In this episode, Michael and I read the OIG report that discusses how much money management wastes by not following the contract. During the 3-year period the OIG investigates, it totaled A BILLION DOLLARS!

This episode is what Classes of Mail is all about. We do a deep dive into the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) Section 508. In this section, we learn about what makes a proper mailbox, how we're supposed to handle "refused" mail, what we do when a person doesn't pick up their vacation hold in a timely manner, and SO MUCH MORE!

Michael and I talk about what we have planned for the LA Convention, and a few other items of interest.

We skip Article 6, which is about layoffs. The short version is that we're protected from layoffs. Article 7 is much more relevant, and much longer. Today, we get through all of Article 7.1, which covers the CCA category of employees.

I open the show by explaining WHEN outgoing mail gets its postmark dates. It's handled by a machine called the Advanced Facer Canceler System. Then I get into how that machine actually works. Finally, I answer a question from the mailbag about Commercial Mail Receiving Agencies (like the UPS Store), and what we're supposed to do with their mail. This episode kind of gets into the weeds, and that's exactly where Classes of Mail likes to be!

Today we power through FOUR articles of the JCAM. Article 2 is about accommodations for deaf employees, and I share a funny anecdote from the Carrier Academy. Article 3 is about management's rights (and their obligations). Article 4 is about the impending robot uprising. Article 5 is about unilateral changes and past practices.

Michael asked me if he could come into the studio and say what's really on his mind, without me holding him back. This episode is the result.

Season 6 is here! I'll be reading the entire JCAM from cover to cover, this time with much better audio quality and fewer accents. Today I read from Article 1, which empowers the NALC to represent carriers, and covers cross-craft work by supervisors and 204B's.