A Work(place) in Progress

Episode three focuses on the exploitation of professional athletes, specifically in the NFL and the MLB. Pranav and Timy explain the significance of labor activism in this field, the importance of unions, and how advocating and fighting for players’ rights can bring change to this industry that many love. Taking on controversies in professional sports, such as the use of turf fields, as well as hi...

This episode amplifies the achievements of women in Georgia’s theater scene and highlight a key figure, Maria Irene Fornes. Fornes, a dramatist and feminist playwright who was interested in exposing the patriarchy and its effects on women in her plays. Tatiyana and Yasmine discuss Fornes’ contributions to theater as well as the theatrical labor activism of the troupe, Sisters of No Mercy. Bonus: T...

In the first episode of season four, Mckenzie and Da’Nasia peer into the limelight to uncover the exploitative practices common within the music industry. Covering public infringement on artists’ personal lives as well as the dangling promise of fame that seemingly justifies labels’ and producers’ manipulation the rights of artists’ work, this episode considers how workers in creative media indust...

In the final episode of this season, Josh and Ralph take on the ongoing impact of Hollywood Writers’ Strikes. The conditions of writers have changed by leaps and bounds over past decades, but there is still room to improve. By focusing on the history and activism of Writers Guild of America West, which covers Hollywood and its writers, alongside allied industry grievances in Atlanta, “the Hollywoo...

This episode scrutinizes copyright and royalties in the music industry and how the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) complicates the use rights and protections extended to artists and their work. Using historical contacts found in the archives to examine traditional copyright law, Aayoush and Nazire discuss the complicated issue of who should receive credit and compensation when an AI g...

This episode informs viewers about the mistreatment that sex workers face at (and because of) their jobs, as well as the history of sex work and changing societal perspectives about the sex industry overall. Olivia and Faith discuss the potential future of sex workers unionizing and how this may impact the industry and beyond. Cover Photo by Kaboompics.com:  https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-woman-ho...

Abortion has long been a heavily debated, sensitive topic that returns lately to the forefront of policies and politics. Dedicating their episode to this subject, Summaya and Darrian point out the ways in which abortion access is a labor issue, too. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR), states with severe abortion restrictions experience economic underperformance. These re...

This episode focuses on pregnancy discrimination in the workforce, presenting real-life cases, identifying discriminatory policies, and the considering the experiences of those affected. Hosts Yaasmeen, Aisha, and Zakirah highlight the systemic injustices pregnant workers face in multiple industries as well as the legal protections available to pregnant workers and the ongoing struggles for equali...

Childcare workers are expected to find fulfillment without recognition or fair compensation for their work apart from the emotional connections and devotion they feel for the children they care for. This devaluation of traditionally women’s work has been rooted in gendered notions of “natural” caregiving and can affect early childhood professionals and, in turn, children. Using archival materials...

Nursing is a vast field, with many opportunities and specialties, but also various labor issues. This episode discusses nursing shortages due to lack of pay and insufficiency of resources. Len and Taniya base their episode on an artifact from the Southern Labor Archives that predicts these very factors will lead to the nursing shortages we see today. In this episode, hosts break down how we got to...

This episode emphasizes connections between the clothes we wear and the people who make them. Sydney and Jadyn discuss their work in the Southern Labor Archives, taking a look at the lives of garment workers in the 1930s, and connect their stories to the lives of garment workers today. They address globalization, consumerism, and the role of labor unions in combating the exploitation of garment wo...

In the first episode of Season 3, Paige, Reginis, and Celisse present excerpts from the oral history of textile worker and labor activist, Nanny Leah Washburn, connecting her experiences as a textile worker to the present-day textile workers. There are many similarities and differences between the working conditions of those in the industry then and now. Low pay, poorly kept physical working envir...

In this final episode, Shannon Finck, Lisa Vallen, and Em Gates discuss the Southern Labor Archives, Writing Across the Curriculum at GSU, and the design and development of this Honors ENGL 1103 course. Image courtesy of Georgia State University Library's Archives and Special Collections

There is a hidden, and often overlooked side of the creativity industry, ranging from entertainment industry to the artistic industry, there is unseen and unnoticed labor. However, one of the similarities in these fields is the disadvantages, underappreciation, and inadequate recognition of those hidden under the surface of what you see every day. In this episode, “The Hidden Creative Industry,” N...

In “Raising the Curtain on Women in Theater”, Jayda Holsey, Lily Jolles, and Cedriyana Simmons first detail the emergence of the feminist theater movement. They then transition to uncover an artifact hidden only within the GSU archives, bringing to life a piece of forgotten history of the feminist theater movement in Atlanta. This culminates in the hosts divulging the impact that the movement curr...

Scott, Mahi, and DeAngelo researched the history of labor in the aviation industry. They first look into the PATCO strikes of 1981 and examined them and their picketing protests for better conditions. They compare these strikes to today’s aviation industry and the American Airlines flight attendants' picket lines for better conditions, pay, and time off as well. Although PATCO went on strike, the...

In this episode, Brittany and Ethan explore the historical change of teacher evaluations by focusing into Mary Lou Romaine's experiences in the 1970’s Georgia education system. We highlight differences between past and current teacher qualifications, such as transcripts and evaluation criteria. Mary Lou’s story, as a teacher focused on advocating for educationers as whole, becomes a focal point. S...

This episode is hosted by Prince Azaan-Wells and Ore Olayinka. The episode focuses on the struggle that Georgia's healthcare workers faced throughout the early 1900s. Healthcare workers went on strike as a way to advocate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. A strike was a last resort for these employees. Especially since they had previously expressed their grievances and concerns a...

This episode considers the widespread phenomenon of burnout among healthcareworkers, particularly in the case of nurses and for women in the profession especially. The hope of this podcast is to raise awareness to the problems affecting nurses and provide possible solutions to them. Among several stark realities of caring professions like nursing that this episode will cover in brief, these hosts...

In the first episode of season two of A Work(place) in Progress , Sadik, Eva, and Hannah discuss the UFW. The United Farm Workers was a union founded by Cesar Chavez to fight against mistreatment by their employers. The UFW tried plenty of things to try and obtain better working conditions such as sending Chavez on a trip around Europe to gather support from foreign nations, organizing strikes, an...

In the final episode of season one, Alex Hess, Harshini Mahesh, and Maymuna Sabree discuss automation and AI’s relationship to labor by unpacking a 1964 speech by a Representative for the International Association of Machinists titled “America’s Response To The Challenge Of Automation”. This speech, an artifact from the Southern Labor Archives, unveils America’s reaction to automation at a time wh...

This episode starts with a history of the first large union in the entertainment industry, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. It talks about how the union started and how it ended up with over 170,000 members today. It then focuses on the SAG-Aftra and WGA strikes that occurred this year, broadly outlining the reasons the strike started and how it ended for the screen actors...

In this episode, Emily, Gloria, and Liauna delve into the topic of women's rights concerning motherhood and its impact on their professional lives. Their conversation explores the hurdles confronted by pregnant individuals in the workplace, unveiling systemic biases that play a role in the gender pay gap. The episode navigates personal stories, legal perspectives, and workplace dynamics, offering...

This episode, titled "Journals of Refugee Women: History of Immigrants and Women of Color in the Workforce," centers on inequality for women of color, immigrants, and refugees in the workforce. Using a reference from Georgia State University’s Southern Labor Archives, containing documents from the Refugee Women’s Network, Amy and Janelle show us some past and present issues for these women workers...

In this compelling episode, Lizbeth and Rachel delve into the history of the convict labor system that is built on a past of slavery and "chain gangs" which transformed into the convict leasing system. The discussion presents diverse perspectives on the convict labor system and why some people strongly defend it, while others show strong opposition. Shedding light on the inherent abuses and injust...