Labor Force Podcast

This week, we cover a wave of worker struggles and the bigger political forces shaping them: IAM-Boeing showdown in St. Louis – workers fight back after Boeing calls their contract a “fake deal.” Houston hotel strike – Hilton workers demand fair pay, humane workloads, and respect. UAW at Volkswagen – momentum builds in Tennessee as workers weigh strike pledges. Iowa nurses organize – a grassroots...

This week on the Labor Force Podcast: Machinists at Boeing and aerospace workers at GE show what real solidarity looks like. Hotel workers in Houston hold the line for a living wage. Google’s hidden army of AI raters get chewed up and tossed aside. Starbucks baristas keep fighting through stonewalling and retaliation. Hollywood animators and production crews push union power into new territory. An...

In this episode of the Labor Force Podcast, we cover strike updates shaking up industries across the country—from Teamsters holding strong in Massachusetts and Minnesota, to Boeing machinists in St. Louis, to Hilton hotel workers in Houston making history in Texas. We dig into the widening gap between right-to-work states and free bargaining states, and what new research says about wages, union de...

September is here, but the labor movement hasn’t cooled down one bit. In this episode, we cover strikes stretching from Massachusetts to Houston, workers pushing back in the defense industry, and a historic new path for Uber and Lyft drivers to unionize in California. We’ll dig into: Massachusetts trash collectors striking for parity and dignity. Defense industry walkouts at GE Aerospace and Boein...

This week on the Labor Force Podcast: Strikes stretching from trash haulers to Boeing machinists A razor-thin UAW win at a new battery plant National park workers unionizing in droves A Labor Day push: Workers Over Billionaires The healthcare grind—why “preventive” doesn’t mean covered New data on young adults hitting pause on the American Dream A well-deserved Labor Day to all who toil in these c...

Another day, another blessed dollar—except not if you’re building billion-dollar jets for $20 an hour or getting paid zero bucks while passengers board. In this episode: Boeing on the Brink – 3,200 workers walk out in Missouri and Illinois, shutting down production of fighter jets and commercial planes. Their message? Respect doesn’t come cheap, and “best and final” isn’t final. Air Canada Attenda...

From trash piling up in Massachusetts to machinists walking out in St. Louis, the fight for fair pay and respect is raging coast to coast. This episode takes you inside the standoffs, the backroom games, and the political stonewalling—plus a look at the federal government’s latest assault on collective bargaining rights. We dig into the immigration crackdown gutting factory floors, hear from the u...

In this episode, we pull no punches. First, we unpack the shocking firing of BLS chief Erika McEntarfer by President Trump—an unprecedented move that sends tremors through the foundations of data integrity and democracy itself. What happens when truth gets treated as sabotage? Then, we check in on the labor frontlines: 🚛 Teamsters Local 25 ramp up their month-long strike against Republic Services...

In this episode, we take a sweeping look at the pressure points hitting America’s working class—from overflowing garbage in Massachusetts to high-stakes labor battles at Boeing and BlueOval SK. We examine what’s really behind the so-called “crisis” facing working-class men, challenging the misleading narratives that pit workers against one another. Then, we zoom in on something more personal but j...

In this jam-packed episode, we take a wide-angle look at the state of work, wages, burnout, and organizing in 2025—and what it all means for workers today. From the basketball court to the shop floor, from Congress to the college classroom, there’s one message echoing across every sector: enough is enough. 🏀 WNBA’s Bold Stand We break down the meaning behind the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” shirts at...

In this episode, we dig deep into the labor standoffs, service breakdowns, and survival strategies defining this American summer. 🔹 First up: The trash piling up in Boston isn’t just a nuisance—it’s the product of a two-week strike by Teamsters Local 25 against Republic Services. With failed negotiations, accusations flying, and the strike spreading coast to coast, we explore what happens when es...

In this episode, we take a hard look at how workers are being ground down across industries and institutions—from city halls to video game studios, from federal agencies to hotel rooms miscast as emergency housing. Episode Highlights: Philadelphia’s Massive Municipal Strike Ends Nearly 10,000 workers from AFSCME DC 33 walked out, shutting down city services. The strike ends with a tentative deal—o...

Graduation weekend may be over, but the education continues—on the picket lines, in courtrooms, and on the factory floor. In this episode, we hear from high school seniors with big dreams and sharp insights, then take a hard look at the growing wave of labor action rippling across the country. From nurses in Wisconsin to trash collectors in Boston, grocery clerks in Colorado to beer vendors at Fen...

In this wide-ranging episode, I dive deep into the latest battles over labor rights, the disruption caused by AI, and the fight for dignity in the modern workplace. From political power grabs aimed at crushing unions to billion-dollar tech firms casually announcing mass layoffs via AI, the threats are real—but so is the resistance. Plus, we end with an inspiring look at how worker cooperatives are...

In this episode of The Labor Force Podcast, I travel from the apple orchards of upstate New York to a corporate warehouse in Syracuse to NFL stadium sidelines—uncovering the common threads in modern labor struggles. I begin with a landmark union win at Cahoon Farms, where both year-round and seasonal H-2A guest workers have secured New York’s first-ever farmworker contract under the United Farm Wo...