America’s Work Force Union Podcast

Josh Sturm, Color Health, and Mullissa Willette, SEIU Local 521 | Lawrence Abbott, Move to Amend

Mullissa Willette, President of the Service Employees International Union Local 521, and Josh Sturm, Chief Revenue Officer at Color Health, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the reasons union members are receiving cancer diagnoses at a higher rate than average, and how Color Health is helping union members receive quality care.

Lawrence Abbott, a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 70, delegate to the Alameda Labor Council and Labor Caucus Co-Chair for Move to Amend, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss that group’s effort to amend the U.S. Constitution to remove money and lobbying from politics and pave a way to improve labor laws.

Gary Mendell, Shatterproof and Dr. James Polo, Carelon Behavioral Health | Merrilee Logue, NLO and Dr. Raiza Hashmi, BCBSA

As Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close, the America’s Work Force Union Podcast’s coverage continues with Dr. James Polo, Chief Medical Officer for Carelon Behavioral Health, and Gary Mendell, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shatterproof. The two discussed how substance use and mental health issues impacted their families, what they are doing now to help those suffering from addiction and eliminating the stigma around mental health care conversations.

Merrilee Logue, Executive Director of the Blue Cross Blue Shield National Labor Office (NLO), and Dr. Razia Hashmi, Vice President of Clinical Affairs with the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to continue our coverage of Mental Health Awareness Month. They discussed how a partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America is using a different approach to address the youth mental health crisis in hopes of improving the future of American workers' mental health.

Eric Weiner and Dr. Gareen Hamalian, Included Health | Greg Regan, TTD

Eric Weiner, Division VP for Labor & Trust, Public Sector, and Higher Education for Included Health and their interim director of behavioral health, Dr. Gareen Hamalian, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss how Included Health is assisting unions and their members get the assistance they need during our Mental Health Awareness Month coverage.

Greg Regan, President of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the recent FAA Reauthorization bill that was passed by Congress. He also discussed the TTD’s annual Executive Committee meeting and what the transportation industry can do to improve worker safety measures globally.

Amanda Biggins, President, AFSCME Local 1539 | Tom Buffenbarger, independent labor voice

Amanda Biggins, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1539, joined America’s Work Force Union Podcast to talk about her Local’s new contract with the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Rush City. Biggins also talked about approved legislation that will ban private prisons in Minnesota.

Tom Buffenbarger, an independent labor voice and former International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his history with Harley-Davidson, ongoing investigations into potential Boeing design hazards and more attacks on railroad safety.

Mike Hazard, UA VIP | John “Jack” Monahan, WWI Centennial Commission

In honor of Memorial Day, Mike Hazard, the program manager for the United Association Veterans in Piping program, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to talk about the program and what it is doing to help military service members transition to civilian careers in the UA. Hazard also discussed the UA Pipe P.A.L.S. program recently launched by the union.

United States Army veteran John “Jack” Monahan, who also serves as a World War One Centennial Commission representative, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast this Memorial Day to discuss the WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C. He also discussed the unveiling of a new sculpture at the memorial slated for this fall.

Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas | Teresa Cassady, USW District 1

At the request of our listeners, America’s Work Force Union Podcast brought back the interview with Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas from May 1, which began our Mental Health Awareness Month Coverage this year. In the episode, Dr. Sally discussed the state of mental health awareness in America and how unions can provide care and access to mental health, including the Man Therapy program.

Assistant to the Director of the United Steelworkers District 1, Teresa Cassady, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the union’s Your Union, Your Voice initiative. She discussed the efforts to educate members at the Local level about the union’s core values, and what goes into the initiatives and politicians the union chooses to support.

Stephen Silvia, American University Professor, The UAW’s Southern Gamble

Stephen Silvia, a professor in the Politics, Governance and Economics Department at American University, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss how automakers in the South have worked to prevent the United Auto Workers' unionization efforts, as well as his recent book, The UAW’s Southern Gamble.

Pete Ielmini, Mechanical Insulators LMCT | Andrew Spar, Florida Education Association

Pete Ielmini, Executive Director for the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperation Trust (LMCT), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss training in the construction industry, an upcoming webinar focused on firestopping and mechanical insulation for engineers who manage and maintain buildings across the nation and the mental health care provided by the Insulators Member Assistance Program (IMAP).

Andrew Spar, President of the Florida Education Association, joined the America’s Workforce Union Podcast to discuss a recent study that ranks Florida 50th in the list of average teacher pay by state and other ways Local members are fighting to save their unions.

Jennifer Gill, REI Union Cleveland, RWDSU | Michael Shields, Policy Matters Ohio

Jennifer Gill, a worker organizer, bargaining committee member and organizing committee member with REI Union Cleveland—affiliated with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union—joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing negotiations with REI. Gill also discussed the days of action workers took during the store's anniversary sale and the solidarity shown by elected officials and Local unions.

Michael Shields, an economist with Policy Matters Ohio, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss efforts to get a minimum wage amendment on Ohio’s November ballot. Shields talked about a counter-proposal from a state lawmaker and how raising the minimum wage would assist Ohio workers.

Tyler Holmes, AFSCME Council 9 | Stephanie Jackson, SEIU 1

Tyler Holmes, an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with American Medical Response in Bozeman, Mont. (AMR Bozeman), joined the America’s Workforce Union Podcast to discuss the successful organizing efforts at the private ambulance company and what led the roughly 40 EMTs at AMR to seek representation from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 9.

Stephanie Jackson, a janitor with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the newly ratified contract for commercial janitors in Northeast Ohio. She spoke about the difficult contract negotiations and the importance of having a union help protect the mostly minority workforce.