Words and Work

Ted Prezelski interviews long time Arizona Republic reporter Richard Ruelas. Ruelas is one of the organizers of the Arizona Republic Guild, an affiliate of the Newsguild - Communication Workers of America. Ruelas describes the situation that led his sister and brother reporters to organize and talks about the challenges facing reporters in the current economy.

Jeremy Bernick talks about the issues facing employees at the University of Arizona and his activism with United Campus Workers, a union of workers at both the U of A and ASU affiliated with CWA. He also talks about his recent elevation to the Graduate Council, an elected body that advocates for graduate student issues.

Ted Prezelski interviews Dr. Minoru Yanagihashi, a professor at the University of Arizona, about his book about the Japanese-American experience in the 20th and 21st centuries. Yanagihashi was born in Hawaii but moved to Arizona in the 1970s.

In honor of the upcoming Cesar Chavez holiday, Ted Prezelski speaks with Cam Juárez. Cam talks about growing up in a farmworker family as one of "Cesar's kids." Cesar Chavez and his movement led him into a life of public service, including his current work as a ranger at Saguaro National Park.

Ted Prezelski talks to Ken Kennon, whose recent book Marriage of Earth and Sky is about his parents who were leaders in education and the arts in the Ozarks. He also talks a bit about his activism and his previous book, Prisioner of Concience.

We chatted with Erica about her effort to organize workers at Defenders of Wildlife last year, but we are getting an update from her on what happend when her now-former employer had to face the National Labor Relations Board.

Ted Prezelski talks to James Watson of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. James is a one time Tucsonan and worked at the Ratheon facility south of Tucson for years. He talks not only about his work with the union, but about their new programs for veterans.

Ted Prezelski talks to Marcelino Flores, newly elected president of AFSCME 449, which represents government employees. Flores talks about his labor advocacy, as well as the workforce development programs he manages for Pima County.

Ted Prezelski interviews Evan Tuohy, the newly elected vice president of AFM Local 33, which represents musicians in Tucson.

This week, workers at a Starbucks in Tucson had a one day strike to demand that management recognize their rights as unionized employees. Ted Prezelski talked to several of them.

Ted Prezelski interviews Michael K. Ward, author of Ghost Riders in the Sky, a biography of Stan Jones. The book is named for the popular song that Jones wrote during his time as a park ranger in Death Valley. Just like Jones, Ward was a park ranger at Death Valley as well as Tucson's Saguaro National Park.

Ted Prezelski talks to Paul Ingram of the Tucson Sentinel. Ingram covers many issues, most notably the border. He talks about that topic and what a lot of people get wrong about it.

Ted Prezelski talks to Javier Soto of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Javier talks about the work he does as an electrician as well as the work his union does training workers.

Ted Prezelski has another visit from Ryan Kelly, who gives an update on labor in Southern Arizona.

Ted Prezelski talks to Chris Cheely of SMART, a union that includes railway employees. Chris talks a bit about the history of the railroads as well as a recently averted strike.

Ted Prezelski talks to Luci Messing, a long time Tucson teacher.

Ted Prezelski talks to Ryan Mims. Mims is originally from Arizona but works on the staff of AFGE in California. He has written a novel called Midnight Train to Everywhere.

Ted Prezelski interviews Sue Blakely, who had family members on both sides of the Bisbee Deportation, an event that involved the arrest and deportation of 1700 striking miners and their supporters from Bisbee, Arizona in 1917.

Ted Prezelski interviews Kaelon Fox, who serves as the FC Tucson representative for the United Soccer League Players Association.

Ted Prezelski speaks with Bennito Kelty about becoming a journalist and what got him from Colorado to Tucson.

Ted Prezelski interviews one of the stars of Reservation Dogs, Jon Proudstar. Proudstar just finished an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con where he rolled out a new run of his series Tribal Force, a comic featuring Native American superheroes.

There has been a wave of organizing by Starbucks employees (known as "partners" in the company's parlance) and Tucson has its first unionized location. Ted Prezelski speaks with Starbucks worker Ivan Modesto about the issues that led to their organizing.

Ted Prezelski interviews the two founders of the Labor Radio Podcast Network, an online clearinghouse, organization and help desk for various labor podcasters and radio shows across the country.

Henry Barajas recently announced that he will be appearing at Tucson ComiCon in September and will also be having a Batman story published around that time. Given that, we are revisiting last year's interview with him.

Ted Prezelski interviews Dylan Smith about the Tucson Sentinel, an online publication he started after the Tucson Citizen shut down. Smith is also the founder of LION, an association of publishers of community-based online newspapers.