Classes of Mail

Elliot Simmons, Candidate for Region 7 National Business Agent, dropped in on Zoom to talk to Michael and me about what it's actually like to run for office. You can donate to Elliot's campaign via the usual payment apps at ElliotSimmonsBranch957@gmail.com

What's it like when a reformer becomes branch president? What are the new considerations? What sort of pushback do they get from inside and outside their branch? How do they get their members to buy in, and contribute to the cause? Sam and Greg give excellent answers to these questions and more.

Joanie and I have a spirited conversation about her new website, training in general, and a bunch of other stuff. I've wanted to have her on Classes of Mail for ages, and she was a fantastic guest.

Rich Vala is a lifelong friend who also served as my campaign manager in my branch elections. He has good insights here, and provides an outside perspective on what we have to deal with inside the NALC.

As described in the title. We also get an update on Michael's shoulder.

Chris Reed talks about why he's running for office, and what his plans are for Region One. This episode was recorded during the 2026 NALC National Convention.

Eric Ellis comes on to bring some much needed nuance to our political discussions. We discuss the recent muckraking of Corey Walton, bringing up political posts from 10 years ago. I get Eric's take on what it means for Corey's run for Executive Vice President. We also talk about letter carriers' political divides more broadly, and the union's need to reach politicians on BOTH sides of the aisle. We finish with a discussion about Josh Hawley, who has taken a significant interest in the Post Office lately. Is he a friend to the letter carrier?

John and Joshua talk about how they put their campaign together, and the fruit it bore. They discuss the importance of participatory democracy in our union.

Elliot is running for Business Agent in Region 7, which includes Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota. We go over his platform, the current problems he sees in his region, and how he plans to address them.

Chris Strickland is running for NBA in Region 8. You may remember his as one of the Regional Administrative Assistants (RAA) who was fired when he announced he was running for office. In this interview, we go over Chris's platform, and discuss his values and his vision.

Hear our final thoughts, as well as a recap of what went down on the last day. Plus, two SHOCKING bits of praise from Michael and me.

Corey Walton joined Michael and me for a discussion about the convention, his candidacy, and (thanks to Michael Brasaemle's courage) Michael Rivera. You should listen to this episode, if for no other reason, to hear Corey's voice in full, high-quality audio.

We recap another day of victories for the reform movement, but more importantly, we get to hear the insights and wisdom of Melissa Rakestraw, a branch president from Illinois who I believe is on the right side of every single issue.

I LOVED having these guys in Hotel Room Studio. We go in depth into the controversy surrounding the wacky way we vote on resolutions at the convention, and how it interacts with Robert's Rules.

Michael Rivera joins Michael Brasaemle and me for a recap of day two of the 2026 NALC National Convention in Los Angeles

Michael and I are joined in Hotel Room Studios by C Moline, Greg Donaldson, and Sam Adams to discuss all the goings-on from today's convention. It was quite a day. Listen in to hear about Renfroe's big announcement, and another Michael Rivera victory.

We got to meet so many wonderful people today! Thank you for saying hello! We don't have much news to report, but we can report on the vibe.

Michael and I discuss the classes we're planning to take, and how you can find us during the convention. We also talk about a recent memo from postal management that limits supervisors' ability to settle grievances, and I go on a little rant about delayed mail at my station.

Margo and Chris dive deep into the issues that matter to the Stand Up Slate, and they explain why these issues are relevant to their roles as AFL-CIO delegates, and why these issues are relevant to letter carriers. It's one of the best conversations Classes of Mail has ever hosted.

Cristal Czajkoski joins me via Zoom to talk about a variety of subjects including her podcast Beyond the Satchel, her run for AFL-CIO Delegate, bylaw changes she's proposed for her branch, and her role as a political organizer. Specials guests: her two wonderful dogs.