week, then all hours worked are just included in the included in
28:50
the calculation. For example, 40K route carrier
28:54
works 10 hours on relief day. Carrier works all six days of
28:57
the week with a total of 55 hours including the 10 worked on
29:02
relief day. 55 hours, 8 hours one day evaluation minus the 8
29:08
hours equals 47 hours work. Carrier will be paid 7 hours of
29:13
overtime in addition to five days at the daily evaluated rate
29:17
plus the relief day at 1 1/2 times the daily evaluated rate.
29:26
40 and here's another example. Carrier works 10 hours on relief
29:30
day and is given an X day later in the week.
29:33
Total work hours including relief day are 46.
29:37
Carrier will be paid 6 hours at overtime rate in addition to
29:41
five days at the daily evaluated rate.
29:45
Second trips are not compensable during Christmas period.
29:49
Even on relief day. If you're in a POV route, you
29:54
will be paid the additional EMA mileage over 40 for the day.
29:58
Obviously for second trips, but your second trip time is
30:02
included in your work time and is not paid additional for the
30:05
three weeks of Christmas overtime.
30:08
And that's bullshit. You ought to be paid for every
30:12
freaking mile. Not 40 miles that that that is
30:16
such. Effective hours worked under the
30:24
MLU, allowing regular carriers to volunteer to assist on other
30:27
routes or deliver parcels on Sundays.
30:30
All of these hours are entered in the daily overtime box and
30:34
also included in the actual weekly hours.
30:38
These hours have no effect on Christmas overtime.
30:42
These hours are subtracted from the total actual work hours
30:46
because they have already been paid at the overtime rate.
30:51
For example, going back to that 40K route, carrier works all
30:55
five days, a total of 45 hours on their own route.
30:58
Carrier also assists on other routes, a total of 4 hours.
31:02
Carrier will be compensated 5 days at the evaluated rate, plus
31:06
9 hours at the overtime rate. 5 hours worked over evaluation,
31:10
plus the four hours assisting on other routes.
31:15
And another example going the other way, 40 hour K40K route
31:20
carrier works off five days, a total of 39 hours on their own
31:25
route. Carrier also assist on other
31:27
routes, a total of 4 hours. Carrier will be compensated 5
31:31
days at the evaluated rate plus 4 hours at the overtime rate.
31:37
So any of your overtime for assisting or working on Sundays
31:40
is already counted as overtime and won't be included in the
31:45
evaluation overtime. However it is included in the
31:50
actual weekly hours. Confusing as they want to make
31:53
it effective work. Effect of working under
31:57
evaluated hours on relief day. This can have effect on
32:02
Christmas overtime calculation. For example.
32:06
Going back to that 40K route, carriers work all six days on
32:10
the relief day. Code 5 they work only six hours.
32:14
The other five days they work 9 hours per day for a total of 45.
32:19
They would be paid one day evaluation at OT rate for the
32:23
relief day plus 40 hours normally evaluated time plus
32:27
three hours of Christmas overtime. 51 total hours minus
32:31
the 8 hours already paid at OT -40 hours.
32:35
Weekly evaluation equals 3 hours of Christmas overtime.
32:39
So anything that you're working already in OT is OT time
32:45
basically, and it is your evaluated hours, not your
32:50
standard hours. So in my instance, I have to
32:53
work over 46 hours for the week in order to get into the
32:57
overtime status, not including my relief day.
33:06
Now. This is where they kind of tend
33:08
to wait until towards the end of the week to see where the
33:11
carriers are at before they start calling in the Rcas and
33:15
whacking time off of you for that day because they want to
33:18
hold you to your evaluation. Now if I have a 48K route but
33:25
it's evaluated at 67 hours, do I have to work 67 hours to get my
33:30
overtime? Or they just.
33:32
Want to pay me they going to pay me an.
33:34
Extra 1048. I I want the overtime, I want
33:39
the 67 hours. Well, if you work that long,
33:43
you'll get the well, you'll get that at 65 hours too.
33:46
If you're working over 65 hours, you get the FLSA standards for
33:50
hours. But James, they want to take
33:53
money off of other carriers. Why can't they give it to me?
33:57
Because the standard for FLSA is at 12 hours in a day or 56 hours
34:05
in a week. So anything over 48 you get paid
34:09
for in Christmas overtime. And if it's over 56 hours worked
34:13
on your regular route or overall, then you go into the
34:16
FLSA overtime. That director of Labor of Labor
34:21
relations at the time, Bridget Boziak, negotiated with
34:24
management. Sucks.
34:30
Well, the 56 hours actually helps a lot of people, actually,
34:34
yeah. Yeah, that was a good one
34:36
brought up. They're evaluated.
34:38
What if you're a 39-H or A42J? This has been asked numerous
34:44
times with the coming up and well, you got, you got to go
34:50
over 39 hours in six days for the H route and for the J route,
34:56
it depends on what week you're on.
34:58
It's either going to be a 42 hours in the six days or 42
35:02
hours in the five days. It can get confusing.
35:06
I agree it's and I get where people are, but remember it is
35:10
your evaluated hours and not your standard hours that you
35:13
have to go over. It is the post office.
35:17
Yes, it is. Yes it is, because your standard
35:20
hours include all six days of delivery, not your five days.
35:24
If you're AK route your five days, it's all six days is your
35:27
standard hours. And one other thing that I
35:34
wanted to bring up about Christmas time, and this has
35:38
been brought up every year in the National magazine.
35:42
Now, if you're required to be out on your route after 8:00 PM,
35:49
notify your district representative.
35:51
This is direct from the Director of Labor Relations, John Adams
35:55
this year, who is the Director of Labor Relations, Shirley
35:58
Baffa last year that also put this out because it's basically
36:01
a cut and paste of last year's article as well.
36:05
So if you are out past eight, you should not be.
36:11
It's dangerous already being out there in the dark, being out
36:14
there past eight, you know, especially in this day and age,
36:18
people carry carriers, have had guns drawn on them as they're
36:22
walking up the houses in the middle of the dark trying to
36:26
deliver a package after 678 O clock at night.
36:30
So be safe out there. And if it's not right and it's
36:35
an unsafe condition, file your PS Form 1767, explain that it's
36:41
unsafe, that not only can you not see any hazards like trip
36:46
and slip and fall hazards, but you can't see any dogs.
36:50
You can't see if the homeowner is coming out with a gun or
36:52
anything like that in the dark. So be safe out there.
36:57
And if they're not willing to resolve the issue, file a
37:01
grievance. What do we do, Bill?
37:05
File, file and smile. You know, don't.
37:08
Don't don't forget the Christmas lights, too.
37:12
All the damn electrical cords stretch across sidewalks.
37:14
And I mean, yeah, that's a big hazard there.
37:17
You don't see them because the lights are usually away from the
37:21
house. You know, out in the middle of
37:22
the yard and bang, you're on your ass.
37:25
Yep, Are the ones that have those inflatable lawn things and
37:30
it's after dark and they decided to deflate them.
37:34
Yeah, you got to look out for those in the yards too.
37:38
Those are never fun to find when you're walking across the yard.
37:41
I try not to walk across yards in general myself, but there's a
37:45
few houses I have to so. Yeah, there's always the
37:50
exception, and that's the one that'll catch you.
37:53
And then there's the offices that management is prioritizing
37:56
parcels over mail because the barcodes more important than
37:59
first class mail and want you to do your second trip in the
38:04
morning. It's called a second trip for a
38:09
reason. It's meant to be done after your
38:12
route in the morning. You should have parcel
38:15
assistance with the RCA, especially in offices that are
38:19
all LL, VS or government vehicles.
38:22
May have have VS mattresses or some S&D CS may already start
38:27
getting the NGDV, but second trips should be after the route
38:35
is completed. And this holds true even with
38:38
mail delivery. I talked with a carrier who said
38:40
that they were being told by their manager to come back after
38:43
half the route to refill their truck to go back out for the
38:47
second-half, split the route in half and come back and reload
38:51
during your route. That's not right.
38:53
It messes up the bread crumbs of your route.
38:55
Now it's great for you because if you do that for 30 days,
38:59
guess what? Rex is going to see that as a a
39:02
normal stop for you. Add the mileage into your route
39:06
and boost your your evaluation. But it's not right because
39:10
you're not following the line of travel that you're supposed to
39:14
by the PO6O3. There, I mean, and I get it.
39:19
It's, you know, if you have a route, and I'm going to say mine
39:22
for example, because I do pass the post office going from the
39:27
North End of my route to the South end of my route.
39:29
And there have been times, especially during the Christmas
39:32
time, I am guilty of it. I was guilty of it Friday too.
39:35
But if I have an overload of stuff and last Christmas because
39:42
I didn't have an RCA and we really didn't have anybody to
39:45
help with parcels anyways. But I, you know, I have stopped
39:50
where I had extremely large stuff for the very first hour of
39:54
my route, the North End. And as I pass in the office,
39:57
I'll pull in real quick and grab what I couldn't fit in for the
40:01
rest of it. And then when I go to my back
40:03
half, I'm less than a mile from the office.
40:06
And yes, Friday I did stop to pick up a few items.
40:10
I did have a partial assistance on Friday from brand new RCA,
40:15
unfortunately not Ruby. We're still waiting on the
40:17
background check stuff. But I did hand over but I had
40:22
some stuff knowing that they were using their POV to deliver
40:24
in. I had three extremely large
40:27
boxes that I wasn't going to do that to them our first time
40:31
doing anything and so I I stopped at the halfway point and
40:36
just reloaded real quick and went out.
40:37
I mean, yes, should I be doing that?
40:40
Probably not, but I am close enough to the office.
40:45
For me it's almost easier because a lot of times by time I
40:48
get back I don't want to go back out.
40:50
But there are times where I say Nope, that's my second trip, I'm
40:53
going to finish my route, I'm going to come back, reload and
40:56
run my second trip. So in general, yes, as opposed
41:00
to the 6 to 9 plays. They should not be requiring
41:04
regular carriers to be doing that.
41:07
If they are, if you go under the F21 time and attendance, that is
41:13
not a second trip. That would be paying them
41:17
straight time to do the 6 to 9 plays.
41:21
This is where the RCA's leave replacements and even Arcs at
41:25
Christmas time if there's an MOU for that.
41:27
I don't think there is this year.
41:30
Anyways. Leave replacements are the ones
41:32
that should be coming in from 6:00 AM to 9:00 AM to be running
41:35
parcels. Do I agree with running parcels
41:37
in the dark at 6:00 AM? No, but we've all done it and it
41:41
happens. Oh, and the harks?
41:44
Yes, the annuants that come in to deliver parcels.
41:48
Oh, I can do that. Now on that, Kristen, I'm going
41:56
to, I'm going to just say this to the people that are doing
42:00
something like Kristen just explained and going back to the
42:02
office to reload in the middle of their route.
42:06
When you get back to the office, go on your scanner in the upper
42:11
right hand corner, hit the three lines on the top right corner
42:17
there and select See all wrecks, Scans I.
42:23
Don't have? To because because then then you
42:27
go down and as soon as you park that vehicle hit start load
42:33
vehicle because loading time is straight time and so is in the
42:37
shift duty. So if you are taking your
42:40
supplies into the office to empty your truck to reload your
42:44
truck with your second trip stuff, make sure you're doing it
42:47
on load time, yes. Then I did not have to go to the
42:54
hamburger menu to find the start load.
42:56
It was under the Rex menu because I did it Friday.
42:59
Soon as I got in, parked that truck, shut it off, I hit start
43:03
load. I had to Scroll down but it's
43:05
start load was on there. Oh, they must have changed that
43:09
recently. I didn't.
43:10
I haven't seen that online. Yeah, it's on there 'cause I
43:13
purposely look for it and did not have to go to the hamburger
43:16
menu for it. If it's not there, that's where
43:19
you would find it then. Yes.
43:21
But I wanted to throw that. As soon as you, you know, you
43:24
shut that truck off, you hit that start load, you go in, you
43:28
get your packages, you load and I don't hit in load until I'm
43:31
ready to start the truck and head back out.
43:35
Exactly. Even if I had to use the potty,
43:38
but it's yeah. So if you I yeah, exactly.
43:46
So now if you do stop, like I said, I, I pass the office from
43:51
1 section to another. And then when I'm going to my
43:53
last section, it's literally not even a mile to the office that
43:58
I'm offset on. So for somebody like me whose
44:01
route is closer to the office, it's easier for me to do that
44:08
then to finish off. But trust me, there are days
44:10
when if you don't hit depart to route, you shouldn't have to use
44:18
the hamburger menu to find start load.
44:21
I hit depart to route and it comes back.
44:23
It's it's the start load still under the main menu.
44:27
It wasn't there before for me. That's why I was making making
44:30
the statement. So I just wanted to put it out
44:33
there. For those that don't have it on
44:34
there, they can use that to actually find it.
44:39
And not all scanners are up to date either.
44:43
Somebody received an e-mail stating we hit return to unit PM
44:47
casing start load and load is wrong for second load.
44:50
No, you're getting you're building in the past before
44:55
before the RX. In the past when you did second
44:59
trips, you got paid your load time as well as your 3 minutes
45:04
per mile or two minutes per mile back then.
45:08
But plus your your your second trip pay now the start load.
45:12
Now you're supposed to hit start load and it's built into your
45:15
evaluation and then you're just paid the second trip pay.
45:22
I don't know who's sending that out because start loading in
45:25
load is correct for second trips.
45:28
But I think, I think they're saying that you have to hit PM
45:31
casing to shut off your first, you know route then then you
45:37
then you do your start load then.
45:39
Yeah, under. And you know what?
45:41
And they should just just change that from PM casing to to second
45:46
trip and all honestly. I mean, it's yeah, you're going
45:52
to do your end of to do a normal second trip.
45:55
You're going to come back, you're going to do your end of
45:57
shift duties. You're going to hit PM casing to
46:00
stop the clock on the end of shift.
46:03
And then you're going to hit your start load to go load your
46:05
second trip, your in load. And then you're going to leave
46:07
and come back. And then when you're done with
46:12
everything for the day is when you hit clock out.
46:21
Well, meow's got PM casing slash second trip and you know, it
46:26
does cause confusion. But if you did that somehow some
46:31
manager would turn around and say oh second trip and during
46:35
the overtime period would be giving you the three minutes of
46:37
mile instead of your overtime pay guarantee.
46:41
Guarantee you some dumbass out there would do that.
46:45
Yes they would. Yep, that that that's yeah.
46:54
Return to unit after returning office, find out you got to help
46:58
someone. You do.
46:59
You hit the PM casing, you switch to the other route, you
47:01
go find that carrier in the sticks, you hit start load
47:04
vehicle in load and then start the help.
47:06
That is correct. Yep, exactly.
47:11
And this goes for RCAS too. If you're running a route, do
47:15
the same thing. And RC as are paid second trip
47:20
pay during Christmas overtime. If that second trip is on the
47:23
full route that they are running that day, they are paid second
47:28
trip time. Leave replacements in general.
47:31
Let's say leave replacements. I even haven't personally worked
47:35
in an office with PTF so I'm sorry I keep forgetting about
47:38
them. But leave replacements are paid
47:42
second trips during the Christmas overtime season and if
47:47
you are helping other routes as a as a leave replacement.
47:51
If you are doing parcel delivery during the week as a leave
47:54
replacement for other routes, please change the route for each
48:00
of the routes that you are helping.
48:01
So if you're taking parcels for two or three different routes
48:04
and you start on route 2, you're logged in on the scanner on
48:08
route 2, you finish up the parcels for route 2, you're
48:10
going to go do route 3. You go to option 6 on the main
48:14
menu, hit change route number, put in route 3, and then you do
48:18
it again for the next route as well.
48:21
Please change the route numbers in the scanners.
48:23
It's option 6. It's not difficult to do and
48:27
regulars when you are If you are volunteering to assist when you
48:33
are done with other routes, please change the route in the
48:37
scanner option 6 on the main menu.
48:44
Say yes. Now this was posted in our
48:48
group. Now the postmaster told everyone
48:52
they could come in 30 minutes early but not clock in.
48:57
Nope. Nope.
48:59
You want me coming in 30 minutes early, I'm clocking in 30
49:02
minutes early. Well, I'll be in.
49:05
I'll be in 30 minutes early. I'll just be sitting out of my
49:08
stool waiting to clock in until my time is to clock in because I
49:13
do not work off the clock. Carriers should not work off the
49:16
clock. We've already had enough damage
49:19
done to our evaluations because the carrier's working off the
49:22
clock. That's a practice we need to put
49:27
an end to, and you are only hurting the craft.
49:31
And if you're being instructed to come in 30 minutes early and
49:34
not clock in and they expect you to work, I would ask that in
49:38
writing and file agreements because you are being given a
49:45
direct order to work off the clock.
49:47
No no no no no no working off the clock ever.
49:51
I know when I came in on Friday they changed our start time from
49:56
7:30 to 7:00 for the day after the holiday.
49:59
I walked in at 658, I waited, I grabbed my scanner, my keys went
50:05
to my case and I waited till it said 7:00.
50:09
I hit clock in and then I went and got my mail.
50:13
I already had carrier in the office already working prior to
50:19
me even walking in the door. Or like some people.
50:23
Said I'm clocked in or not I don't know, but you never work
50:28
off the clock, plain and simple. Like some people have said on
50:33
several platforms of Facebook about well, just mind your own
50:37
business. Well, that is your business
50:39
because you're you're getting cheated on the evaluations for
50:43
the route. If you're an RCA or PTF, you're
50:46
getting cheated because now the arbitrators and our engineers
50:51
will turn around and change our evaluations in regards to how we
50:55
handle the mail because we're doing it faster than even they
50:58
thought we could. So stop robbing yourself.
51:01
You know this, this is your pay, this is your money.
51:04
That is illegal to work off the clock.
51:08
Plain and simple, illegal. Yeah, falsifying your time never
51:13
helps. Working off the clock definitely
51:16
does not help anybody's standards.
51:19
And also if something was to happen and you're off the clock.
51:25
So, you know, a clerk sets a a tub of flats in a place that's
51:29
not usually there. And you don't, you're not
51:31
looking, you're just walking. And you trip and you fall and
51:33
you hurt yourself. You smack your head on the
51:35
concrete floor. You break an ankle, an arm,
51:38
whatever. OWCP is not going to cover you
51:41
because guess what? You're not on the clock.
51:44
You're not supposed to be working.
51:47
And if you don't have it in writing, you can't prove that
51:50
you were authorized to be there. Exactly.
51:54
So anytime you get a questionable directive, like
51:57
come in 30 minutes early, but you can't clock in, tell them
52:01
you want that in writing. And then you tell them, sure,
52:05
I'll be happy to come in 30 minutes early, but I'm clocking
52:08
in and here's my grievance. I mean, check my shoes I'm
52:14
wearing. Hey, dudes, you know they're
52:17
not, they're not OK. Yeah, we got one that wears
52:21
them. Oh, we used to have a guy used
52:25
to come in with his Crocs with the heels all bent down so you
52:29
know his heels were exposed. They sent him home a number of
52:32
times. Yeah, not that great.
52:39
But yeah, Christmas overtime is starting on Saturday.
52:43
For some reason. I had a supervisor that thought
52:46
we started yesterday, carrier work in a relief date having to
52:51
take a second trip. And she was like, Oh no, you
52:55
don't get paid. I'm like on their own.
52:58
And my phone rings and I look at my watch to see who it wasn't a
53:01
supervisor. So I'm stopped at a box in a
53:04
parking lot. So I answer it and and I had to
53:09
explain to her, no, the city's no penalty started today.
53:13
We don't start until next Saturday, December 7th.
53:17
She's like oh, after our local steward had already tried to
53:22
explain that to her, he then told her call me and ask me.
53:28
God. Can't make this shit up.
53:32
No, you cannot. Hey, James.
53:38
That's the other side of this is the fact that City starts their
53:42
guaranteed Christmas time before we do.
53:47
We're the red headed stepchild when it comes to getting paid
53:50
what we're actually deserved to be paid.
53:53
And I never. Understood.
53:55
Why it starts in the middle of a pay period?
53:58
Why can't we just have two full pay periods?
54:01
Hello. Hello. 2 full weeks, yeah.
54:04
Two full pay periods instead of a pay period and a half.
54:09
How is that you know? Jane is after you, so here.
54:18
Here, here's a good. Question.
54:21
What do we do if management I got a good here's a good one in
54:25
the in in the listener chat? What do we do if management asks
54:28
us to do anything unethical, unsafe or illegal?
54:35
Advise management that is unethical, unsafe or illegal.
54:41
And if they continue, tell them we're going to just go ahead and
54:44
grieve this. Go ahead and write it down.
54:46
We're going to grieve this and go from there.
54:49
Yeah. Can I have that in writing is
54:51
the very first thing you say. Can I have that in writing?
54:54
Round, dated and signed. Put your name to it.
54:56
That way I, I can verify that those are the exact words that
54:59
you've used and you want me to follow that way I, we don't have
55:03
a mistake on communication here. I want it in writing.
55:08
Everything should be in writing if management thinks it's a good
55:11
idea. That's your first clue that it's
55:16
illegal, unethical or unsafe is if management's asking you to do
55:21
it. If if management is not willing
55:24
to put their name behind it, it's not a direct order, because
55:27
obviously they don't even believe it's a direct order if
55:30
they're not willing to put it in writing.
55:32
Exactly. And if it's something that is
55:34
not safe, that's you flat out, Tom, you know, it's, it's not
55:39
safe. I don't feel safe doing that.
55:41
May I have a 1767 to fill out please?
55:45
Yeah, you, you've been out there all day.
55:48
You've been out there all day, delivering all day.
55:50
And you come back, it's 7:50 at night and management goes, hey,
55:54
I need you to go out and deliver these 50 parcels for me.
55:58
Dude, I'm tired. It's unsafe for me to drive now.
56:01
I'm worn out. I already delivered 700 packages
56:04
today, I'm not going to do another 50 more because I'm
56:08
going to get into a car accident if I do.
56:10
I'm too tired. Just simple no can work too no
56:19
why not? I feel unsafe.
56:23
Or it's well, RCARCAS leave replacements are held to 12
56:29
hours. Yes, and that is including 1/2
56:33
an hour lunch. So it's literally a work.
56:35
You're paid 11 1/2 hours, but you get 12 hours total with 1/2
56:40
hour lunch. Right.
56:42
And regular carriers under the FLSA after 12 hours get paid
56:47
overtime. So if you were a nurse, if you
56:52
are a leave replacement that is being directed to work over 12
56:56
hours, get that in writing and then you can grieve that to get
57:02
hopefully either put a stop to it or get compensated overtime
57:07
right above 12 hours. Oh, at least double time.
57:13
Yeah. I I did win a grievance for
57:17
triple time one once and the postmaster came back.
57:24
I can't push this through and I said if you don't and and you
57:28
gave me your word you would. If you don't I said I'll
57:31
guarantee you you'll never get help again, you asshole.
57:35
Yes I am. But you said triple time one
57:38
time we want triple time and we got it.
57:43
Yep. So yeah, what's going on?
57:48
I know many areas, especially in northern Michigan and southern
57:51
Michigan got pounded with snow. My old office in Gaylord, MI set
57:57
a brand new record of snowfall in 24 hours on Friday between
58:03
midnight to 11:59 PM. They had 24.8 inches of
58:10
snowfall. You know I those.
58:13
Are close tomorrow there. 120 miles from there I do.
58:18
I had green grass this afternoon and sunshine.
58:21
I we we have had a few little flakes in the air and that's it.
58:27
I. Watch the Eagles game than you
58:29
do. Yeah, I'm watching the Eagles
58:31
game and there's flurries in Baltimore and nothing up here.
58:35
Yeah, we. We had a little bit of flurries
58:37
this afternoon. It lasted all of about 20
58:40
minutes and there's nothing left.
58:42
That was it. They were all going see what you
58:45
did, see what you did. And I'm like, no, that was Eric
58:48
for hanging the Let It Snow sign in the window when he was
58:51
putting out some Christmas decorations.
58:54
But yeah, I. Mean.
58:56
They already called schools off for tomorrow in Gaylord.
58:59
I got that e-mail from my daughter, my youngest, and yeah,
59:03
24.8 inches of snow in 24 hours and it's still coming.
59:08
It's still been coming down before and after that they've
59:12
got a lot as. Of as of 7:45 PM, Copenhagen,
59:21
NY, 58.8 inches. Wow.
59:28
That is 24 hours, 24 hours of snowfall.
59:34
We got some carriers not that tall.
59:40
Yeah, that's right. About how tall I am, sort of.
59:44
I have to do my math. You're going to make me do my
59:46
math. An hour?
59:48
3 inches. An hour. 4 foot 10.
59:53
All right, I'm 5 foot 4, so I'm a little, I, I can breathe above
59:56
it. But yeah, I mean, it's just, I
1:00:01
mean, some of this weather is crazy.
1:00:02
Like I said, I literally have been watching the radar where
1:00:05
the bands of snow literally go either north of me or South of
1:00:08
me and we're in the clear. And I'm just like, wow, this is
1:00:13
not too bad. Thank you Jesus.
1:00:15
Yeah, yeah. I mean, that cold air coming off
1:00:18
the lake has not been fun the last couple days.
1:00:21
And I did put my window protector on my LLV the other
1:00:25
day last week or the week before, I don't remember.
1:00:28
But I still got to put my puzzle weights in.
1:00:30
So hopefully I'll have a day where I'm available to do that,
1:00:34
either in the morning as I'm waiting for packages to be
1:00:39
thrown, or I'll do it on end of shift duties.
1:00:42
But yeah, I still got to get the weights in my back of my truck.
1:00:45
Last year it was after the 1st of January before I put them in.
1:00:56
Other than that, anything else fun you guys want to talk about?
1:01:00
It is 100 we made. It no a. 100 episodes of the
1:01:05
United We Scan podcast. Yeah.
1:01:10
I'm just glad that we have spoiled to this point and to the
1:01:16
benefit of people who've become active in the union, who have
1:01:20
become stewards because of us, you know, because of
1:01:24
participation at the National Convention.
1:01:27
All the support we get, you know it.
1:01:30
It still rings in my ears. Oh, you're the Bill.
1:01:33
Oh, you're the James. You know, they hear Kristen and
1:01:37
say I know you. I, I read that at my local
1:01:40
booster, I had that at my local, at my fall booster, you know, I.
1:01:45
Get the the liquor store. Yeah, I.
1:01:49
I recognize that voice. Yeah, Kristen.
1:01:53
Yeah. Yeah, I remember that.
1:01:55
But even. Just this.
1:01:57
Most recent fall booster, I had a couple people that, wait a
1:02:01
minute, I know that voice that hadn't met me yet.
1:02:03
But yeah, that was it's. It's always fun to to see that.
1:02:09
I'm sorry, you can see my face on camera.
1:02:11
I I scare little kids? All I see is the reflection of
1:02:14
the monitor in my glasses, but I'm lying without them so.
1:02:22
Get a new speaker. What the hell was that question
1:02:30
one bigfoots behind you? That's just Eric and he doesn't
1:02:34
realize I have the camera on. Say hi, Eric, You're on camera.
1:02:44
Yeah, I just randomly get the invite to come speak with you
1:02:49
guys. So I got to say you guys have
1:02:51
definitely been an inspiration this this last year and beyond.
1:02:57
So bowing. Down.
1:02:59
To my computer right now if anybody it kind of funny
1:03:05
blurters tattoo if anybody else wants to hop in and say hi we'll
1:03:08
we'll we'll open it up for anybody at this point but no
1:03:12
thank you yes we you know that was the whole point behind was
1:03:16
to to get people be like oh wait there is information out there
1:03:20
there is a way to be active there is a way to to educate my
1:03:24
fellow carriers in my offices and.
1:03:29
There's a place to to find out, you know, answers to questions
1:03:33
you don't know. Are they a grievance or are they
1:03:35
a gripe? Well, if they're a gripe, we'll
1:03:38
find a way to turn them into a grievance.
1:03:40
Absolutely. One of the few things that that
1:03:44
we always have to do is make sure every time a carrier is
1:03:48
upset, there is a 95% chance there can be a grievance
1:03:54
attached to it. There is a 5% chance that, yes,
1:03:58
it is a quote UN quote gripe, but that is very few and far
1:04:01
between and very few stewards will actually run into that
1:04:05
situation. So anybody that is a steward
1:04:08
listening to this podcast, if somebody's griping to you, help
1:04:12
them out, find a way to help to guide them towards that
1:04:16
grievance that they should be filing.
1:04:19
Give them advice, help them. And if they're not helping you,
1:04:23
reach out to us. And if it sounds like a gripe or
1:04:27
they are griping, try to get to what the root of their actual
1:04:31
problem is, because that's where that grief may or may not be is
1:04:35
in the actual root of what that issue is, and their gripe is
1:04:38
just them not knowing how to put into words what the actual issue
1:04:43
is. As with every gripe, there's
1:04:46
some basis there that they feel they're being unjustly targeted
1:04:52
or directed to do things that they don't feel comfortable
1:04:54
doing. Could be against the contract,
1:04:57
may not be, but at least explore it.
1:05:06
Yes, definitely. Now I had an idea for a future
1:05:09
episode and I'm going to put this out here for people because
1:05:12
I did talk to Eric briefly. I brought kind of brought it out
1:05:16
and it was actually a spouse of another carrier of doing an
1:05:21
episode with the carrier significant others and letting
1:05:25
them talk about what it's like to live with a rural carrier and
1:05:32
maybe giving some advice to other significant others and
1:05:38
maybe breaking down some of the technical terms into the
1:05:43
layman's terms. You know, the rule carriers for
1:05:45
dummies type thing done by spouses and significant others.
1:05:50
I actually mentioned this to Eric the other day and he was
1:05:53
all about doing it. My mouth gets me in trouble.
1:06:00
You get my wife. On here.
1:06:04
Are you sure you want that? I think it would be fun.
1:06:11
I can just see it now. She starts talking about it.
1:06:13
Bill goes, wait, that's not right.
1:06:15
She slaps them in the back of the head.
1:06:18
Again it. Could be dangerous.
1:06:22
There's a voice you don't hear too often anymore.
1:06:29
Appreciation episode. Yeah, let let me let me tell
1:06:34
you, you know, our our significant others put up with a
1:06:39
lot for what we do. You know, Sunday evenings are
1:06:43
lonely for my wife because I'm on this, OK, the the work we've
1:06:48
done through the course of the years, you know, as stewards and
1:06:51
getting ready for these episodes, doing our midweeks.
1:06:55
There's a lot of sacrifice by our spouses.
1:06:59
And I think that's the episode in a nutshell, that that they,
1:07:04
they sacrificed so much for us to be here.
1:07:07
And I think you know something after the holiday season because
1:07:10
I know, like I told Eric Thursday night, I said, well,
1:07:15
when I leave in the morning, I'll see you at the beginning of
1:07:19
next year. You know, one of those things,
1:07:21
because it is the holiday time. It is going to be dark when we
1:07:24
leave to work. It's dark when we come home.
1:07:27
It's unfortunately that time of year in general.
1:07:30
But then then they added parcels and and whatnot is just kind of
1:07:36
adds that more time that there is so oh.
1:07:40
Yeah, I mean, my, my first three years at the post office, I
1:07:45
would tell my wife things and she would look at me like I had
1:07:48
three eyeballs. You know, by the end of the
1:07:51
third year, when I, when I come home and tell her stuff, she'd
1:07:54
go, you know, you can't make this shit up.
1:07:57
And I said, I I don't have to. It happens every damn day.
1:08:02
After 10 years, you know, why are you still in this job?
1:08:05
And I said, well, I haven't killed anybody yet.
1:08:07
And she goes, I know, and that scares me a lot of pent up
1:08:13
frustration. But you know, I, I, I learned to
1:08:15
turn my frustration and, and anger towards management and
1:08:19
directed it towards, you know, my first in as a steward, you
1:08:22
know, to go after them because of the fact that, you know, they
1:08:26
treat carriers, especially the Subs, so bitterly.
1:08:30
You know, it, it's almost like a new form of slavery that, you
1:08:33
know, you can't question or challenge them.
1:08:35
You have to do as they say. No, you have rights and we're
1:08:39
here to help you with that. But after 20 years, my wife
1:08:43
lately, yeah, she just rolls her eyes and just, you know, yeah,
1:08:47
same old shit. Yeah, pretty much.
1:08:50
I mean, Eric could probably tell stories of me coming home and
1:08:53
just bawling my eyes out for no particular reason because I was
1:08:57
still in RCA working 60 hours a week, and the only RCA in the
1:09:01
office was two Christmases ago. And, you know, I was working.
1:09:09
That was a rough Christmas, but yeah.
1:09:13
There's no crying at the post office.
1:09:16
No, I didn't cry at work. I wait till I got home.
1:09:21
We've, we've had people cry on the floor and you know, let me
1:09:24
tell you it, it, it makes for an uncomfortable situation.
1:09:29
Oh, I have stepped out to go have a cigarette break because I
1:09:32
was on the verge a couple times and yeah, it was rough.
1:09:38
But I, I, I, it was just, you know, you're already exhausted
1:09:42
as it is. I remember the one time I was
1:09:45
just, I was already so exhausted and I had to run a route that I
1:09:50
wasn't, I mean, I knew the route, but not as well as I knew
1:09:53
the other ones in the office. And the carrier had just redone
1:09:57
the labels and they have a really, they never do them
1:10:03
properly anyways. They're still missing addresses
1:10:05
and everything else on there. But anyways, didn't even realize
1:10:09
she had redone the labels. And I had just gotten the case
1:10:12
down. Labels are all done.
1:10:14
I am over there just doing the new dance of trying to find
1:10:18
where the addresses are. I'm already exhausted.
1:10:21
I was on the verge of tears. And the work buddy come up
1:10:27
because you want to go outside. I looked him like, yeah, please
1:10:30
let's go. I was, I was, I was ready to
1:10:34
walk out at that point. I was just, and that a lot of
1:10:37
that comes from it's just the pure exhaustion as well.
1:10:40
You know, I get it. I, I've been there as the RCA.
1:10:45
I, I know what it's like. I could go on and on about that.
1:10:49
You know, I, like I said when I started 10 years ago going on,
1:10:52
you know, I wait, I was a fully staffed office.
1:10:55
So yeah, I was literally working one day a week and I truly feel
1:11:00
the feast or famine because my last year as an RCA, I was
1:11:04
working 50-60 hours a week for two years straight.
1:11:09
You know, I worked that last Christmas as an RCA.
1:11:11
I worked 27 days straight between Thanksgiving and
1:11:14
Christmas Day. I had Thanksgiving off and my
1:11:16
next day off was Christmas Day. I know, you know, I know the
1:11:21
struggles all around as an RCA in general and it's still weighs
1:11:26
with me and I'm only in, you know, this is one year as of a
1:11:31
couple weeks ago as a, as a regular.
1:11:33
So it's still pretty fresh in the mind of of the RCA life,
1:11:38
especially this time of year. Well, I'll admit that I've cried
1:11:42
on a route, but it's usually over a customer losing a dog,
1:11:47
you know, once in a while a family member.
1:11:50
But yeah, I mean, you know, I've grown so close to some of my
1:11:54
customers, I still talk to them. You know, I had two months out
1:11:59
and they, I still talk to, you know, about 9 or 10 of them.
1:12:03
And one, one of my favorite customers called up and, you
1:12:07
know, before Thanksgiving, make sure, you know, we had a good
1:12:09
Thanksgiving and everything. But I'll tell you what there,
1:12:12
there's nothing worse than seeing them.
1:12:13
Your your, your mail mail carrier and your husband, you
1:12:18
know, standing out there hugging and crying over a lost dog.
1:12:23
Yeah, because there, there I love animals a lot more than I
1:12:27
love most people. Yeah, me too.
1:12:32
Well, at least animals give you unconditional love.
1:12:36
People who find motives behind theirs.
1:12:40
Well, the one I had to pull in for on Friday had three packages
1:12:45
and they have a standard poodle and she was coming out run to
1:12:49
the truck and she's like, I'm so I said, Oh, no, she's fine.
1:12:51
And I remember meeting her when I was still a sub and I said,
1:12:55
oh, no, this one's fine. And I'm just giving her her love
1:12:57
insurance. And a Great Dane the other day,
1:13:01
he was one of he one of the two Great Danes at the house.
1:13:04
The one was outside and he saw me and he kind of was trying to
1:13:07
check on the kids and I called his name and he saw me.
1:13:10
He looked back at mom and she said, go.
1:13:12
I opened up the side door. Next thing I know, I got Great
1:13:15
Dane right in my face because he just put his front paws on the
1:13:19
the first step and he had to come in and say hi.
1:13:22
And I've got my little Chihuahua Yorkie mix that she's like 15-16
1:13:27
years old that literally knows right about the time every day
1:13:31
that I come through and is constantly pacing by the door
1:13:34
and waiting. And she actually came all the
1:13:36
way down the handicap ramp down to the truck the other day to
1:13:40
meet me because, you know, she had to see me.
1:13:44
So you. Just scooped out that's a
1:13:47
spoiled dog if it has it on handicap ramp ramp.
1:13:50
Not well, it's one of my, but she did have a ramp to go up the
1:13:55
couch when she was injured. So, you know, but Oh yeah, I I
1:14:00
love a lot of the doggies on my route.
1:14:03
That's definitely. But I have some of my customers.
1:14:06
I love too though. Like the people with Bulldogs
1:14:10
would have steps made-up to their pickup truck so they can
1:14:12
get in. If I have one on my route, it's
1:14:17
an old old golden and she's my last stop before I leave the
1:14:22
neighborhood to go to another neighborhood.
1:14:25
And one day she came up to the truck and got pets from me
1:14:28
'cause I pet the dogs. And now every time she sees the
1:14:32
truck, she waits and sees if my arm comes out the window to come
1:14:36
running up and the the people that owner said we've never seen
1:14:42
her run like that in a couple years because she's gotten so
1:14:45
old. But she's so excited to see you,
1:14:47
you know, just to make their make the dogs day.
1:14:51
Oh yeah, you know, and my customer that I dropped
1:14:56
Thanksgiving dinner off to Thursday afternoon.
1:14:59
I stopped and talked to her yesterday and because she gave
1:15:03
me back the dishes and stuff that I had dropped off to her
1:15:06
and just tell me how wonderful it was.
1:15:09
She wants one of my recipes for one of the side dishes.
1:15:11
And and then yeah, she got tell me.
1:15:15
And I, I kind of fell for her. And I left her house with my
1:15:19
phone number written down on the notepad for her for the sheer
1:15:23
fact that I knew she had a doctor's appointment Friday, but
1:15:26
I didn't know it was her 90 year old sister who was driving an
1:15:30
hour away to come pick her up and drive her another hour to
1:15:35
her doctor's appointment and bring her back home.
1:15:39
I said call me if you need something, I said.
1:15:43
If otherwise. I said even my daughter, I,
1:15:46
Ruby, and even Ruby agreed she was.
1:15:48
Yeah, I'll drive her up to her doctor's appointment since her
1:15:50
sister can't make it. You know, it's just knowing that
1:15:53
she's there completely by herself with her little Cocker
1:15:57
spaniel who is a little older, but she's a sweetheart too.
1:16:00
And you know, as I told her, if you need anything, even
1:16:03
something from the grocery store, let me know and I'll
1:16:05
bring that to you, you know, after I'm done with her out, you
1:16:09
know, that you got to take care of your people.
1:16:11
And she just, she was taking pictures and texting her, her
1:16:15
son who had just had surgery the day before Thanksgiving, so he
1:16:19
couldn't make it up to see mom and her cousins.
1:16:22
And and and you know, there's there's three out of the four
1:16:25
sisters left, the three ladies out of the four left.
1:16:27
And, you know, to and she was, she was just so beside herself
1:16:31
that I took that time to think about her and bring her a
1:16:34
Thanksgiving dinner. And yeah, it's just, you know,
1:16:40
you make a difference in some of those people's lives.
1:16:42
And that's really what this job can be about at times.
1:16:45
And it makes the job worth going to every day.
1:16:49
Sure does. Yep.
1:16:54
So on that note guys, we're going to wind it down.
1:16:57
It's going on almost 9:00 PM here Eastern Time.
1:17:01
So yeah, I mean a lot of chit chat tonight.
1:17:05
We did cover the Christmas overtime, so I hope that's
1:17:08
helpful for some any questions, you know, definitely reach out
1:17:11
and ask well, any one of us would be happy to answer them.
1:17:15
I tend to if I'm on the route, I'll try to get to them if I
1:17:19
can, if I got a spot. But like I said, I my route
1:17:23
lately I don't get a moment to breathe for myself half the
1:17:26
time. But otherwise I try to touch
1:17:29
base with people when I get home.
1:17:30
So if you don't hear from me right away, just wait until I
1:17:34
get home. Or sometimes I'll say hey I'm
1:17:36
out on the route, let me finish and I'll get back to you.
1:17:39
But other than that. Or if you want to get a hold of
1:17:44
Bill, send the message to James. Reminds me to check the messages
1:17:48
because I hardly ever do. I'm a phone call person.
1:17:54
Let you know, folks, you know. The phone rings, I answer it if
1:17:58
it's a text or anything else like that.
1:18:00
I get to it when I can or when I want to.
1:18:02
Yep, Yep. So, James, your final words for
1:18:08
this evening. Well, anybody can reach out to
1:18:11
me. My Facebook, they can reach out
1:18:14
to me on the page for my presidency run.
1:18:17
They can reach out to me on Discord.
1:18:20
I'm available most of the time. I'm literally if I'm working or
1:18:25
driving, I don't answer, but I will answer as soon as I get the
1:18:30
time available too. Whether I'm done working,
1:18:32
sitting at home, or if I'm on a break at work, I will respond.
1:18:39
But the biggest thing about this is Christmas is the busiest time
1:18:44
of the year for us, even more so than elections, especially in
1:18:48
swing states. And taking care of yourself is
1:18:52
the most important thing you can do.
1:18:54
Taking care to make sure that everything is done safely,
1:19:00
properly and protecting yourself.
1:19:05
Management doesn't care about your safety.
1:19:08
The customers, some of them do, but some of them don't.
1:19:11
They just want their stuff. So it's up to you to take care
1:19:15
of yourself first. Management's going to force you
1:19:20
to do things that you shouldn't be doing.
1:19:23
Make sure you stand up and show management.
1:19:27
We're all in this together, Bill.
1:19:31
Well. This is going to be strange for
1:19:34
me this year, not working Christmas, seeing my customers
1:19:38
and everything. And God knows, you know, I I can
1:19:43
be an asshole to some people or for situations that require it,
1:19:49
but it generally I'm I'm a I'm a very good person at heart and
1:19:55
all of you I consider to be family because of the fact that
1:19:58
we have shared the same likes, dislikes, then you know, our our
1:20:03
careers. And I just pray for all of you
1:20:06
to be safe. I see where the snow's coming
1:20:09
in. And God, God bless you all.
1:20:12
I, I, I know what you go through.
1:20:14
I've been through it for 26 years.
1:20:16
And I, I just want everybody exercise safety and caution to
1:20:20
do your jobs. I always say do them
1:20:22
professionally, do them efficiently, do them the right
1:20:25
way, get paid for what you're doing.
1:20:28
But you know, at this time of year, it, it's not the presence
1:20:31
around the tree, it, it's the people around the tree that are
1:20:34
important part of the Christmas season.
1:20:38
And I want you to get every one of you to get home every day
1:20:42
safely. You are the most important
1:20:45
delivery of the day. And I I don't want to ever read
1:20:51
another article and, and I will, but I don't want to a better
1:20:55
rule carrier losing their life or being severely injured while
1:21:00
performing in a job. It's a hazardous job.
1:21:04
My job alone. You know, on my route, I had
1:21:06
four very dangerous spots, and I anticipated being hit.
1:21:12
I prepared myself for it. But the fact of the matter is
1:21:16
that you're more important to your family than that damn job,
1:21:21
OK? Remember that.
1:21:23
So get home. Love your love your family.
1:21:27
Tell them you love them. Kiss them goodnight.
1:21:31
Be safe, enjoy the season as much as you can, but be safe.
1:21:35
Please, Kristen. All right, I'm gonna.
1:21:40
Somebody wants to come in and say a few words, so I'm gonna
1:21:44
let them do that real quick. Well, I was gonna say first of
1:21:49
all, despite what Bill says, there is crying at the post
1:21:52
office. Like James said, this is our
1:21:57
busiest time of year. You.
1:22:02
Are you know? First and foremost.
1:22:04
Also, even though it's cold out, you still need to hydrate.
1:22:09
You are going to get overwhelmed.
1:22:12
Don't. If you do though, take a step
1:22:15
back, take a deep breath and step back in.
1:22:21
And everyone have a good week and holiday season, Kristen.
1:22:27
Thank you, Josh, it was nice of you to pop in for a sign off on
1:22:31
our 100th episode. But yeah, guys, it's definitely
1:22:37
Christmas season is upon us. Christmas overtime starts on
1:22:41
December 7th. Everybody stay safe out there.
1:22:46
Remember, if you get a direct order, try and get it in
1:22:49
writing. That way, if it's definitely
1:22:52
something that you can grieve, do it or fill out a safety form
1:22:56
if necessary. That's what they're there for.
1:23:00
Stay safe. Everybody out there, those that
1:23:02
are affected with the snowfalls, stay safe.
1:23:04
Definitely do not go down roads that haven't been plowed,
1:23:10
please. I mean that none of that stuff
1:23:12
is worth worth the risk. It really isn't.
1:23:17
And again, thanks everybody. 100th episode.
1:23:21
It's a rather heartfelt, the kind words that the guys had to
1:23:25
say at the beginning. Again, my appreciation to you
1:23:28
and thank you so much. And as it stands, we'll be back
1:23:32
for episode one O 1 next week. Take care everybody, stay safe,
1:23:36
and we'll be back again next week.