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: hothousewithrichieray@gmail.com

Hot House with Richie Ray is a education podcast hosted by Big Rich, with 160 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Big Rich hosts Hot House with Richie Ray, a education show with 160 episodes published.

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  Hot House with Richie Ray

  Episode 160: From the Workroom Floor to the National Stage: Raquel “Rocky” Acasio Ready for Change

  Oct 1, 20261h 4m

  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 has been fighting for letter carriers ever since. In this special episode of Hot House with Richie Ray, we sitdown with CLC candidate for NALC Secretary-Treasurer Raquel “Rocky” Acasi o for a conversation about her journey from the workroom floor to the national stage. Rocky discusses becoming a steward in 1987, serving on the Dispute Resolution Team at Step B, handling grievances at Informal and Formal Step A, and serving as Branch 70Secretary-Treasurer from 2014–2025 before becoming Branch 70 Executive Vice President in 2026. But this conversation is also about the future of the NALC. Why does Rocky believe change is needed? What doesfinancial transparency and accountability mean to her? Why is she running for national office now? And what would she do differently if the membership elects her Secretary-Treasurer? Most importantly, we discuss the power of the rank-and-file member. Your vote matters.Your voice matters. This election isn't simply about choosing candidates it's about deciding what kind of union letter carriers want moving forward. Whether you support the CLC or another candidate, educate yourself, ask questions, examine the records, and VOTE. The NALC belongs to its members. Hot House with Richie Ray Knowledge is Power Your Voice Is Power. Your Vote Is Power. ROCK THE VOTE! Weir Report as Rocky mentioned here is the link chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://fromatoarbitration.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Weir_Report_Renfroe_2023.pdf

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  Hot House with Richie Ray

  Episode 159: The Road to Region 1 Allan Rios, Experience, Leadership & the Future of the NALC

  Sep 30, 20261h 46m

  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 service to letter carriers. Beginning as a casual employee in 1996, Allan shares how his experiences carrying mail shaped the representativehe became. The conversation explores his journey from shop steward to arbitration advocate, DRT representative, Regional Administrative Assistant, and ultimately National Business Agent. Listeners will hear personal stories from Allan's carrier days, lessons learned representing thousands of carriers, his thoughts on today's challenges facing the NALC, why he chose to run with the Concerned Letter Carriers slate, and whyevery member's vote could shape the future direction of the union. If you've ever wondered what it takes to become an NBA or what keeps someone fighting for carriers after decades of service this is an episode you won't want to miss.

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  Hot House with Richie Ray

  Episode 158: Accountability, Transparency, and the Future of the NALC: A Conversation with Presidential Candidate James D. Henry

  Sep 26, 20261h 55m

  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 Association of Letter Carriers, for one of the most direct and unfiltered conversations about the future of our union. We’re talking about the real issues carriers are dealing with every day forced overtime, excessive discipline, staffing shortages, and a grievance system buried under thousands of cases. Nothing is dodged. Nothing is sugarcoated. We press on transparency why carriers feel disconnected from leadership and what will actually change. We challenge contract decisions, “give-back” negotiations, and the culture inside the union itself. And we go even deeper into union democracy, accountability, and where the line is drawn between leadership and control. We also tackle the future: the rise of artificial intelligence, electronic monitoring, and what it all means for the job of a letter carrier inside the United States Postal Service. This episode isn’t about promises it’s about answers. If you’re a letter carrier who’s frustrated, paying attention, or wondering what comes next… this is one you don’t want to miss.

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  Hot House with Richie Ray

  Episode 157: Corey Walton Returns to the Hot House: Education, Leadership, and the Future of the NALC

  Sep 23, 20261h 39m

  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 Corey Walton. Most letter carriers already know who he is. This is about where the National Association of Letter Carriers stands today, why so many carriers are concerned about the future of the union, the role the Concerned Letter Carriers (CLC) campaign says it hopes to play in the upcoming election, and why Corey believes education has become one of the most powerful tools available to letter carriers. Corey has served as a city letter carrier for nearly three decades, represented carriers as a steward, Formal Step A representative, arbitration advocate, and safety leader,and built the From A to Arbitration podcast into a major educational resource for carriers. We'll discuss: The current state of the NALC. Why Corey decided to leave the comfort of local representation to run for national office. The importance of carrier education. The contract, arbitration, and the challenges facing today'sletter carriers. Why every vote matters. What Corey believes must change inside the union. Then... We'll end with one of the most entertaining parts of the Hot House... The Hot House Rapid Fire Game.

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  Hot House with Richie Ray

  Episode 156: SOME MORE TRUTH? The Story Behind the Story of John Cruz's Removal Case

  Sep 19, 202630 min

  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 media, Richie Ray went back to the original record. The grievance file. The emails written while the case was happening. John Cruz's own clarification. Orlando Gonzalez's Informal and Formal Step A work. The eventual arbitration preparation by Roy Jancio. And the emails concerning Paul Marks's involvement with the proposed pre-arbitration settlement. This isn't about denying anyone credit. It's about answering a bigger question: Can one person really claim a grievance victory when the case was built through multiple levels of the grievance procedure by multiple union representatives?

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