America’s Work Force Union Podcast

Dennis Dougherty, Colorado AFL-CIO | Donnie Blatt, USW District 1

Dennis Dougherty, Executive Director of the Colorado AFL-CIO, joined America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Worker Protection Act, a bill to change Colorado's unique and sometimes problematic labor law structure.

Donnie Blatt, Director of District 1 of the United Steelworkers, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the implications of Michigan House Bill 4002, which aims to roll back critical worker protections.

Max Magill, CWA Local 7781 | Lizzy Tapia, Unite Here Local 2

Max Magill, President of the United Mountain Workers (Communications Workers of America Local 7781) joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the recent victory for ski patrollers at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah. The strike, which lasted 12 days during the peak ski season, resulted in significant gains for workers and highlighted the power of union solidarity.

Lizzy Tapia, President of UNITE HERE Local 2, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the 93-day hotel worker strike in San Francisco that secured significant gains for workers.

Pete Ielmini, Mechanical Insulators LMCT | Dan Gallagher, Pipefitters Local 120

Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the current state of mechanical insulation recruitment and the industry's efforts to address mental health concerns.

Dan Gallagher, business agent for the United Association’s Pipefitters Local 120 in Cleveland, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to share his career journey and insights into the pipefitting industry, as well as discuss some of the career opportunities available through his Local Union.

Melissa Cropper, OFT | Melissa Wells, NABTU

Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing battle for fair school funding in Ohio and recent federal policy changes impacting educators.

Melissa Wells, Special Assistant to the President of the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to provide perspective on how enhancing diversity in union construction careers can serve as a pathway to the middle class.

Lee Saunders, AFSCME | Sylvester Taylor, IBEW Local 1

On a day dedicated to honoring civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the America's Work Force Union Podcast dove into the intertwined history of labor rights and civil rights. We welcomed Lee Saunders, President of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), to discuss the union's pivotal role in the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Workers' Strike and the ongoing fight for workers' rights.

Continuing our special Martin Luther King Jr. episode, America’s Work Force Union Podcast welcomed Sylvester Taylor, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Electrical Workers Minority Caucus (EWMC) and 34-year member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 1 in St. Louis. Taylor shared his experience and journey in the trades and how the union has led him to be a leader in the IBEW’s efforts to improve diversity and inclusion.

Jeff Stoffer, American Legion | Norm Wernet, Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans

Jeff Stoffer, Director of Media and Communications at the American Legion, joined America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the response of Post 283 to the Los Angeles wildfires. He also spoke about a couple of stories in the February edition of the American Legion magazine and the need for a GI Bill 2.0.

Norm Wernet, President of the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to speak about the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act and its positive impact nationwide on millions of retirees. 

Timothy James, Ironworker Anthem | Pat Gallagher, NCALF

Timothy James, a former member of Iron Workers Local 7, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to share his unique journey from setting iron to singing on stages, and the inspiration behind his new song, "Ironworker Anthem."

Pat Gallagher, President of the North Coast Area Labor Federation and retired United Steelworkers member, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to provide his thoughts on the ongoing legal battle involving U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel.

Daniel Horowitz, AFGE | Dave Jamieson, HuffPost

Daniel Horowitz, Acting Legislative Director for the American Federation of Government Employees, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to share insights on the union's concerns and strategies to protect workers' rights as President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office on Jan. 20.  He also discussed reconciliation and how it could lead to budget cuts for programs most Americans support.

Dave Jamieson, labor reporter for the Huffington Post, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his investigation into the plight of traveling nurses and how forced arbitration imposes financial burdens on them.

Frank Mathews, CWA District 4 | Andrew Strom, OnLabor Blog

Frank Mathews, Administrative Director for District 4 of the Communication Workers of America (CWA), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss critical issues facing workers in the telecommunications industry, expanding broadband access and why the Wisconsin Supreme Court election matters for labor. 

Andrew Strom, a labor lawyer and law professor at the Brooklyn Law School, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the complexities facing the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the impact of President Biden's pro-union tenure.

Kim Kelly, Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor

On this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, author and journalist Kim Kelly shared insights on labor organizing tactics, focusing on salting as a strategy where individuals take non-union jobs to unionize workplaces. She highlighted its historical roots and recent resurgence, particularly in efforts at Amazon and Starbucks. Kelly emphasized the role young people could play in the labor movement, drawing parallels between past and present activism and discussed the challenges posed by anti-union rhetoric.

Kelly also discussed her books on labor history, including "Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor" and the young readers' edition, "Fight to Win." She explained her motivation for making labor history accessible to younger audiences and addressed the challenges of publishing such content amidst current trends in book banning.