America’s Work Force Union Podcast

May Day and Workers Memorial Week arrived with a sobering reminder of the stakes for the American labor movement. On today’s episode, we explore the stark contrast between a regional construction explosion in Central Ohio and a national crisis in workplace safety enforcement. Segment 1: The Central Ohio Surge with Dorsey Hager Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohi...

The landscape of the American workforce is evolving at lightning speed, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) is at the center of the transition. In this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, host Ed “Flash” Ferenc sits down with Brian Andersen, Business Manager of IBEW Local 601. Together, they dive into the critical state of the trades in 2026, focusing on how L...

Is winning a union election enough? In Colorado, the answer is no. On today’s episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we dive into two distinct battles where the rules of the game are being rigged against working people—from the statehouse in Denver to the cockpit of the world's largest airlines. Segment 1: The "Second Election" Suppression Andy Jacob, Chief of Staff for SEIU Local 105, joi...

Is BP using an ExxonMobil playbook to break the union in Indiana? In this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we dive into the heart of the labor struggle at the BP Whiting refinery. USW Local 7-1 President Eric Schultz joins us to pull back the curtain on the lockout of over 800 union members at the nation's largest inland refinery. Schultz details how BP transitioned from "surface bar...

Segment 1: The Corporate Welfare Problem Sarah Anderson, Global Economy Director at the Institute for Policy Studies, joins us to break down a staggering new report on America’s 20 largest low-wage employers. While companies like Walmart, Amazon, and Home Depot report record profits and spend billions on stock buybacks, their median worker pay often falls below the threshold for Medicaid and SNAP....

As the University System of Georgia enforces a sweeping return-to-office mandate, staff members are facing a harsh reality: commuting costs are effectively gutting already poverty-level wages. In this episode, we sit down with David Hyde (UCW-GSU Chapter Chair) and Rachel Schrauben Yeates (Kennesaw State University Member-Leader) from UCW-CWA Local 3821. They reveal the staggering data behind the...

A major legislative victory is brewing on Capitol Hill. Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Mechanical Insulators LMCT, joins the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to announce the introduction of S. 4312—the bipartisan Senate companion bill to the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act. Fresh off the NABTU Legislative Conference, Ielmini pulls back the curtain on the "ground game" in D.C., explain...

On this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we examine the "grind" of organizing—and the massive results it's starting to yield across the country. Segment 1: Ohio Library & Education Wins Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, joins us to celebrate a historic run of library victories. The Pay Gap: How newly unionized libraries like Worthington have already s...

Live from the 2026 NABTU Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., NABTU President Sean McGarvey joins the America’s Work Force Union Podcast. McGarvey breaks down the landmark NABTU-OpenAI partnership, the record-shattering growth of union apprenticeships, and his urgent call for a bipartisan federal plan to protect workers from AI-driven displacement. As thousands of building trades leaders de...

Segment 1: Building a Healthcare System That Works for Working Families Three decades of experience have given Kari Hedges, Senior Vice President of Market Solutions at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, a clear view of what remains broken in American medicine. Joining National Labor Office Executive Director Merrilee Logue, Hedges discusses the urgent need for data interoperability—the abili...

Segment 1: Remembrance as an Action Jeff Stoffer, Director of Media and Communications for The American Legion, joins the show to preview the May issue of The American Legion Magazine. Stoffer breaks down the "Forever Promise" project—a deeply moving Dutch tradition where local families have adopted and tended the graves of over 10,000 U.S. service members since 1945. We also tackle a growing dome...

“Washington needs more people who have worn a tool belt and fewer who take orders from donors.” Today on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we’re joined by Brian Poindexter, a member of Ironworkers Local 17 and a five-term Brook Park City Councilman currently running for Congress in Ohio’s 7th District. Poindexter shares his "old-school" approach to a modern campaign, focusing on door-knockin...

Segment 1: The Midwest Primary Ground Game with Frank Mathews The 2026 primary season is officially underway, and for the Communication Workers of America (CWA) District 4, this isn't just a warmup—it's a proving ground. Administrative Director Frank Mathews joins the show to discuss why labor is prioritizing "lived experience" candidates in Ohio and Wisconsin. From the momentum of the Wisconsin S...

Five years ago, the American retirement system faced a "cascading collapse" that threatened to wipe out the hard-earned security of union households nationwide. Today, the Butch Lewis Act stands as a landmark victory for organized labor. On this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, host Ed “Flash” Ferenc sits down with Austin Keyser, International Vice President for the IBEW 4th District...

What does it take to grow a union to 50,000 members across three states? According to UFCW 3000 President Faye Guenther, it isn't a branding exercise—it’s a disciplined strategy of building "strike-ready" leverage. In today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Guenther joins us to pull back the curtain on how Local 3000 became a regional powerhouse. From her roots as the daughter o...

Lily Epstein of National Nurses United joins the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to detail the high-stakes battle at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. What began as contract negotiations quickly shifted when nurses uncovered systemic payroll errors, missed-break pay violations and delayed compensation. Epstein explains how these wage-and-hour issues are inextricably linked to chronic understa...

As we move through 2026, the stakes for the American worker have never been higher. International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craft Workers (BAC) President Timothy J. Driscoll joins the America’s Work Force Union Podcast for a deep dive into the shifting landscape of the construction industry. In this episode, we discuss: The Infrastructure Gap: Why scaling back federal investment is a "qualit...

Two powerhouses of the American labor movement join the America’s Work Force Union Podcast today to discuss the evolving strategy of the AFL-CIO in the nation’s most critical political and economic hubs. Segment 1: Organizing and AI in the Golden State Lorena Gonzalez, President of the California Federation of Labor Unions, joins us to explain why California is the nation's primary testing ground...

“I was looking for a way to move beyond survival work and into something that could support a real future.” Liz Looper spent years in the cycle of low-wage work, juggling the pressures of motherhood and constant financial uncertainty. She knew she needed a change, but like many, she didn’t realize the door to the skilled trades was wide open for her. On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force...

Three years after East Palestine, and just weeks after a major chlorine leak at a Washington Court House water plant required a multi-county response, a haunting question remains: Is Ohio actually prepared for the next big one? On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we sit down with Jon Harvey, President of the Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters (OAPFF). While ne...

The data center boom is reshaping the Midwest, while at the national level, workers are rising up to demand economic accountability. On this episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we tackle two defining fronts of the modern labor movement: the massive industrial build-out of digital infrastructure and the nationwide mobilization for affordability and representation. Segment 1: Building...

Are the glory days of Midwest manufacturing being dismantled piece by piece? Whirlpool’s latest job cuts in Amana, Iowa, are more than just business adjustments—they are a wake-up call for the American labor movement. In this episode, we sit down with IAM Union leaders and a 30-year plant veteran to discuss the steady erosion of one of Iowa’s most vital manufacturing hubs. From a peak of 3,000 wor...

The invisible machinery of the American government is under immense strain. On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, NTEU National President Doreen Greenwald joins us to pull back the curtain on the mounting crises facing federal employees. From the IRS to the border, federal agencies are battling a "perfect storm" of staffing freezes, buyout programs, and the recurring threat...

In an industry where 90 percent of new workers quit within the first year, the Deep Sea Fishermen’s Union of the Pacific stands as a testament to the power of organized labor in the most extreme conditions. On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Executive Director James Johnson joins host Ed “Flash” Ferenc to pull back the curtain on the commercial fishing industry. Johnson...

Is your digital identity safe? And is your health plan doing enough to keep you on the job? On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we’re tackling the two biggest frontiers in modern labor: Artificial Intelligence and Nutritional Health. Segment 1: Protecting Your Likeness with SAG-AFTRA First, we’re joined by Jeffrey Bennett, General Counsel for SAG-AFTRA. As AI "cloning" te...