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America’s Work Force Union Podcast provides a clear and unfiltered voice for the working people of America. Radio veteran Ed “Flash” Ferenc leads the discussion with a focus on topics that include the impact of labor unions in America, workers’ rights, legislative actions and labor-management relations. Featured guests include various labor leaders, politicians, journalists and more. America’s Work Force Union Podcast provides updates and information from sources around the United States and continues to be the trusted voice for workers across the country.
Episodes
Friday Jan 29, 2021
Friday Jan 29, 2021
Our first guest on the AWF Union Podcast today was newcomer Steve Snyder, President of the Tippecanoe Building and Construction Trades Council. He discussed attracting young people to the trades, building trades members being essential workers and the lubricant to the economy, Indiana’s failing infrastructure and their plan to rebuild.
Teamsters Local 79 Business Agent John Sholtes was also featured on today’s show. Sholtes spoke about the difficulties of organizing during the pandemic, union density in southern states, a Local 79 organizing success story and the future of the Teamsters.
Thursday Jan 28, 2021
Bill Samuel (AFL-CIO) / Kalitha Williams (Policy Matters Ohio)
Thursday Jan 28, 2021
Thursday Jan 28, 2021
AFL-CIO Government Affairs Director Bill Samuel was the first featured guest today on the AWF Union Podcast. He spoke about the NLRB and President Biden signing an executive order to enforce an Emergency Temporary Standard regarding COVID-19 and frontline workers, priority for stimulus checks, unemployment insurance and more.
Kalitha Williams, Project Director for Policy Matters Ohio continued her conversation with Ed “Flash” Ferenc about the need to regulate predatory payday lending. She explained who the new director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is and how they can combat payday lenders with regulations.
Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
Pete Ielmini (Mechanical Insulators LMCT) / Mike Dolan (Teamsters)
Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
Wednesday Jan 27, 2021
Mechanical Insulators LMCT Executive Director Pete Ielmini joined the AWF Union Podcast today to discuss infrastructure in the U.S. He caught listeners up on Climate Jobs Illinois, the transition into clean energy and net zero or carbon zero goals, advancement in technology and apprenticeships.
Mike Dolan, International Brotherhood of Teamsters Trade Policy Specialist was also featured on today’s episode. He discussed President Biden’s recent executive order about buying American goods and services, the U.S. workforce being capable of outperforming other workforces and the Government Procurement Agreement.
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Tom Buffenbarger (Independent Labor Voice) / Mark Gruenberg (PAI Union News)
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
America’s Work Force Union Podcast was happy to welcome our independent labor voice, Tom Buffenbarger back to the show. Buffenbarger spoke with host Ed “Flash” Ferenc about the Secretary of Commerce and how the department can affect working people, enforcing safety laws to protect all workers, protections for pension plans and the importance of buying American made products to keep jobs in demand onshore.
Mark Gruenberg, editor of PAI Union News also joined the podcast today. He spoke about union density in different states, the future of work and the need to push the Biden administration to keep their pro-worker promises.
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Monday Jan 25, 2021
Greg Regan, Secretary-Treasurer of the Transportation Trades Department was one of our featured guests today on the AWF Union Podcast. He spoke about Pete Buttigieg being nominated for Secretary of Transportation and what he can do right away, and enforcing new laws to keep transportation workers safe on the job.
Kentucky AFL-CIO President Bill Londrigan also joined the AWF Union Podcast today. He discussed the political climate, so-called “right-to-work” in Kentucky, keeping workers safe on jobsites and unemployment insurance.
Friday Jan 22, 2021
Tom Conway (United Steelworkers) / Marc Dann (Dann Law)
Friday Jan 22, 2021
Friday Jan 22, 2021
United Steelworkers International President Tom Conway was one of the featured guests on today’s edition of AWF Union Podcast. Conway discussed the Biden administration turning the corner from the Trump administration and promising to be on labor’s side, increase in unionization in the workplace and restoring the middle class through infrastructure legislation.
Also featured on the AWF Union Podcast today was Marc Dann, Attorney with Dann Law. Dann discussed holding corporations accountable, holding everyone to the same standards, criminal justice reform, dignity of work and the hopes for a new infrastructure plan to put Americans back to work.
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Astra Taylor (The Nation Magazine) / Pat Gallagher (USW D1 / NCALF)
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Today on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Astra Taylor, contributing writer for The Nation Magazine discussed household debt in America and debt collectives pushing a case for wide scale debt relief.
North Coast Area Labor Federation President Pat Gallagher also spoke with the AWF Union Podcast today. Gallagher discussed Biden’s appointment of union members to prominent labor-related positions, the new administration being union-friendly and the promise to hold corporations accountable.
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Ibidun Roberts (AFGE National VA Council) / Sharon Johnson (The Progressive)
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Wednesday Jan 20, 2021
Ibidun Roberts, Outside Council with the AFGE National Veterans Affairs Council spoke with the America’s Work Force Union Podcast today about how the VA Accountability Act has affected rank and file VA employees and an expected shakeup of the Federal Service Impasse Council.
Sharon Johnson, contributing writer with The Progressive Magazine rejoined the podcast to discuss why museum workers are seeking representation and to detail some organizing efforts made by museum workers around the U.S.
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Melissa Cropper (OFT-AFT) / Tony Reardon (National Treasury Employees Union)
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Tuesday Jan 19, 2021
Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper joined the AWF Union Podcast today to discuss Ohio Governor Mike DeWine calling for schools to reopen March 1, teachers and other school personnel moving up on the priority list to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and Biden’s nominations for Secretary of Education and Secretary of Labor.
Tony Reardon, National President of the National Treasury Employees Union also joined the podcast today. He explained how federal employees were affected by the pandemic, the disrespect of the outgoing administration and how they damaged the federal workforce.
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Jan 18, 2021
LiUNA Minnesota & North Dakota Marketing Manager Kevin Pranis was one of today’s featured guests on the AWF Union Podcast. Pranis discussed investing in green energy jobs, supporting public investment in infrastructure, raising the standards in the construction industry and creating union jobs.
Fred Redmond, International Vice President of Human Affairs with the United Steelworkers was also featured on the show today. Redmond discussed the USW civil and human rights conferences that pay homage to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and the USW being optimistic about the Biden administration and their promises to be the most labor-friendly administration ever.