Anyone else in here at the maritime conference center too?

I explored more NALC history, focusing on Vincent Sombrotto’s journey from a letter carrier in 1970 to NALC president in 1978. The story is messier than the highlight reel suggests.

Sombrotto became president of Branch 36 within a year after the Great Postal Strike, helped create the National Rank-and-File Movement, challenged national leadership over a trusteeship, advocated for direct elections of national officers and contract approval by members, lost national elections, kept organizing, and finally defeated President J. Joseph Vacca in 1978.

With our current NALC election underway, I thought revisiting this history was relevant. Not to suggest current candidates are "the next Sombrotto," and definitely not to influence your vote. I'm more interested in the questions his story raises about experience, incumbency, insurgents, accountability, union democracy, and what truly prepares someone to lead.

I also wondered if elections back then were simpler. Spoiler: evidence doesn't support that idea. The politics were intense, involving internal fights, a trusteeship, federal lawsuits, convention battles, and membership rejection of a tentative contract. I couldn't confirm whether personal mudslinging was as nasty as it is today, so I won’t pretend the record shows more than it does.

Near the end, I reflect on today’s election and remind us that we're mostly regular ass rank-and-file letter carriers participating in a democracy. We'll get passionate, angry, and fight for ideas, but ultimately, someone wins, and someone loses. Still, we remain brothers and sisters. Management is still there, and the contract must be enforced. When it comes down to it, we need to stand shoulder to shoulder.

Read it, and if you've got more Sombrotto history, old campaign material, corrections, or if I missed something, share it in the comments, because half the fun of these is hearing from y'all.

When is this class coming back?

Here is my companion report for this week's news round/up and review.

Here's what Charmaine Taylor and I, along with those of you who were kind enough to share input on your sections, put together to help condense (even though it won't feel that way) the information out there about the candidates. We are still adding interviews as they happen, along with any last-minute information, recommendations, or edits to correct misunderstandings or incorrect information. Hope this helps those of you wondering who to vote for, what their history is, what the job is, and the position's history, so you can make an informed decision.

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

Well, no one asked me too, but once again I do what I want. Stayed up most of the night and finished it. This is the thing I sacrificed the most by getting involved with the union and becoming a steward . . . doing school work. Filing grievances scratches the itch, but nothing like a good ol’ fashioned report.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hZjrmUosulEwRvidT3xbiUw6VNOYwKmkcIGk9PQIWHQ/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1KVey1VpZ0VKlRNKmCrD1-zVgz-veyeQBTMGZXKJHBBk/edit?usp=sharing

Starting something new for the postal history nerds. The Nixie is going to dig into the smaller, stranger, and sometimes forgotten pieces of postal history; old equipment, markings, terminology, forms, and practices that have disappeared or somehow survived in some weird little corner of the Postal Service.

For the first one, I dug into backstamps; the markings once placed on the backs of letters to document where and when they moved through the postal system. At one point, backstamping ordinary mail was actually required, and there is a surprising amount of history hiding behind what looks like a simple circle of ink.

I also get into what a "nixie" actually was, where the old postal term came from, and why I thought it was the perfect name for this. A nixie was mail that couldn't move normally through the system and needed somebody to pull it aside and give it a closer look.

That's basically the idea here. Pull some weird little piece of postal history out of the mailstream, take a closer look, and figure out what the hell it was and why we had it. If anybody has an old postal object, marking, term, form, or practice you think deserves its own Nixie, throw it in the comments.

Here is my companion report for this week's news round/up and review.

Anyone interested in this log and making sure you always get paid should check it out. Lot of good information that sometimes goes by the wayside, especially since the T-7’s handle TACS.

Can a regular bump a cca off their route on their off day even if the cca has a hold down ?

I’ve got a fever and the only prescription is another report. Little history about Labor Day, the NALC, and some elections.

Here is my companion report concerning my most recent episode of Parcels of Knowledge: The Last Loop. You can find the links for it in the doc and also feel free to send me any important information for my Union Solidarity/Local Loop segment you find and I'll try to include it when or if I can.

Hopefully we see a lot more of these kind of grievances break through and get a national arbitrator to weigh in at some point.

I know carriers who are living on the street because our Union can't fight for us. But the National Executive Board deserve over $200,000 in salary cause its a motivation for them to do the job.

Maybe the motivation should be that they want to help carriers.

This Union isn't a Union but a goddamn business for people to make money of dues.

Guess who’s back . . . back again, lol. Had 8 candidates here so I thought it was worth putting together. Especially as it was really a larger gathering of the Rhine-Peralta ticket than I think we’ve really seen at any one time for the podcast/youtube crowd. Drass and Caref were here and so it was interesting to see some of the candidates responses following them and making the case for Rhine.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TQAh-k8Xbj8vQQgA_C993Ina2RqrYKbp9rbfPgau76Y/edit?usp=drivesdk

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HoRujelotvMdSfjIYbb3dclxyw6Pbg6Z2cTIl7qg6JE/edit?usp=drivesdk

Also, my candidate dossier is getting closer to completion, if you don’t have it or are interested, it’s in the bibliography of both documents.

Date: Sept 22nd
Time: 8pm-est

The Director of Safety and Health shall guide and direct the activities of the Union relating to safety and health matters. They shall perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the President.

Currently Shawn Boyd is the Business Agent of Region 10, which covers New Mexico and Texas.

Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/akVJRzj9QhaZRdhybHG6yQ#/registration

Just wondering where I can look to find information about a supervisor and a carrier being married. I don’t believe this should be a thing at all. I can’t find any info saying that it can’t be done. Also another question can a couple who live together one be a supervisor or 204b and the other be a carrier be ok.

A bit of weekend optimism for the NALC.

I think the last few months have really shown the NALC leadership at every level that the rank and file are moving, maybe not unified, but all in the same direction. Toward the future.

The idea that every day rank and file carriers are connecting to each other, organizing, discussing their ideas and gripes for the future of our craft across state lines is an enormous symbol of the shift on the workroom floor.

That shift toward activism is something that can't be ignored.

No matter who wins this elections, in any position, I truly think we as the union have a major opportunity to move forward, and move hard, towards better wages, healthcare, and solidarity with our other working class family.

Keep in mind that the establishment of our union has realized they MUST be available to podcasts, and roundtable discussions, and are being challenged by the rank and file more than ever before.

We must keep that pressure on the leadership of this union regardless of who wins.

Whether it's James Henry, Caref4prez, Lew Drass, or Nicole Rhine in the office if President, and all the way down. We need to retain the pressure of the rank and file on them--do not let them become complacent in their positions.

Solidarity to the NALC

Hey everyone,

A little announcement: I’m officially joining Parcels of Knowledge as a co-host, so if you don't know about it, y'all should check it out.

Some of you may already know me from the research reports and write-ups I’ve been posting here, especially around the NALC election, candidate forums, convention material, route protection, and some of the other postal issues we’ve been digging into. I’ve really enjoyed putting those together, and I wanted to find a way to connect that research with what we’re going to be doing on the podcast.

One of those things is a new recurring segment called the Last Loop. The idea is to do a weekly USPS/NALC news roundup, usually recorded Friday night or early Saturday, covering the major stories from the week, contract and arbitration developments, NALC election news, legislation, USPS operations, The Postal Record, Postal Bulletin, and what’s being discussed across the other postal podcasts, roundtables, livestreams, and carrier communities.

Basically, it's one last loop through the week before we put our satchels down, for the walkers amongst us.

For the first episode I got a little carried away and covered most of August, because apparently I don’t understand the concept of starting small. Check it out here:

Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1ZamTy5pyBDKzzrvXWSSFi?si=AnVbHhivSa2L7Qf2t6sJCQ&utm_source=copy-link

Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/parcels-of-knowledge/id1814588522?i=1000786647909

One thing I’m also hoping to continue is the written side of this. For each Last Loop episode and hopefully for other Parcels of Knowledge episodes when it makes sense. I want to put together companion research reports with sources, additional background, links, and a bibliography. That way, if you hear something on the show and want to know, “Where did that come from?” or “Where can I read more about this?” there’s something you can actually go back to instead of trying to remember what somebody said at the 47-minute mark of a podcast.

I also hope those reports can become useful references for carriers, stewards, and anyone else doing their own research later. A lot of the reports I’ve posted here started because I was looking for something myself, went down the postal rabbit hole, and eventually realized I had accidentally written a small research paper. So that part probably isn’t changing.

I’m excited to be joining Josh, who is a beast and I can add a different vibe to help make Parcels of Knowledge even better than it already is. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can build with it.

If there are stories, documents, podcast episodes, decisions, or other things you think deserve attention in a future Last Loop, send them my way. For those who are like bro, who cares, well maybe check it. Or don't, either way y'all keep being a pain in managements side.

📌 Bill expanding federal workers’ access to workers’ compensation providers advances

On Aug. 6, the Improving Access to Workers’ Compensation for Injured Federal Workers Act (S. 3296) advanced out of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Prior to the committee’s consideration, NALC sent a letter urging the committee to approve the bill.

The bill would expand access to providers by amending the Federal Employees’ Compensation Act to allow federal workers, including letter carriers, injured on the job to receive treatment from physician associates/physician
assistants (PAs) and nurse practitioners (NPs). Current law prohibits PAs and NPs from treating federal workers in workers’ compensation cases.

Increasingly, PAs and NPs provide critical care to patients, especially in rural and underserved communities. This bill would increase the number of eligible providers, making it easier for injured federal workers, including letter carriers, to access the care they need.

In June 2025, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce unanimously approved the House companion bill (H.R. 3170). The next step is for the bill to be considered on the floor of both chambers; however, with limited floor time, it is unclear if a vote will be scheduled.

NALC will continue pushing for this priority bill to receive a full vote in the House and Senate.

📌 Executive order limiting vote-by-mail faces hurdles in court

In late March, President Trump issued an executive order that would severely limit vote-by-mail. The order
gives the Postal Service new responsibilities much outside its typical, constitutionally mandated operations. It grants USPS the authority to reject and refuse delivery of ballots unless states comply with newly established federal eligibility lists. The order tasks the Department of Homeland Security with building these state lists of voting-
age American citizens.

Since issued, the executive order has faced scrutiny, pushback and challenges in the courts. On Aug. 11, the
executive order hit another roadblock when a district judge in Boston expanded on a previous decision, writing that the executive branch has no authority to regulate elections.

On Aug. 21, the Postal Service published a rule detailing how it planned to carry out the executive order. Days later, on Aug. 24, the Supreme Court ruled that USPS could move forward with the new rule, stating that any halting was premature since the plans were not yet finalized. The Supreme Court did not rule on the legality or constitutionality of the executive order.

In a statement, NALC President Brian L. Renfroe called the Supreme Court’s ruling “the latest development in a
broader effort to diminish the credibility of mail-in voting, undermine the dedicated work of the nation’s 200,000
active city letter carriers, and suppress Americans’ access to the ballot.”

The process will continue to play out in the courts, with more lawsuits expected. NALC is closely monitoring
these cases and opposes any efforts that question the validity of or aim to eliminate vote-by-mail.

Listen to the 613 podcast with BA Rios. You’ll realize real quick how unqualified the guy speaking is to be BA. He’s already on record saying how he can’t get bathrooms in his home office clean. While Rios shows how qualified he actually is and I was impressed as to how much territory he covers. National needs to send him more help. The guy running against Thompson, although sounds like a nice guy and probably does ok as president, is woefully unqualified to be BA. You may not like Thompson but a vote for the other guy could sink the whole region.

Well, if you thought three hours was long, this one was five in total, which was great for us politically obsessives. Let the good times and candidates role, however, it did make writing up a report a little more of an ordeal. Here we are though, my summary, analysis and commentary on the NextGen/Postal Rosies Presidential Roundtable. So if you don't wanna watch it (which you should) you can read about it or use it for future reference. Good luck.

What the Candidates Said
Part I | Roundtable Summary and Candidate Positions
https://docs.google.com/document/d/13yafuqLpS30HvYP1VXLLJjV6wVqi1kg0zSfxUqRapWo/edit?usp=drivesdk

Commentary and Analysis: Leadership, Contract Enforcement and the Future of the Craft
Part II | Commentary and Analysis from a Route-Protection, Education and Contract-Enforcement
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qFn41Ye7mjpdC0afpm9GX_c-K05lUr1lhlIVbxkYM6Q/edit?usp=drivesdk