FedUp with Ron Speakman

This City Letter Carrier has always been advocating and fighting for their brothers and sisters, and because management was intimidated by how strong and knowledgeable of a steward they were, management messed with their pay, tried to put them on emergency placement, and even tried to casually assist during an election for stewards by having a stand up talk to try and urge others to run for the position. We will also delve into how they were told by their local union president that they filed too many grievances, discuss their work injuries (which includes a rare diagnosis), address OWCP stress claims, and talk about how they were mistreated much more from management, and even coworkers when they got injured on the job (something that occurs far too often), and how all this mistreatment affected them, both inside and outside of work. 

Our guest today, who's a Rural Carrier from the state of Tennessee, talks about the many issues that revolve around the Rural Route Evaluation Compensation System (RRECS for short) such as route coverage percentage, CBU (cluster box units) issues, mapping issues, unscannable parcels versus door miscellaneous issues, and even the unrealistic and unattainable standards, along with the inconsistencies from office to office in regards to RRECS. We will even be talking about the lack of transparency and communication from the USPS and management and the union in regards to RRECS, including the response from the NRLCA's president addressing its members being upset about RRECS and their routes dropping. 

Our guest today will share their story which details how management harassed and continuously mistreated them, and even retaliated / targeted them at some point, including facing pending termination. We will also be having a conversation regarding the Rural Route Evaluation Compensation System (RRECS for short) and how that is effecting rural carriers, and even discussing the high turnover rate within the USPS, as well as weighing the pros and cons to working in the Post Office.

In this episode we talk about mental illness and mental disorders stemming from having to work in a toxic and hostile work environment. We also address how we can file an OWCP stress claim regarding our mental illness and/or disorders, what's needed to do that, and other useful resources to combat the mistreatment from management and the toxic and hostile working conditions we deal with at any moment on any given day. It's time we realize that mental illness is real and can affect anyone at any time during our careers, and it's time we take a stand and hold those who knowingly and willfully created our mental illness and/or disorders accountable for their actions. 

 

* Please call the National Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Crisis Line at 988. They will be there with you in the moment, in your time of need, and could be that shinning light in your darkest moment. And it's free. Again, please call 988 if you need someone to talk with. You are not alone, never forget that. 

Our special guest today is Corey Walton, a City Letter Carrier who is well-known for his podcast and for helping the NALC members. We will be getting both personal and educational in this interview, and not only will you learn something you didn’t know about Corey, but you will hear him talk about some issues that a lot of us go through, including how to combat these issues. Plus I close out the show with an important message that any union leader, union organization, and our fellow brothers and sisters need to hear and be reminded of. 

Picking back up where we left off with our guest from last week, Kenny and I talk passive aggressiveness and other issues regarding the USPS and management. We also get into some union talk as well, and talk about the consolidation of offices and the making of hubs across this country. If you enjoyed part one of this interview with Kenny, come finish it off and hear what Mr. Hodge has to say in this interview, as there is always something we can learn from this man. 

Our guest today, who was in both the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army, has a very in-depth perspective regarding the USPS, as he started his career as a TE with the USPS, worked his way through to other crafts and unions (including management) and was involved with and/or learned the contracts of the NALC, APWU, NPMHU, NAPS, and NAPAS, before retiring after 38 years of service within the federal government. The knowledge and experiences this guest has is very unique. Our guest and I really get into a lot of hot topics and issues regarding the USPS, and our unions, and even share knowledge and information that can be used by us all within the USPS. This is by far, one of the most unscripted, uncensored, and off the cuff interviews to date here on FedUp, so turn up the volume, hit the play button, and enjoy this first of a two-part series interview with the man himself, Mr. Kenny Hodge. 

Once again, USPS Employees are being censored and told what NOT to do. You are being threatened with termination, and being retaliated against for speaking on the poor working conditions and mistreatment on social media, and even for speaking on my podcast. This special episode goes over the 2023 USPS social media policy. 

Picking back up where we left off last week with our guest, part 2 of their interview will talk more of the good, the bad, and the ugly with her union representation from the NRLCA and with management. We also touch more on taboo topics (addiction and management's role in that), veterans running the show, and social media do's and dont's, including the USPS social media policy / rules to be mindful of. 

In this episode, we talk to a veteran rural carrier about RRECS, LLV's, her on-the-job work injuries, mistreatment by management (including targeting, retaliation, and even wrongful termination), and privacy act violations, all of which revolve around a toxic work culture that most, if not all, USPS employees deal with. We even talk about the negative slogan that accompanies the USPS ("Going Postal") which while often a taboo topic, is still something we all should recognize as a problem. 

My guest today was in management, and was one of those rare legendary unicorns that we hear about within management in the USPS. Hear them talk about the mistreatment they endured (bullying, harassment, and constant targeting and retaliation) by their own peers (other management) which ultimately led to anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even OPM federal disability retirement. We will also discuss the language and what is needed, and how our guest got their claim and accepted conditions approved with the DOL/OWCP with regards to those mental illnesses/diagnoses. Hear how they overcame the same mistreatment that we all deal with on a regular basis. There truly isn’t any line that USPS management will not cross.

In this episode, we continue where we left off last week with part 2 of this interview with Adric Montano, a rural carrier from Tennessee, where he continues with his story, and talks more on the mistreatment from management, and the USPS, especially HR, and the lack of representation from his union, the NRLCA, and even discusses the resources he reached out to, which included the USPS Board of Governors, Congress, the Senate, and even the White House throughout this constant roller coaster of willful misconduct from just about everyone involved.

This Rural Carrier has been through it all, yet refuses to give up! Hear them talk about the mistreatment from management, including them putting him into an unsafe working condition that ultimately led to their traumatic work injury, the lack of management's education regarding paper work when an injury is reported, the deliberate misconduct of the USPS, including from HR, threats of termination, in addition to having no representation from their union. We also talk about third party injuries, the Rural Injury Handbook, and the Employee Labor Relations Manual.  

Picking back up where we left off from last week, this NALC local president from New York talks about an arbitration case that he was a part of, including how many grievances get sent up monthly to the DRT, in addition to talking about LWOP 060 vs. LWOP OWCP 049, work injuries, who's more to blame on making our situations worse when we get injured, doctors, and language needed regarding medical narrative reports. We then finish with Federal Injury Centers (FIC), where we talk about his members' experiences with FIC, address our national union's hypocrisy, and have a message for the NALC that we all need to hear.  

A local NALC union president from New York gets real in this interview, as we discuss some of the biggest issues he sees from management, our union, our upcoming contract, workroom floor issues, and toxic work culture, in addition to talking about his first experience using OSHA successfully for his employees when they were retaliated against and terminated for reporting an on the job work injury. Knowledge is power, and this president has the knowledge as much as he does passion. 

Picking back up where we left off from last week, President of Federal Injury Centers, Chris Helms, talks about his other platforms that bring added value to us federal employees, such as Wednesday Night OWCP Chats with Chris & Gini on FaceBook, Breaking OWCP, 3 books which Chris wrote, and the Breaking OWCP Podcast. Also, Chris shares two stories that need to be heard by all. 

National leading OWCP expert, Chris Helms, talks about his company, Federal Injury Centers (FIC), and explains why he and his company bring so much added value to us federal employees and unions. We talk about his compliance manual and training, the success he and FIC have, the amount of approved claims FIC gets, Code of Federal Regulations and United States Code, and I also address an email that was written by a certain union regarding FIC. Don’t miss this up close and personal interview with the one and only Chris Helms. 

In this episode, we continue where where we left off last week with Part 2 of this interview with Tona, a Rural Carrier from Nevada. We will be talking about Federal Injury Centers, Lawyers, more mistreatment from management and coworkers, and some other topics as well. 

This USPS rural carrier talks about her on the job work injury, and the challenges she has faced, and continually faces, including constant willful misconduct and harassment from management, including management trying to deter her from filing a claim, her lack of representation from her national and local union, obstacles from her doctors she had to overcome, and the unjust and broken system that is failing us all, which is the DOL/OWCP. We talk about it all in this first of two interviews with my guest.

Attention Rural Carriers:

Our guest today, who is a rural carrier, is one of the two people behind starting the decertification process against the NRLCA. We discuss that process and inform people what that entails, why they and many others within the rural craft are FedUp with their union, and we talk a little about the new RRECS system in place for rural carriers, and how that affects them. So whether you are for or against decertifying the NRLCA, one thing is for sure. After this episode, you should have a definitive answer to that question.

 This clerk with the USPS, and an APWU dues paying member, shares her story, which includes her on the job work injury, the constant mistreatment from management, misrepresentation from her union, and how this all made her feel alone, in addition to talking about resources and people who have helped her throughout her journey in this broken and unjust system that is failing us all. 

Our guest today talks about her on the job work injury, and the many years within a hostile & toxic work culture that she has endured, including how she fought back against it and what resources she has used to help aid her in the the fight against the many wrongdoings she has faced.

A general discussion with our guest about his experiences regarding harassment, favoritism, poor management, his on the job work injury, and a toxic work culture that is promoted from within from management and the USPS. 

This introductory episode to FedUp will focus on giving you an introduction to myself, FedUp, why I created FedUp, and finish with a topic that we all deal with, which is toxic work environments. You are not alone!