America’s Work Force Union Podcast

Fighting a Silent Epidemic: Gary LaBarbera on the NYC Building Trades’ Peer Support Network

In the construction industry, the most dangerous threat isn’t always a falling object or a site accident—it’s the silent crisis of mental health.

In this powerful episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we sit down with Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York and the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council.

Timed with Mental Health Awareness Month, LaBarbera discusses the launch of a first-of-its-kind, vertically integrated peer support network. Developed in partnership with Cornell University, this program is designed to confront a stark reality: while 1,000 workers die annually from job-site injuries, over 5,000 are lost to suicide.

What We Discuss:

• The 5:1 Crisis: Why death by suicide has become a genuine epidemic in the trades and the unique stressors—from physical pain to "stoic" culture—that drive the risk.
• The Cornell Framework: How a curriculum designed by labor educators and clinicians is training union members to identify and respond to crises in real-time.
• Vertical Integration: Why this program is different—allowing a peer supporter from any trade to assist any worker on a job site, regardless of their union affiliation.
• Industry Solidarity: How the program secured funding from the New York Building Congress Foundation and the pharmaceutical industry to ensure no cost to the workers.
• "It’s Not Weak to Speak": The human stories behind the initiative, including the tradesman who saved a life on-site by simply being present.

"No one ever died by suicide because someone asked if they were okay. People die because no one asked."

Resources & Links:

• NYC Building Trades: nycbuildingtrades.org
• Get Help Now: If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

More AWF: Subscribe for more stories from the front lines of the labor movement at awfpodcast.com.

Ohio’s Primary Election Reckoning & Navigating a Scrambled Job Market

The landscape for working people in Ohio is shifting fast. In this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we look at the immediate aftermath of the high-stakes Ohio primary elections and dive into the real-world economic pressures facing local job seekers—from the rapid rise of AI to the expansion of gig-style healthcare work.

Segment 1: Ohio Primary Day Breakdown with Tim Burga

Fresh off an intense election night, Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga delivers a comprehensive, morning-after analysis of the state's primary results. With approximately three-quarters of labor’s 160 endorsed candidates and issues winning their races—including a massive primary victory by union ironworker Brian Poindexter in Congressional District 7—organized labor has built a solid foundation for the fall. Burga outlines the historic, high-profile November matchups, including Amy Acton vs. Vivek Ramaswamy for Governor and Sherrod Brown vs. John Husted for U.S. Senate, and explains how labor’s boots-on-the-ground network will combat big money and gerrymandered maps.

Segment 2: Navigating a Scrambled Job Market with Dave Megenhardt

Dave Megenhardt, Executive Director of the United Labor Agency (ULA), joins the show to discuss a massive new survey of 4,000 clients that yielded a staggering 96% approval rating for the agency's services. He pulls back the curtain on how his team builds trust with workers during stressful career transitions and breaks down a local job market that has been "scrambled" by artificial intelligence and an increase in unstable, part-time healthcare roles. Megenhardt also previews a major upcoming logistics shift: the relocation of the Ohio Means Jobs downtown Cleveland office to a new facility in Midtown.

Key Takeaways From This Episode:

• The Trust Factor: How treating job seekers with dignity earned the United Labor Agency a 96% client favorability rating at scale.

• The Stealth Hiring Slowdown: Why companies are quietly holding back on headcount decisions as they evaluate how AI can reduce labor costs.

• The "Gigification" of Healthcare: The growing disconnect between open entry-level healthcare jobs and quality, full-time careers with benefits.

• Labor's Primary Momentum: A data breakdown of the primary election where labor-backed candidates won 75% of their races across Ohio.

• The Path to November: What Democrats need to flip just five seats to break the Republican legislative supermajority in the Ohio House.

• Ohio Means Jobs Relocation: Details on the July 1 move of the downtown Cleveland office to 61st and the Opportunity Corridor due to the Innerbelt Rebuild project.

About the Guests:

• Tim Burga is the President of the Ohio AFL-CIO, representing hundreds of thousands of union members and leading the federation’s political, legislative, and mobilization ground game.

• Dave Megenhardt is the Executive Director of the United Labor Agency, leading regional workforce development strategies and connecting job seekers with employers offering "good jobs" across Northeast Ohio.

Connect with the Movement:

• Support workforce development or register for the annual ULA golf outing on June 25: ulagency.org

• View labor's full list of endorsements and election updates: ohioaflcio.org

Subscribe & Review: Never miss an update on the fights that matter to working-class Americans. Hit the Follow button and leave us a review on Podbean!

IBEW Local 125’s Travis Eri on Permitting Bottlenecks & Union Jobs

The Pacific Northwest is at the epicenter of America's green energy future—but building the grid isn't happening fast enough.

In this episode, Travis Eri, Business Manager of IBEW Local 125, joins America’s Work Force Union Podcast for a candid look at the state of union electrical work across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. While data center growth and wildfire-hardening projects are keeping crews busy, a sudden winter slowdown and federal offshore wind lease cancellations have put a real-world strain on local apprentices.

Eri reveals why the current infrastructure system is broken, highlighting a single 500kV transmission line project that took an astonishing 20 years to permit. If America wants to meet its climate goals, that pace has to change.

Key Takeaways From This Episode:

• Climate Jobs Oregon: Inside the newly launched nonprofit co-founded by IBEW Local 125 and the Oregon building trades to ensure clean energy projects are built with union labor from day one.

• The Permitting Crisis: Why bureaucratic delays are the single biggest bottleneck to upgrading our power grid and meeting data center demands.

• The West Coast Realignment: How the cancellation of offshore wind leases impacted the union pipeline and what it means for the IBEW’s national growth goals.

• An All-of-the-Above Energy Strategy: Why expanding capacity matters more than just swapping power sources in the Pacific Northwest.

About the Guest: Travis Eri has served as the Business Manager for IBEW Local 125 for 21 years. A former utility lineman who traded an aviation degree for a pair of climbing hooks, Eri now oversees a four-state jurisdiction representing 4,500 members.

Connect with the Movement:

• Learn more about IBEW Local 125: ibew125.com

• Subscribe & Review: Never miss an episode of AWF. Hit that follow button and leave us a review on Podbean!

Dismantling the CDC: Mass Layoffs, EEO Collapse and Federal Worker Rights with AFGE Local 2883

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was once the global gold standard for public health. Today, it faces an existential workforce crisis.

In this high-stakes episode, Yolanda Jacobs, President of AFGE Local 2883, pulls back the curtain on the "systematic dismantling" of the CDC. From the elimination of the agency’s EEO office to the mass terminations that left critical health programs in the dark, Jacobs details a workforce in "the gutter" and an institution operating without a permanent director or a recognized union contract.

We dive deep into the specific human and operational costs of the 2025–2026 restructuring, including:

• The Accommodation Crisis: How the elimination of the EEO office on April 1, 2025, has left veterans with PTSD and disabled workers hired under Schedule A facing AWOL charges and removal proposals.
• The 15-Minute Cutoff: A look at the "indiscriminate" layoffs in February and April 2025, where scientists were cut off from their research files with just minutes of notice, erasing years of progress in chronic disease prevention.
• Contract "Reneging": Why management has stopped honoring the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), forcing the union to vacate its space and triggering national-level litigation.
• The Financial Irony: How the denial of reasonable accommodations has triggered over 200 EEO complaints, generating millions in legal fees that contradict the administration's "efficiency" mandate.

This isn’t just a labor story—it’s a warning about the stability of the nation’s public health infrastructure.

Learn More & Take Action:

• Stay updated on federal worker rights: afge.org
• Subscribe to the America’s Work Force Union Podcast for daily labor insights.

Federal Safety Rollbacks & the Columbus Construction Boom

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 Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, discusses a record-breaking apprenticeship outreach event that drew nearly 1,000 people—including 100 non-union workers—lining up for careers in the trades. We also dive into the data center boom, accounting for 40% of regional man-hours, and the critical May 5 Ohio Primary races, where labor-friendly candidates are on the ballot.

Segment 2:

A National Warning with Fred Redmond

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond joins us to break down the 2026 "Death on the Job" report. With 15 workers dying daily in the U.S., Redmond issues a frank assessment of how current federal OSHA rollbacks are putting lives at risk. We also get an update on new United Steelworkers General President Roxanne Brown’s early leadership as she navigates high-stakes lockouts at NIPSCO and BP Whiting.

Brian Andersen on IBEW Local 601’s Role in the 2026 Energy Boom

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 Local 601 is meeting the demands of massive regional projects—from semiconductor plant expansions to the continued rollout of renewable energy infrastructure.

Key Highlights of Today’s Show:

• The 2026 Project Pipeline: A look at the current and upcoming project labor agreements (PLAs) driving work in the Champaign-Urbana and Bloomington areas.
• Recruitment & Retention: How Local 601 is attracting the next generation of "Gold Card" members through industry-leading benefits and wages.
• The Technology Gap: Why IBEW’s evolving apprenticeship curriculum is essential for navigating the complexities of 21st-century electrical systems.
• The Union Advantage: Brian breaks down why the "Safety First" culture of IBEW results in better outcomes for both the worker and the contractor.

For more information on IBEW Local 601, visit: https://ibew601.org

Colorado’s Labor Peace Act & The Merger Threatening 50 Percent of U.S. Flights

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, joins us to pull back the curtain on Colorado’s Labor Peace Act. Despite a Democratic trifecta, Colorado's union density sits at a staggering 5.9%. Jacob explains:

• Why Colorado workers are forced to win a second election with a nearly impossible 75 percent threshold just to collect dues.

• The reality of the Worker Protection Act and why Gov. Jared Polis continues to stand in the way.

• How the "donor class" is creating a rift in the Democratic Party’s pro-labor rhetoric.

Segment 2: Strikes, Munitions, and Monopoly Power

Retired IAM Union International President Tom Buffenbarger sounds the alarm on two national crises:

• The Lake City Strike: Why IAM Local 778 members are striking against Olin Corporation while producing ammunition for active military operations.

• The Airline Merger Threat: The devastating math behind a potential United-American Airlines merger, which could eliminate 25 percent of jobs and put half of all U.S. flights under one corporate roof.

• The Spirit Bailout: Why a $500 million federal "fix" might be a recipe for another industry collapse.

The Whiting Refinery Lockout with USW Local 7-1’s Eric Schultz

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 bargaining" to a full-scale lockout, hiring out-of-state replacement workers at a staggering $127 per hour while running the 100-year-old facility at dangerously low capacity. We discuss:

• The Exxon Playbook: How BP’s lead negotiator is using tactics honed during the infamous Beaumont lockout.
• The AI Threat: Why BP is demanding workers waive bargaining rights over Artificial Intelligence and employee tracking.
• Safety Risks: The terrifying reality of operating a century-old refinery with undertrained personnel.
• Community Solidarity: How the town of Whiting is rallying to support the picket lines.

Stand with the workers: Visit supportoilworkers.com to learn how you can help.

The Bonus You Didn’t Get & The "Careless" Tax Flaw Hitting Transport Workers

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.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Buyback Betrayal: How Home Depot could have given every employee a $15,000 annual bonus with the money they spent on stock buybacks.

• Public Subsidies for Poverty Wages: Why taxpayers are effectively picking up the tab for corporate executives’ ultra-wealth.

• The Policy Solution: Success stories from Portland’s CEO pay-ratio tax and the movement to bring it to LA and San Francisco.

Segment 2: Transportation Workers Under Fire

Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department (AFL-CIO), returns for his monthly update on the legislative battles in D.C. From "clumsy" bill drafting to the ongoing struggle for TSA dignity, transportation workers are facing a multi-front war.

Key Discussion Points:

• The Overtime Tax Flaw: Why workers covered by the Railway Labor Act are currently excluded from a $25,000 overtime tax deduction—and the coalition of 24 unions fighting to fix it.

• Second-Class Federal Employees: The urgent need for the TSA Workforce Rights Act to give TSOs the same Title 5 protections as their DHS colleagues.

• The Jones Act Smoke Screen: Why the administration’s Jones Act waiver is "political theater" that won't actually lower your gas prices.

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The RTO Pay Cut: Georgia Campus Workers Fight for Living Wages and Remote W

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 mandate—including a 100 percent increase in retirements at Georgia Tech—and discuss the irony of a Board of Regents that joins meetings via video call while denying those same remote options to their workforce.

We dive deep into:

• How a "Right-to-Work" state organizes without collective bargaining rights.

• The "Defend Remote Work" campaign and the push for a $41,000 living wage.

• The upcoming legislative strategy to legalize public sector bargaining in Georgia.

• Why the RTO mandate is driving a "brain drain" across Atlanta’s major universities.