America’s Work Force Union Podcast

Galesburg’s First: Haley Stevenson on Breaking the Firehouse "Brass Ceiling"

What does it actually take to be "the first"? In this episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we sit down with Haley Stevenson, the first female firefighter in the history of IAFF Local 555 and the Galesburg Fire Department.

Haley pulls back the curtain on the "hiring gauntlet"—from the grueling physical combat challenge to the mental pressure of the fire academy. We also dive into a critical conversation on how union-management collaboration solved high-stakes policy gaps regarding pregnancy and light duty, proving that inclusivity doesn't mean lowering standards—it means strengthening the line.

Listen now to hear:

• The reality of the 1.5-mile run and ladder climb.
• How a union household upbringing shaped her career path.
• The "hidden" recruitment barriers for women in the trades and public safety.

Cara Siegel on Hire360, Clean Energy and the Retention of Women in the Trades

Welcome to the debut of Trades Day on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast! In this inaugural segment, host Ed “Flash” Ferenc is joined by Cara Siegel, a Journeyperson with IBEW Local 601 and an instructor for the East Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council.

Siegel provides an inside look at Illinois’ Hire360 pre-apprenticeship model—a game-changing pipeline that is bridging the gap between curiosity and a career in the union trades. We dive into the practical realities of workforce development, from teaching math to adults to the surging demand for skilled labor driven by Illinois’ clean energy policies.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Hire360 Advantage: How pre-apprenticeship reduces risk for both workers and the industry.

• The Clean Energy Shift: Why solar, wind, and data centers are reshaping the IBEW’s workload.

• Retention vs. Recruitment: Siegel’s blunt assessment of why we are losing tradeswomen and what must change (childcare, leave, and culture).

• Nuclear & Data Centers: A nuanced look at Illinois’ energy mix and the community impact of rapid infrastructure build-outs.

Go Behind the Scenes of the Labor Movement: Every victory starts with workers standing together. Subscribe to the AWF Union Podcast for daily interviews with the leaders building worker power across America. Visit us at awf.labortools.com.

Nurses Fight for Safety with Mary Turner, NNU | Labor’s AI Strategy with Dave Megenhardt, ULA

The frontline of healthcare and the frontier of tech are colliding.

In this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we tackle two of the most significant shifts facing the American worker today: the healthcare staffing crisis and the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence.

National Nurses United (NNU) with Mary Turner, NNU President
Mary Turner discusses the "Red Alert Hospital Tour." As corporate health systems prioritize profits over patients, Turner explains why nurses are taking the fight to the streets to prevent hospital closures and enforce safe staffing ratios.

• The "Moral Injury" of Nursing: Why clinical standards are non-negotiable.

• Red Alert Tour: Building community power to save local healthcare anchors.

United Labor Agency (ULA) with Dave Megenhardt, Executive Director
Dave Megenhardt joins us to discuss the "Workers First Summit" and the labor movement's response to AI. With the potential to compress decades of disruption into years, Megenhardt explains how unions are bargaining for guardrails.

• The Job Chain Threat: How AI affects manufacturing, trucking, and logistics simultaneously.

• Policy & Protection: Why worker voice must be built into AI deployment.

Support the Show: Every victory at the bargaining table starts with workers standing together. Subscribe for the latest interviews with the leaders building worker power across America.

Links:

• Website: https://awf.labortools.com

Building the Future: Intel’s Expansion & The New Era of Labor Leadership

The Workforce Pipeline: From Data Centers to National Leadership

On this episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we go inside the two engines driving the modern labor movement: massive infrastructure build-outs and the development of the next generation of union leaders.

Segment 1: Central Ohio’s Construction Revolution Dorsey Hager, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, joins the show to discuss the "stacking" of megaprojects in the region.

• Intel Update: Why the duration of the Licking County build matters more than the peak headcount.

• The Power Demand: How "behind-the-meter" power and the $850M Bluegrass Power Station are creating a secondary wave of union jobs.

• Data Center Ecosystems: Moving beyond the initial build to long-term maintenance and modernization.

Segment 2: Organizing, Action, and Union Pipelines Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, checks in to discuss the national landscape for workers in 2026.

• USW History: The significance of Roxanne Brown taking the helm as the 10th International President of the United Steelworkers.

• The Worker-Candidate Surge: How union members are translating shop-floor leadership into successful campaigns for public office.

• Coalition Power: Why labor is aligning with community partners to protect voting access and economic fairness.

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GET INVOLVED: Every victory starts with workers standing together. Subscribe to the AWF Union Podcast for daily interviews with the leaders building worker power across America.

Visit us at: awf.labortools.com Follow the movement: #UnionStrong #BuildingTrades #AFLCIO #Labor2026 #IntelOhio #WorkerPower

Beyond the Hard Hat: Why Childcare & Retention Matter for Women in the Trades with IBEW 11’s Diana Limon

"It’s education’s best-kept secret." During Women in Construction Week, we’re going beyond the recruitment posters to talk about what it actually takes to build a career in the electrical industry. Joining the America’s Work Force Union Podcast is Diana Limon, Director of Women Recruitment and Support at IBEW Local 11 in Los Angeles.

Diana didn’t follow a family pipeline into the trades—she found her way through a newspaper ad in 1995 after realizing college wasn't delivering the stability she needed. Now, she’s leading the charge to ensure the next generation of women doesn't just enter the trade, but stays there.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Retention Gap: Why recruitment is only half the battle and how childcare remains a structural barrier to women in construction.

• The ERiCA Grant: How California is finally putting real resources toward childcare support for apprentices.

• Apprenticeship Readiness: The role of MC3 and WINTER programs in preparing women for the physical and cultural realities of the jobsite.

• The Union Advantage: Why collective bargaining is the only way to guarantee equal pay, pensions, and a path to leadership.

Listen in to hear how IBEW Local 11 is moving the needle on workforce capacity and true equity on the jobsite.

The 4 AM Reality: Krissy Webber on Childcare Barriers for Women in the Trades

Women in Construction Week is about more than just a recruitment campaign—it’s about a workforce reality.

Joining the America’s Work Force Union Podcast is Krissy Webber, Business Manager of the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and Allied Workers Local 97 in Illinois. As one of the few women leading a construction local, Webber offers a blunt assessment of why the industry must evolve to meet modern labor demands.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Union Advantage: Why equal pay, healthcare, and pensions starting on "Day 1" make roofing a middle-class stabilizer.

• The Retention Gap: Why the "4:00 AM reality" of construction start times makes childcare the #1 barrier for women in the trades.

• Leadership Representation: Why having women in less than 1% of management roles stalls recruitment momentum.

• Career Transitions: Webber’s shift from the burnout of retail management to the security of a union career.

Webber’s message to women is simple: The trades are a present workforce necessity, not a future goal. Get involved, find your allies, and start building your retirement today.

San Diego’s Labor Shift: Carol Kim on PLA Victories and Women in Construction

On this episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we celebrate Women in Construction Week with a deep dive into the intersection of public policy, labor power, and gender equity.

Our guest, Carol Kim, Business Manager of the San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council, shares the "San Diego Story"—a blueprint for how labor can reverse anti-union legislation to build a massive, stable pipeline of work.

Key Topics Covered:

• The Long Game in San Diego: Carol details the strategic campaign to "flip" the city council and pass a ballot measure with 58% voter support to overturn the region’s long-standing ban on Project Labor Agreements (PLAs).

• The $1B Pipeline: How a citywide PLA covering the capital improvements program is creating economic stability for more than 30,000 union workers and expanding apprenticeship slots.

• Women in the Trades: A candid assessment of why women’s participation has climbed from 2.5% to nearly 10% in the region and the cultural shifts still required to reach equity.

• Childcare as Workforce Development: Why California’s ERICA program (Equal Representation in Construction Apprenticeships) is a game-changer for retaining women who are primary caregivers.

• From Teacher to Labor Leader: Carol reflects on how her background in education and HIV prevention shaped her approach to organizing and why she views labor as the most effective tool for fighting structural poverty.

What You’ll Learn: Why the nature of construction makes citywide PLAs essential for worker stability, and how intentional mentorship is transforming the face of the San Diego job site.

For more information on the San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council, visit sdbuildingtrades.com.

Leading the Change: AFL-CIO’s Liz Shuler on Women’s Power and the AI Frontier

“Do not wait to be perfect.” That is the message AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler has for the next generation of women leaders as we kick off Women’s History Month and Women in Construction Week 2026 on the America's Work Force Union Podcast.

In this wide-ranging episode, Shuler joins us to discuss the historic momentum of the labor movement, where public support has reached nearly 70 percent. We explore the 2026 WIC Week theme, "Level Up. Build Strong," and discuss how the union advantage provides a more equitable landscape for women in the trades compared to the broader economy.

Shuler also pulls back the curtain on the AFL-CIO’s fight for worker-centered AI. As technology reshapes the jobsite, she explains why collective bargaining is the ultimate "guardrail" to ensure human oversight, privacy, and shared productivity gains.

In this episode, we cover:

• The evolution of women’s leadership from the shop floor to the executive board.
• How the labor movement is scaling state-level legislation to protect workers from "algorithmic bosses."
• Advice for women entering male-dominated industries: Finding your voice and building mentorship networks.

Holding the Line: Big Wins for USW at Libbey Glass and Nurses at UPMC Magee

In today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we go behind the scenes of two major labor victories where workers refused to back down in the face of corporate pressure.

Segment 1: USW District 1 & Libbey Glass (0:00 - 15:30) USW District 1 Director Donnie Blatt joins the show to recap the conclusion of a grueling five-month strike at Libbey Glass in Toledo. Blatt details how three separate USW Locals—65T, 59M, and 700T—maintained 24/7 picket lines to protect their craft jurisdictions and seniority rights. We discuss the transition from bankruptcy concessions to a contract that restores wage growth and secures healthcare for the future.

Segment 2: UPMC Magee Nursing Victory (15:31 - End) Registered Nurses Adrienne Andrews and Sharece Abee explain how they helped lead a successful organizing campaign at UPMC Magee Women’s Hospital in Pittsburgh. Working with SEIU Healthcare PA, these frontline caregivers overcame intense anti-union messaging to win their election. They share updates on the first-contract negotiations that began in January and why safe staffing remains their North Star.

For more information on these stories, visit our blog at awf.labortools.com

Building the Masonry Pipeline & Challenging NLRB Supervisor Rulings

In today's episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we explore two critical fronts of the labor movement: proactive workforce development in the trades and the legal defense of bargaining unit integrity.

Segment 1: Masonry’s Next Generation in Central NY

Daren Gulliver, Training Director for BAC Local 2, discusses a successful partnership with New York’s Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). Gulliver outlines how Local 2 is reaching students as early as age 17 to provide hands-on masonry fundamentals and clear pathways into registered apprenticeship programs.

• Key Insight: Why "bridge programs" and earlier recruitment are essential to combatting the skilled labor shortage while providing debt-free career stability.

Segment 2: Protecting the Bargaining Unit from Technical Exclusions

Kate Black, Field Director for AFSCME Council 65, breaks down a significant National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) unit clarification ruling involving Head Start teachers in Minnesota. Black explains how the employer used a "statutory supervisor" argument to narrow the bargaining unit and why this case serves as a warning for unions nationwide.

• Key Insight: How a single supervisory factor—effectively recommending discipline—can be used to strip workers of their union protections and what AFSCME is doing to prepare for future classification challenges.