Episode 151: Interview with NALC Branch 758 President Phil Bzura

<p>NALC Branch 758 President <strong>Phil </strong> Bzura describes a long-running struggle over the grievance process in Region 6 and what he believes happens when regional leadership loses touch with the branches and stewards it is supposed to serve.</p><p>Phil explains that the <strong>Dispute Resolution Process (DRP)</strong> was presented as a way to resolve grievances quickly and at the lowest possible level, reducing the need for arbitration andproviding timely remedies. But in Branch 758&#39;s experience, management repeatedly failed to meet on grievances and failed to provide requested information, while many Step B decisions provided little or no meaningful remedy.</p><p>Branch 758 continued fighting. Eventually, a case went to arbitration and an arbitrator awarded <strong>$500 for management&#39;s repeated violations.</strong> From there, monetary remedies began appearing at Step B, and subsequent arbitration and pre-arbitration settlements produced escalating remedies reaching approximately <strong>$1,000</strong>. Under former Region 6 NBA <strong>Troy Clark,</strong> Phil says the branchobtained strong settlements, including precedent-setting agreements and meaningful monetary remedies. Branch 758 also negotiated a Formal Step A agreement worth<strong> $2,400 on two grievances.</strong></p><p>According to Phil, things changed dramatically after Clark&#39;s departure.</p><p>Phil recounts learning from his own postmaster that two pre-arbitration cases had been settled for only <strong>$25 each.</strong> He and Steward Fuson immediately contacted Kyle to question why cases that had previously produced significantly larger remedies were suddenly being settled for such small amounts.</p><p>The disagreement became deeply personal when, according to Phil, Kyle responded to concerns about the enormous amount of work Branch 758&#39;s stewards put into their grievances by saying, <strong>&quot;Get better stewards.&quot;</strong> Fuson was sitting beside Phil and heard the remark.</p><p>For Phil, that moment represents something much bigger than two $25 settlements. It raises fundamental questions about <strong>respect, accountability, grievance enforcement, thetreatment of local stewards, and whether regional officers remember that their responsibility is to serve the membership and support the branches.</strong></p><p>The interview also explores Phil&#39;s own history in the NALC where he started, why he became involved, his development from letter carrier and union representative to <strong>President of Branch 758, </strong>the sacrifices leadership has required, and why hecontinues fighting despite the frustrations he has experienced.</p><p>Finally, the conversation turns toward the future of Region 6 and <strong>Walter McGregory.</strong></p><p>Phil will explain why he believes in Walter not simply as a candidate, but as a union brother and leader. The discussion asks what Phil has personally witnessed from Walter, why he trusts him, how Walter treats stewards and branch presidents, and why Phil believes Walter can restore <strong>respect, communication, training, aggressive contract enforcement, meaningful remedies, and trust between the Region 6 office and its branches.</strong></p><p>Ultimately, this interview isn&#39;t about <strong>$25 versus $1,000.</strong></p><p>It&#39;s about something much larger:</p><p><strong>What is representation supposed to mean? Who does regional leadership work for? What happens when local stewards feel abandoned by their own leadership? And what kind of leadership does Region 6 need moving forward?</strong></p><p>This is Phil  Bzura&#39;s opportunity to tell that story from where he came from, through the battles that shaped him, to why he believes <strong>Walter McGreggory represents the change Region 6 needs.</strong></p><p></p>