Parcels of Knowledge

Parcels of Knowledge

by Rosevillewreckingball
Self-Improvement

Episode 194: Another Undelivered Mail Win!

On this episode we go over another Undelivered Mail Win!!! If you want to join the wrecking crew follow the link below: www.patreon.com/parcelsofknowledge
Oct 1, 2026
42:12

Episode 193: Footnotes Episode 1 - The Walter P. Reuther Library

What happens when somebody tells you, “The union has always taken this position,” or “That goes all the way back to the 1970 strike”? In the first episode of Footnotes, the Minion from the Old Dominion follows the trail to the Walter P. Reuther Library at Wayne State University, home of the official historical archives of the National Association of Letter Carriers. We look at how the Reuther became one of North America’s major labor archives, how archival research actually works, and what NALC members can find inside its collections; presidential papers, City Delivery records, grievance and arbitration material, convention records, photographs, historic artifacts, and much more. Along the way, we talk finding aids, boxes and folders, what can be researched from home, what requires a trip to Detroit, and why primary sources still need to be questioned instead of treated as gospel. This is the idea behind Footnotes: trust, but verify. A citation should not just be a number at the bottom of a page. It should be a trail somebody else can follow. Because the footnote is not where the boring stuff goes. It is where the receipts live. For the companion report click here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1keGvcJ6U5LTKMZU2SD0CoFfMnliOJkKlwYimmQlASso/edit?usp=sharing
E199
Sep 27, 2026
27:19

Episode 192: The Last Loop 5 with Jamie Gregory

This week on The Last Loop, Jamie covers September 19–25, 2026, as USPS tests several changes that could affect the workroom floor, including afternoon Amazon delivery, deferred Marketing Mail, vehicle cameras, scanner updates, new package barcodes, and continued network changes. We also look at the OIG’s report on counterfeit postage, an important workers’ compensation warning, NALC election ballot deadlines, updates from the other postal unions, labor solidarity, and highlights from the increasingly crowded postal podcast world. Then we look ahead to the September 29 launch of the Amazon PM Delivery Pilot before heading to Sycamore, Pennsylvania, for this week’s Local Loop, where the loss of a Post Office lease shows how one small facility can make a big difference to the community it serves. For this week's companion report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18L7rpSaZ2ERDI2cNUPuwCDCE27WCKXasG1VtXfmTKuA/edit?usp=sharing
E198
Sep 26, 2026
50:44

Episode 191: Mutual Exchanges and Transfers

In this episode we talk about mutual exchanges and transfers. If you want to join our wrecking crew check the following link: Parcels Of Knowledge — A podcast dedicated to delivering education to letter carriers | Patreon
Sep 24, 2026
31:58

Episode 190: Region 11 Brimming With Optimism

today we have Mike Brim on for his candidacy for Region 11 NBA. Does he have what it takes to get your vote? you decide.
Sep 20, 2026
1:12:59

Episode 189: The Backstamp - From Rank and File to National President: The Vincent Sombrotto Story

Explicit
Vincent Sombrotto went from a rank-and-file letter carrier with no union office to president of the NALC in just eight years — but the road there was anything but simple. In this episode of The Backstamp, Jamie Gregory looks at Sombrotto’s rise from the Great Postal Strike of 1970 through Branch 36, the National Rank-and-File Movement, bitter internal fights, election losses, democratic reforms, and his eventual victory in 1978. Along the way, we ask what really counts as leadership experience, whether union elections were any less contentious then than they are today, and what Sombrotto’s story can teach us about our own messy union democracy. The episode closes with a personal reflection on fighting passionately for the candidates we believe in without forgetting that, when the election is over, we are still brothers and sisters who have to stand shoulder to shoulder — followed by a message submitted by Region 7 NBA candidate Elliot Simmons on accountability, competition, civility, and unity. For those interested in the companion research report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11liYKizQ4gOUeWVyBgIVeJkwzUsJEZOzIzRIB30Zzxs/edit?usp=sharing
E195
Sep 20, 2026
43:57

Episode 188: The Return of LEWWWWW!!! Drass: Investigative Interview Part II

The Return of LEWWWWW!!! Drass: Investigative Interview Part II Lew Drass returns to Parcels of Knowledge, and this time Jamie Gregory gets the chance to sit down with him for a longer conversation about his record, his campaign for NALC President, and what he believes needs to change inside the union. We get into his years as a steward, Branch President, Region 8 National Business Agent, Director of City Delivery, and National Vice President; how he says he brought a divided Region 8 together; his role in the aftermath of the Das award and the creation of the CCA workforce; contract arbitration and bargaining transparency; the grievance backlog; M-01769 and management projections; route inspections; steward training; safety; member participation; and his ideas for rebuilding the grievance procedure and making more union resources available to the rank and file. We also give Lew room to respond to criticism, explain what he believes he should and should not be held accountable for, and answer questions submitted by letter carriers. As usual, the goal is not to tell anyone how to vote. It is to give carriers a chance to hear the candidate explain his own record, priorities, and plans in his own words. And yes — LEWWWWW!!! is back.
E194
Sep 20, 2026
1:28:20

Episode 187: The Last Loop IV with Jamie Gregory

The Last Loop is back! Jamie runs through the biggest postal stories from Sept. 12–18, led by a major new GAO report finding that USPS cost-cutting initiatives have contributed to declining service performance, even as the Postal Service continues reshaping its processing and transportation network. We also look at reporting that Postmaster General David Steiner has told associates he wants to leave the job, USPS’s response that he is not preparing to resign, and where that story actually stands. On the union side, NALC election ballots are beginning to move, the Branch 1779 National Candidate Forum gave members several hours of unscripted questions and answers, and Region 7 NBA candidate Elliot Simmons issued a broader appeal for candidates and supporters to keep the election focused on records, representation, and policy rather than personal attacks. Back on the workroom floor, the September/October Postal Record gives us a useful refresher on temporary CCA assignments to other offices under M-01827. That discussion is especially timely as carriers in several parts of the country report Amazon Sunday operations being consolidated into fewer hub locations, raising questions about reporting locations, travel, mileage, relative standing, staffing, and overtime. We also dig into two new Key Cases episodes covering fundamental fairness, due process, and FMLA obligations in removal cases. Plenty more is in the satchel this week: the latest ballot-mail litigation, Postal Bulletin 22711, carrier safety news, developments from APWU and NRLCA, and a very busy Postal Podcast Desk. This week’s roundup includes From A to Arbitration, Hot House with Richie Ray, Classes of Mail, Carriers for a Better Union, Next Generation Carriers, 763 From the 573, Six Thirteen, The History of Female Leadership in the NALC, The Key Cases Podcast, and a proper introduction to The Table Two Ticket, with a little more about what each show actually discussed instead of just listing episode titles. Plus, a look at the week ahead and a Local Loop follow-up from Lahaina, Hawaii, where the fight over centralized delivery, rebuilding, and postal access has moved beyond a local service complaint and into a larger discussion about disaster recovery and universal service. Interested in submitting a local news story, have a question, or have a recommendation for something we should cover? Reach out to me at jamiegregorynalc2819@gmail.com. For the candidate dossiers; https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y8p4RbRLwOQEvGAZ9c6emRM7WdE7CYlRlvldSL1nhTY/edit?usp=drivesdk https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IuiOLfIJUebaYSI8XXn5_2dazoC5jguaIs0ehI2H2KA/edit?usp=drivesdk https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NHqI-L7cyh0_4p7XdWXxFYa9YGYn5yzBfQFnRAVRakU/edit?usp=drivesdk https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f_Y354fu5kD5-3Z57NfuW6fb8VUJIdRn8p53He4xBj4/edit?usp=drivesdk And companion report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M0Z6BEsaNUmwLPHQj0zAIEuoyACkZF5HxCULbukncng/edit?usp=sharing
E193
Sep 19, 2026
53:37

Episode 186: Chris Strickland Once More

We have a last minute interview/discussion with candidate Chris Strickland.
Sep 18, 2026
1:10:04

Episode 185: Accountable Item Clearing Grievances

In this episode we talk about how to file a grievance for accountable item signing issues. If you want to be a member of our Patreon see the link below: www.patreon.com/ParcelsOfKnowledge 2026 Election Informational Sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1y8p4RbRLwOQEvGAZ9c6emRM7WdE7CYlRlvldSL1nhTY/edit?usp=drivesdk
Sep 17, 2026
29:01
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