February 25, 2021
AFL-CIO Government Affairs Director Bill Samuel was the first featured guest today on the AWF Union Podcast. He discussed President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, its components that will benefit workers if passed, a future bill potentially containing infrastructure funding, voting on the PRO Act and a worker friendly NLRB.
Also featured on today’s show was Ohio Consumers’ Counsel PR Director Andrew Tinkham. He spoke about National Consumer Protection Week and how it helps consumers from getting scammed on their utilities.
February 24, 2021
Today on the AWF Union Podcast, frequent guest Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the HFIAW LMCT introduced LMCT Trustee Tom Dake II. Dake, who is the VP of the fire and life safety services division at Superior Industrial Insulation discussed the importance of firestopping and smoke seal, inspection of firestopping systems and keeping them updated and infectious disease containment.
International Brotherhood of Teamsters Vice President at Large John Murphy was also featured today on the show. He spoke about the Butch-Lewis Act, protecting pensions, pandemic relief legislation and how they will continue the fight to protect pensions moving forward.
February 23, 2021
National Committee to Protect Social Security and Medicare President and CEO Max Richtman joined the AWF Union Podcast today to discuss the drastic rise in pharmaceutical prices, negotiating drug prices and taxpayers footing the bill for research and development for drug companies to make new medication.
Former International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers General President Tom Buffenbarger was also featured on the podcast today. He spoke about the recent Boeing jet issues, metal fatigue and how it causes issues in machinery and the need for thorough investigation and overhaul to modernize and improve how building gets done.
February 22, 2021
Newly elected Transportation Trades Department President Greg Regan was a featured guest today on the AWF Union Podcast. He spoke about vicious assaults transit workers have faced during the pandemic, increasing transit worker protections and the Larry Willis Leadership Award.
California Labor Federation Communications Director Steve Smith was our second guest on today’s show. Smith discussed some big labor campaigns in California, how the pandemic affected California’s unions and the confidence of gig workers to be able to get a union if the PRO Act is passed.
February 19, 2021
American Legion Director of Media and Communications Jeff Stoffer was the first featured guest on today’s show. Stoffer spoke about the March edition of the American Legion Magazine and gave a preview of some of the featured stories. These stories included exposure to toxic waste, which poisoned and killed soldiers, dependence on China for medicine and a story about an invasion that never came to be.
Our second featured guest today was Rich Fiesta, Executive Director for the Alliance for Retired Americans. He discussed legislation involving drastic changes to medicare and social security, reintroducing the PRO Act and the desperate need for labor law reform.
February 18, 2021
Today’s edition of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast featured two contributing writers from The Nation Magazine. Bryce Covert discussed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). She spoke about how they address civil rights violations in the workplace and issues surrounding how these cases are mediated and investigated.
The second guest from The Nation was Sarah Jaffe. Jaffe spoke about nurses and the problems they have faced during the pandemic. She shined light on how poorly nurses have been treated while working with COVID-19 for months, being forced to reuse PPE and unfair labor practices. Jaffe also addressed how the National Nurses United are starting to gain more ground on organizing nurses.
The third and final guest was United Steelworkers District 1 Director Pat Gallagher. He addressed China dumping steel to the U.S., manufacturing more products in the U.S. and the benefits of pipelines.
February 17, 2021
American Federation of Government Employees Executive Vice President for 6th District VA Council 262 Tinita Cole was our first featured guest on the AWF Union Podcast today. She spoke about struggles at the VA during the pandemic, a tentative CBA members voted overwhelmingly against, PPE for VA employees, the new VA secretary and more.
The second guest speaker on the podcast today was President and CEO of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, C. Nicole Mason. She joined the podcast to discuss the American Rescue Package and how it is aligned with a report done by the IWPR on creating a better future, the IWPR’s support for raising wages, expanding paid sick and family medical leave and economic stimulus to revive the economy.
February 16, 2021
Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper was the first featured guest on today’s edition of the AWF Union Podcast. Cropper spoke with host Ed “Flash” Ferenc about Ohio Governor Mike DeWine calling out school districts in Ohio for not opening schools back up by March 1, priorities for teachers and school staff receiving the vaccine and calling out inequities in Ohio school funding.
Also featured on the podcast today was Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar. Spar discussed the teacher shortage during the pandemic, teachers dying from COVID-19 after constant exposure and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis not allowing teachers to move up in priority to receive the vaccine, but allowing schools to open.
![Brian Kelly and Loreen Targos (AFGE Local 704) / Roland Phillips and Sarah Riger (NTEU)]()
February 15, 2021
On today’s President’s Day edition of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, two members of the National Treasury Employees Union Local 336 spoke about the National Park Services and how they have operated during the pandemic. NTEU Chapter 336 President Roland Phillips and Sarah Riger, assistant counsel in the NTEU Washington D.C. Field Office. They spoke about the impact of the pandemic on the NPS and NTEU employees, mask requirements to keep workers and visitors safe and the closure of indoor monuments.
The AWF Union Podcast also featured two guests from the American Federation of Government Employees Local 704. AFGE Local 704 Steward Brian Kelly and Loreen Targos, Vice President of Professional Labor Relations for AFGE 704 discussed the different areas of work Local 704 is involved in. Targos spoke about how the EPA was relentlessly attacked by the Trump administration and how Local 704 was working to get them back on track. Kelly spoke about the treatment of AFGE members under the Trump administration and the Flint water crisis.
February 12, 2021
IBEW Local 89 Business Representative and Organizer Tony Ruiz and Logan Gilles, legislative aide to Oregon State Senator Michael Dembrow joined the AWF Union Podcast today to discuss organizing in Oregon. They discussed organizing legislative staff, pro-worker legislation needing to be passed and how to educate workers who want to organize.
Labor lawyer Joyce Goldstein, of Joyce Goldstein & Associates, was also featured on today's show. She spoke about changes to the NLRB that President Biden made immediately after taking office and how these NLRB changes will affect working people.
