America’s Work Force Union Podcast

Donnie Blatt, USW District 1 | Jesse Halvorsen, Labor 131

Donnie Blatt, District 1 Director of the United Steelworkers, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing contract dispute at Libby Glass in Toledo, Ohio. Blatt outlined the workers' past sacrifices to save the company, the current contract negotiations and the potential for a strike.

On this edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Jesse Halvorsen, an independent scholar and labor historian, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the International Longshoreman’s Association (ILA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s (ILWU) militant past, the pivotal 1960 Mechanization and Modernization Agreement and the lasting impact of containerization on the industry.

Terry Mogilles and Heidi Tujague, NNU | Jeff Schuhrke, SUNY

Heidi Tujague and Terry Mogilles, registered nurses and members of National Nurses United (NNU), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss their recent strike at University Medical Center in New Orleans.

 

Today’s edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, features Jeff Schuhrke, Assistant Professor at the Harry Van Arsdale Jr. School of Labor Studies at SUNY. He joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his book "Blue Collar Empire," the AFL-CIO's anti-communist foreign policy during the Cold War and the Democratic Party's relationship with the working class.

Kristine Kavanagh, Dale Pierson and Marty Durkan, IUOE Local 150 | Jason Resnikoff, University of Groningen

Operating Engineers Local 150 representatives Dale Pierson, Kristine Kavanagh and Marty Durkan joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing strike at QSL America's Chicago port facility.

 

This edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, features Jason Resnikoff, Assistant Professor of Contemporary History at the University of Groningen, who joined the America’s Work Force Unin Podcast. He delved into the 1972 Lordstown strike, exploring its roots in automation, the role of young workers and its relevance to today's labor landscape.

Melissa Cropper, Ohio Federation of Teachers | Tom Alter, TSU

Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers and Secretary-Treasurer of the Ohio AFL-CIO, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the launch of the National Academy for AI Instruction, political challenges in Ohio's education landscape and the importance of Sherrod Brown's Senate campaign.

 

Today’s edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, featured Tom Alter, Associate Professor of History at Texas State University,  who joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the populist movement of the 1880s and 1890s, its impact on American politics and how it relates to modern-day populist sentiments.

Stacey Smith, OSU | Jeff Stoffer, American Legion

Today’s edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, featured Stacey Smith, Associate Professor of History at Oregon State University, who joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Anti-Peonage Act of 1867, its impact on labor practices and how debt bondage persists in modern forms.

 

Jeff Stoffer, Director of Media and Communications for the American Legion, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the upcoming 106th National Convention in Tampa, Fla., the organization's efforts in disaster recovery and its ongoing suicide prevention campaign. 

James Benton, Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor | Pat Gallagher, USW

On this edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, James Benton, Director of the Race and Economic Empowerment Project at Georgetown University's Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the history of trade deals in America, their impact on workers and the challenges posed by automation and artificial intelligence.

Pat Gallagher, a retired United Steelworker with over 47 years of experience and President of the North Coast Area Labor Federation in Cleveland, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the recent explosion at a U.S. Steel plant in Pennsylvania, the importance of union safety protocols and upcoming political races in Ohio.

Martin O’Malley, SSA | Ian Fritz, IATSE Local 415

Today’s edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, featured Martin O’Malley, former Maryland governor and Social Security Commissioner, who joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the 90th anniversary of Social Security, current threats to the program and potential solutions to ensure its long-term viability.

 

Ian Fritz, Business Agent for IATSE Local 415 in Tucson, Ariz., joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss recent organizing victories at the Loft Cinema and Arizona Theatre Company.

Andrew Strom, NLRB | Tom Suhrbur, ILHS

Andrew Strom, labor lawyer and adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the current state of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

 

On today’s Labor 131 segment, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Tom Suhrbur, author and retired organizer for the Illinois Education Association (IEA), discussed his book "Public Education and Social Reform: A History of the Illinois Education Association." 

Frank Mathews, CWA | Jessie Wilkerson, University of Tennessee

Today’s edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, featured Jessie Wilkerson, Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, who shared her insights on the 1929 Elizabethton textile strike, highlighting the role of young female workers and the harsh conditions they faced. Wilkerson discussed the strike's origins, its impact and its place in labor history.

 

Frank Mathews, Administrative Director for District 4 of the Communication Workers of America (CWA),  joined the America’s Work Force Labor Podcast and discussed the CWA's national convention, the organization's strike fund and the challenges facing broadband expansion efforts.

Lauren Braun-Strumfels, Cedar Crest College | Jenny Bueno, UAW

This edition of Labor 131, presented by the National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, featured Lauren Braun-Strumfels, an Associate Professor of History at Cedar Crest College, who discussed her research on Italian immigration and its influence on U.S. labor history. 

 

Jenny Bueno, a paralegal at CAMBA Legal Services and a member of UAW Local 2325, discussed the ongoing strike by legal services workers to secure better wages, improve parental leave and provide new measures to address burnout among staff.