Shows / Hot House with Richie Ray
Hot House with Richie Ray
"Hothouse with Richie Ray” delves into the world of a city letter carrier, exploring the challenges and workplace issues that affect carriers. Richie educates both carriers and stewards, shedding light on the grievance process and the importance of union solidarity. Drawing inspiration from NALC members and podcasts like “From A to Arbitration,” “FedUp,” and “Classes Of Mail,” this show is a must-listen for those wanting a deeper understanding of the postal service and labor rights. Contact…
Episodes
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 168: The Charlie Caputo Interview Branch 6000
The interview with Charlie Caputo of Branch 6000 Merged, Long Island, New York will be a deep conversation about the man behind the union candidate. It begins…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 167: “USPS, ARE YOU LISTENING? THREE POSTAL WORKERS INJURED. THE WARNINGS WE CANNOT IGNORE.”
On November 5, 2026, two postal employees were shot and a third was injured while escaping gunfire at a USPS facility in Des Moines, Iowa. All three were…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 166: Stay in Your Lane How Branch 41 Won Grievance
This episode breaks down Local NALC Grievance Case involving City Letter Carrier . This was not fundamentally a case about whether management could explain the…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 165: From Air Force to Shop Floor: The Many Lives of Brother Obadiah Batten
Brother Obadiah Batten's journey is anything but ordinary. Before becoming a city letter carrier and union representative, he spent eight years serving his…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 164: WHO OWNS THE PICKUP? Publication 399, Crossing Crafts & How Local NALC Case 25C1076 Was Won
In this episode, we break down a problem every city carrier and shop steward needs to understand customer packagepickups being removed from city carrier routes…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 163: THE STEWARD IS NOT POWERLESS Know Your Rights, Build Your Case, Defend the Contract
This episode is a full-scale training session for shop stewards, branch officers, activists and every letter carrier who has ever wondered what a steward can…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 162: How We Won Emergency Placement
This grievance began when a CCA who was working a hold-down assignment reported to work expecting to carry that route. Management later discovered that…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 161: Why I’m Running Justin Frew on Leadership, Change & the Future of Branch 351
On this episode of Hot House with Richie Ray, we sit down with Justin Frew, candidate for President of NALC Branch 351 in Olympia. But this conversation isn't…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 160: From the Workroom Floor to the National Stage: Raquel “Rocky” Acasio Ready for Change
Nearly 40 years ago, Raquel “Rocky” Acasio began her postal career as a PTF letter carrier in San Diego. Just one year later, she became a shop steward and she…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 159: The Road to Region 1 Allan Rios, Experience, Leadership & the Future of the NALC
This episode goes far beyond campaign talking points. Richie Ray sits down with Region 1 National Business Agent Allan Rios to discuss nearly thirty years of…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 158: Accountability, Transparency, and the Future of the NALC: A Conversation with Presidential Candidate James D. Henry
This isn’t politics as usual this is The Hot House. In this episode, we sit down with James D. Henry, candidate for National President of the National…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 157: Corey Walton Returns to the Hot House: Education, Leadership, and the Future of the NALC
For the third maybe even fourth time, Corey Walton returns to the Hot House with Richie Ray. But this conversation is different. This isn't about introducing…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 156: SOME MORE TRUTH? The Story Behind the Story of John Cruz's Removal Case
A Facebook post started a debate over who deserves credit for defending Branch 41 President John Cruz against a Notice of Removal. Rather than argue on social…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 155: BUILT FOR THE FIGHT JERRY KERNER JR. ON LEGACY, LEADERSHIP, FEAR, AND THE FUTURE OF REGION 13
Jerry Kerner Jr. is not simply running for National Business Agent of Region 13—he is asking letter carriers to trust him with the responsibility of protecting…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 154: William “Billy” Moody CLC Candidate for National Business Agent Region 10
William “Billy” Moody is a U.S. Army veteran, longtimeletter carrier, labor leader, and President of NALC Branch 181 in Austin, Texas. Now he is seeking to…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
EPISODE 153: CLC CANDIDATE FOR NBA REGION 7 ELLIOT SIMMONS
On this episode of The Hot House with Richie Ray,we sit down with Elliot Simmons, a Table 2 City Letter Carrier, union representative, educator, podcaster, and…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 152: Fighting Back: A Letter Carrier’s Journey to Lead Region 6
In this episode of Hot House with Richie Ray, Region 6NBA candidate Walter McGregory breaks down his journey from PTF to arbitration advocate and explains why…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 151: Interview with NALC Branch 758 President Phil Bzura
NALC Branch 758 President Phil Bzura describes a long-running struggle over the grievance process in Region 6 and what he believes happens when regional…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 150: Supervisors or Scapegoats? Inside the USPS Management Crisis
Why do so many conflicts inside the Postal Service beginwith poor instructions, unrealistic projections, threats of discipline, and supervisors who seem more…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 149: The OIG Just Exposed the Postal Service's Biggest Problem. And It Isn't the Letter Carrier.
Operational and Financial Performance Across Postal Service Regions OIG Report 25-091-R26 (July 27, 2026) This report is one of the most significant USPS…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 148: Delayed Mail, Article 8, and the Truth About Overtime: What Every Letter Carrier Needs to Know
Is management allowed to delay the mail just to avoid paying overtime? That's the question we tackle in this episode of The Hot House with Richie Ray. We break…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 147: MIKE HAYDEN THE FIGHT FOR REGION 11
Mike Hayden has spent more than three decades as an NALCletter carrier and union representative, serving as a Branch President, Financial Secretary, Shop…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 146: Two Years 146 Episodes. One Mission. Knowledge Is Power.
On August 28, 2026, Hot House with Richie Ray celebrates two unforgettable years of education, advocacy, personal truth, and rank-and-file solidarity. What…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 145: Built by Union. Driven by Justice. In the Hot House with Kimetra Simpson-Lewis
For the first time, Kimetra "Kim" Simpson-Lewis stepsinto the Hot House. From becoming a shop steward in 1994 to leading Dallas Lone Star Branch 132 as Branch…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 144: CLC Candidate Interview Director of Retirees Anita Guzik
For nearly five decades, Anita Guzik has fought for letter carriers, retirees, and working families through every level of the labor movement. In this episode…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 143: “Challenging the Status Quo: Bill Kriebel, CLC, and the Fight for the Future”
What you witnessed today wasn't justanother podcast. It wasn't about personalities. It wasn't about campaign slogans. And it certainly wasn't about who can…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 142: CLC Region 8 NBA Candidate Danna Chambless
On this episode of Hot House with Richie Ray, we welcome back Danna Chambless, President of NALC Branch 4in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Concerned Letter…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 141: The Price of Speaking Up / Orlando Gonzalez
For decades, Orlando Gonzalez has dedicated his career to representing letter carriers not only as a steward, Formal A representative, route adjustment…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 140: Tom Rooney Returns Crisis, Change, and the Fight for the Future
In this powerful return to the Hot House, Tom Rooney and Richie Ray tackle some of the biggest issues facing letter carriers today. The conversation dives into…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 139: Rob Kosier Returns Why Safety Can No Longer Wait
Rob Kosier returns to The Hot House for the second time but this time, he's running for a different office. When Rob first joined us, he was a candidate for…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 138: Howard Komine in the Hot House: Leadership, Accountability, and the Future of the NALC
This episode of Hot House with Richie Ray is designed to go beyond campaign talking points and give members a deeper understanding of Howard Komine as both a…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 137: The State of the Union: Debra Dixon Returns to the Hot House
In this powerful return to Hot House with Richie Ray, Debra Dixon, candidate for NALC Region 2 National Business Agent on the Concerned Letter Carriers slate…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 136: Knowledge is Power Paul Boulanger on Building Better Stewards, Saving the Union, and Why This Election Will Shape the Future of the NALC
Paul Boulanger has spent decades representing letter carriers,serving as President of NALC Branch 44 in Manchester, New Hampshire, and now running as the…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 135: A Lifetime of Service: Soldier, Union Leader, and Candidate for NALC Director of Life Insurance (MBA)
On this episode of The Hot House with Richie Ray,mwe welcome Brother Phillip Rodriguez, candidate forNALC Director of Life Insurance (Mutual Benefit…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 134: The Watchdog of the Union David Grosskopf Jr. for NALC Trustee
In this episode, Richie Ray sits down with David Grosskopf Jr.,President of Branch 3 and candidate for NALC National Trustee on the Concerned Letter Carriers…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 133: National Convention Diary Episode five "The Journey Begins: Los Angeles, Here We Come
National Convention Diary What This Series Is Welcome to the National Convention Diary, a special series from Hot House with Richie Ray. This isn't a news…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 132: I Kept the Receipts: William Boone, Poor Planning, and Misplaced Blame
In this explosive episode of The Hot House with Richie Ray, Richie sets the record straight about his dispute with William Boone. While attending the…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 131: National Convention Diary Episode four "The Journey Begins: Los Angeles, Here We Come
National Convention Diary What This Series Is Welcome to the National Convention Diary, a special series from Hot House with Richie Ray. This isn't a news…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 130: National Convention Diary Episode three "The Journey Begins: Los Angeles, Here We Come
National Convention Diary What This Series Is Welcome to the National Convention Diary, a special series from Hot House with Richie Ray. This isn't a news…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 129: Organizing for Change: A Conversation with Catherine 'Cathy' Jones
On this episode of The Hot House with Richie Ray, wewelcome Catherine "Cathy" Jones, city letter carrier fromMinneapolis, longtime union activist, candidate…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 128: National Convention Diary – Episode Two “The Journey Begins: Los Angeles, Here We Come
National Convention Diary What This Series Is Welcome to the National Convention Diary, a special series from Hot House with Richie Ray. This isn't a news…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 127: Beyond the Satchel, Beyond the Ballot: Getting to Know AFL-CIO Delegate Candidate Cristal Czajkoski
Who is Cristal Czajkoski beyond the campaign literature and beyond the microphone? In this episode of The Hot House with Richie Ray, we sit down with AFL-CIO…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 126: National Convention Diary – Episode One “The Journey Begins: Los Angeles, Here We Come
National Convention Diary What This Series Is Welcome to the National Convention Diary, a special series from Hot House with Richie Ray. This isn't a news…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 125 : The Union Airwaves Round Table
Brothers and sisters, what an incredible discussion. Tonight wasn't about proving who was right. It wasn'tabout creating division. It was about bringing…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 124: Brother John Cruz joins Richie Ray on the Hot House live stream on YouTube and Facebook!
In this powerful episode, President John Cruz and Richie Ray talk shop and discuss the importance of supporting the Concerned Letter Carriers (CLC) and voting…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 123: Knowledge Is Power: How the Union Wins Discipline Cases — Don't Argue the Drama, Argue the Contract
On this episode of Knowledge Is Power, we're breaking down two outstanding grievance victories that every shop steward, branch officer, and letter carrier…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 122: Brother Don Hess Duty, Sacrifice, and the Battle That Never Ended
This episode of Hot House with Richie Ray is more than aconversation it's the story of a union activist whose life was forever changed by the COVID-19…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 121: The Therapy Session Hector Narvaez From TE to Targeted, From Carrier to Fighter
This is not just another union interview. This is a story of survival, growth, and sacrifice. In this episode of Hot House with Richie Ray, Richie sits down…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 120: no show Hector The Staten Island Crew Round Table: The State of the Letter Carrier in 2026
The Staten Island Crew returns to the Hot House for anhonest and unfiltered round table discussion on the issues affecting letter carriers across the country…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 119: The Workroom Floor Trap: DOIS, 3996s, Deems Desirable & Holiday Scheduling
In this powerful episode of Hot House with Richie Ray, we break down some of the biggest traps management uses against letter carriers on the workroom floor…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 118: The Hard Questions | William Boone in the Hot House- Part Two
Part Two of the Hot House with William Boone shifts from biography to substance. This is where the campaign gets tested. Richie Ray presses Boone on whether…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 117: Who Is William Boone? | The Man Behind the Movement – Part One
In Part One of the Hot House, Richie Ray sits down with William Boone, candidate for National Association of Letter Carriers Director of Safety and Health, to…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 116: Third Class in Our Own Union? The Table 2 Divide Exposed
On this explosive episode of Hot House With Richie Ray, Richie sits down with Branch 701 President Sean McGlynn for one of the rawest and most emotional…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 115: Chris Helms Federal Injury Centers: Navigating OWCP and Protecting Injured Federal Workers
This episode of Hot House with Richie Ray takes a hard look at what really happens when federal employees get injured onthe job and why so many end up losing…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 114: This Is My Therapy Session
In this emotional and brutally honest episode, Richie Ray opens up about the growing frustration, disappointment, and division happening within his local…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 113: Knowledge is Power
In one of the most personal and emotional episodes yet, Richie Ray pulls back the curtain on the growing division inside the Postal Service and asks the hard…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 112 : Restoring Trust: The CLC Candidates for NALC Trustee Speak Out
In this powerful episode, we sit down with three candidates for National Trustee John A. Cruz, David Grosskopf Jr., and Howard Komine all running on the…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 111:The Most Dangerous Order CCAs Are Told to Follow
CCAs across the country are being told to drive theirpersonal vehicles between stations while on the clock—often without clear authorization, protection, or…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 110: The Day the Mail Stops Moving – The Hidden Crisis Inside the Postal Service
In this episode, we take a hard look at the growing gap between what postal leadership says about the future of the United States Postal Service and what…
- Hot House with Richie Ray
Episode 109: How Letter Carriers Enforce Mutual Respect in the USPS
This episode cuts straight through the noise to define what “Mutual Respect” actually means under the collective bargaining agreement and why it is not…