November Region 5 NBA Report
by David Teegarden
This month’s article was delayed so that I could include the link to the Region 5 Rap Session. The hotel took a bit longer than expected to get the link to me, but I felt it would be best to include it so that branches could make hotel reservations early and plan for the event.
Region 5 Rap Session
Reservations for hotel rooms can be made by using this link now https://book.passkey.com/e/51145271
In order to get the hotel and the room rate please use the above link. We contract a room block with the hotel for 200 rooms per night for Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Please contact us at the NBA office as early as you can if you are having trouble making hotel reservations and we can assist you. Once the room block is full we are subject to hotel availability for the same rate.
The 2026 Rap Session will take place at the KC Downtown Marriott Friday February 27 Monday March 2. Friday February 27 th a branch president meeting will take place from 5-7pm at the hotel. There will be an informal meet and greet in the bar/lounge area after the branch president meeting.
We will conduct training from 8am-12pm and 1-5pm Saturday and Sunday. A Rap Session with a National Officer will take place on Monday from 8am until about noon. An NBA reception will be held at KCMO Branch 30 union hall located at 6320 Manchester Avenue KCMO 64132 from 6:30pm-10:00pm on Saturday February 28th .
We have listened to some of your suggestions and have made accommodations where we can. There will be more time built in for moving from one class to another and still allow us to put on over 20 different classes. Better signs and maps of the hotel. A longer lunch break.
Some of the classes offered will be negotiating for the union steward/Formal A, The difference between JSOV and Dignity and Respect, JWIP an avenue into creating a better atmosphere on the workroom floor, Grievance preparation from Informal A through Arbitration-Follow a grievance as it winds its way through the Article 15 process and ends up at Arbitration, Branch Officer Training (Nicole Rhine Secretary Treasurer), Arbitration, Route Adjustment Investigation and Grievance, Chapter 2 M-39 Route Adjustment Process Education, OWCP, What exactly is a Labor Management Meeting and how to use them effectively, safety, Women’s roundtable discussion and many more. I will have a final list in my December article.
Please use this link to reserve your hotel rooms which is active now https://book.passkey.com/e/51145271
We will once again use the QR code to register for classes and that will be up and running early in 2026 which will allow participants two months to select classes. We are looking forward to another great event and seeing all of you there.
December Exclusionary Period
Although I included this in my September article I thought it was worth sharing again. As referenced in Article 8 sections 4 and 5 the December exclusionary period will commence on November 29th , 2025 (Pay Period 26-2025 Week 1) and ends on December 26th , 2025 (Pay Period 01-2026 Week 2).
The penalty exclusionary period does not affect the new language in Article 8.4.G which requires letter carriers to be paid for any hours worked beyond 12 hours in a service day or over 60 hours in a service week. All hours worked beyond the 12- and 60-hour limitations will still be paid at 2 1/2 times the normal rate of pay even during the December exclusionary period.
JWIP Updates
The NBA office is in the process of conducting JWIP in 5 locations currently across the region. We will have a better understanding of best practices as we move through them and get a better feel for what works and what doesn’t. Our first run at this process involves interviewing letter carriers, management, clerks and other employees at the facility. A picture of what is really going on when we aren’t there always emerges clearly. The parties then jointly discuss and get together a plan of action which is where we are with a few of the sites currently. I can say that in the locations we initially went into the process you could feel a sense of hope from the letter carriers at those locations but we must get to a place where that hope is normal rather than the exception. My office will continue to facilitate JWIP anywhere in the region in order to make the workroom floor a better place. A place where letter carriers want to come to work. Nothing less is acceptable.
Postal Service Financial Statement Fiscal Year 2025
On November 14, 2025 the Postal service announced its Fiscal Year 2025 financial results, reporting a net loss of $9 billion, a $542 million decrease from last year. This does not bode well for us going into the last few months of our National Agreement. Congress needs to make reform so that the Postal Service is on better financial footing, like adopting the Segal accounting method for CSRS retirement, and passing legislation allowing a wider range of goods and services we can provide for our customers. These changes may be difficult but must be made in my opinion to ensure the long-term viability of the Postal Service, better service our customers and provide good middle-class career jobs.
Until next time stay safe out there,
David A. Teegarden
National Business Agent
NALC Region 5