Heartland Labor Forum

Should your tax dollars that go to build publicly funded construction projects be used to pay for work done by companies that rip off their workers, don't provide health insurance or pay for workers compensation insurance to cover on-the-job injuries or not pay employment taxes? We'll talk to two leaders of unions in the building trades about what fair contracting should be and why they support passage of responsible bidder ordinances.  

Since 1935, the rules for union organizing and bargaining for most private sector companies have been set by the National Labor Relations Act. Since 1935 corporate America has repeatedly undermined and weakened labor law so that now both Trump and the Supreme Court are poised to kill or paralyze it. We'll have a roundtable discussion on where we are with labor law and where we can go if unions and workers find ourselves without enforceable rights to organize and bargain. Guests are Peter Olney, former organizing director of the West Coast Longshore Union, Lynn Reinhart, former chief counsel for the AFL-CIO now with the Economic Policy Institute, and Bill Fletcher Jr., author, labor educator and former assistant to the President of the AFL-CIO to weigh in Our feature is Know Your Rights with Michael Amash.

Ever wonder why official economic reports don't match your experience?  We'll talk to economist Heather Long about how the rich are doing so well that it skews the overall economic data. Then, a century ago Arturo Giovannitti was nearly executed for speaking since union organizers were not permitted free speech rights. We'll talk to Marcella Bencivenni about this working-class hero who helped win us all our rights. Our feature is Labor Song of the Month with Mark Galus.  

Walter Reuther died in a plane crash in May 1970. The government ruled it an accident, but was it? Or was it something more nefarious? We'll talk with Rob McKenzie about his provocative new book The Assassination of Walter Reuther: Why They Did It, How We Know. Then, as Trump plays fast and loose with tariffs, we'll ask what a pro-worker trade policy looks like? Our feature is Safety First with Mary Erio.

Pittsburgh Post Gazette workers have been on strike for more than a thousand days. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we'll ask Jon Schleuss Vice President of their union, the News Guild, why it's lasted so long and how the workers are still staying strong. Then, Representative Keri Ingle is back from the battle over gerrymandering and initiative petitions in Jeff City. We'll get an insider's story of how it went down. Our feature is Washington Window and we'll hear about the new bill to limit CEO pay.

Is Fascism creeping toward the USA or is it already here? We'll hear about two books to help you decide. First fascism expert Jason Stanley on his book Erasing History; How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future. Then A Young Person's Guide to Fascism by illustrator Sue Coe and writer Stephen Eisenman which explores the threads of fascism in U.S. history and shows their baleful influence on today's foreign policy. Thursday at 6pm, rebroadcast Friday at 5am. Our feature is Know Your Rights with Michael Amash.

Albert Einstein once said he'd rather have been a plumber. Here in KC Plumbers Local 8 has a new leader - Matt Harris. He'll be on the Heartland Labor Forum this week. Then, Donna Birks rose through the ranks to become financial secretary of UAW Local 31 at the GM Fairfax plant, then led the Tri-County Labor Council and now in retirement is heading Labor's Educational and Political Club Independent. We'll talk to both Matt and Donna. Our feature is Labor Song of the Month with Mark Galus.

This week the Missouri legislature will once again meet to undermine the will of the voters. On the Heartland Labor Forum we'll talk to Benjamin Singer of Respect Missouri Voters […] The post Respect Missouri Voters Wants to Ban Politicians from Overruling the Will of the Voters and Boeing St. Louis on Strike appeared first on KKFI.

This week the Missouri legislature will once again meet to undermine the will of the voters. On the Heartland Labor Forum we'll talk to Benjamin Singer of Respect Missouri Voters […] The post Respect Missouri Voters Wants to Ban Politicians from Overruling the Will of the Voters and Boeing St. Louis on Strike appeared first on KKFI.

Jennifer Abruzzo was General Counsel to the National Labor Relations Board during the Biden administration. She pioneered changes to help restore the right to organize unions to American workers. Trump […] The post Former NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. She was the best we've had and Trump fired her appeared first on KKFI.

Jennifer Abruzzo was General Counsel to the National Labor Relations Board during the Biden administration. She pioneered changes to help restore the right to organize unions to American workers. Trump […] The post Former NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo. She was the best we’ve had and Trump fired her appeared first on KKFI.

Washburn University students from Topeka joined a Witness for Peace delegation to Cuba to learn about race, environment and the U.S. economic blockade aimed at undoing the Cuban revolution. They […] The post Cuba Through the Eyes of Washburn University Students appeared first on KKFI.

Washburn University students from Topeka joined a Witness for Peace delegation to Cuba to learn about race, environment and the U.S. economic blockade aimed at undoing the Cuban revolution. They […] The post Cuba Through the Eyes of Washburn University Students appeared first on KKFI.

The Trump administration has attacked the federal workforce with firings, union busting, weakened job protections, reduced telework, and speedups.  This week in our continuing labor leader series on the Heartland […] The post Labor Leader Series: Federal Unions and Workers in the Crosshairs of DOGE appeared first on KKFI.

The Trump administration has attacked the federal workforce with firings, union busting, weakened job protections, reduced telework, and speedups.  This week in our continuing labor leader series on the Heartland […] The post Labor Leader Series: Federal Unions and Workers in the Crosshairs of DOGE appeared first on KKFI.

In an age of Amazon, Starbucks and Google it may seem impossible for workers to win a union. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum, we'll talk with Olivia Geho, […] The post What the Boss Doesn't You To Know. . .and NAFTA-USMCA Renegotiation: Where Is Trade Justice? appeared first on KKFI.

In an age of Amazon, Starbucks and Google it may seem impossible for workers to win a union. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum, we'll talk with Olivia Geho, […] The post What the Boss Doesn’t You To Know. . .and NAFTA-USMCA Renegotiation: Where Is Trade Justice? appeared first on KKFI.

Economist Richard Wolff – podcaster, professor, Marxist and strong advocate for worker-owned cooperatives is more relevant today than ever. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we'll ask Rick Wolff […] The post Richard Wolff: How Will Trump's Economic Plans Change Our Working Class? appeared first on KKFI.

Economist Richard Wolff – podcaster, professor, Marxist and strong advocate for worker-owned cooperatives is more relevant today than ever. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we'll ask Rick Wolff […] The post Richard Wolff: How Will Trump's Economic Plans Change Our Working Class? appeared first on KKFI.

The global movement to stop arms sales and shipments to Israel is growing as dockworkers refuse to load war cargo. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we'll hear from […] The post Unions and Israel/Palestine plus Labor Songs and SUMMER PLEDGE DRIVE appeared first on KKFI.

The global movement to stop arms sales and shipments to Israel is growing as dockworkers refuse to load war cargo. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we'll hear from […] The post Unions and Israel/Palestine plus Labor Songs and SUMMER PLEDGE DRIVE appeared first on KKFI.

Unions that haven't gone on strike in years are facing doing so as an increasing number of bosses refuse to bargain in good faith. This week on the Heartland Labor […] The post How to Have a Successful Strike and Should We Get Rid of Taxes on Tips? It's KKFI's SUMMER PLEDGE DRIVE appeared first on KKFI.

Unions that haven't gone on strike in years are facing doing so as an increasing number of bosses refuse to bargain in good faith. This week on the Heartland Labor […] The post How to Have a Successful Strike and Should We Get Rid of Taxes on Tips? It's KKFI's SUMMER PLEDGE DRIVE appeared first on KKFI.

Two women started Boots on the Ground Midwest on a whim and full of despair.  It's evolved quickly mobilizing and motivating citizens to protest creeping fascism. We'll hear their experiences […] The post Who's Raising Hell in KC? Boots on the Ground and the Kansas City Defender appeared first on KKFI.

Two women started Boots on the Ground Midwest on a whim and full of despair.  It's evolved quickly mobilizing and motivating citizens to protest creeping fascism. We'll hear their experiences […] The post Who's Raising Hell in KC? Boots on the Ground and the Kansas City Defender appeared first on KKFI.

We are thrilled to welcome back award-winning novelist Rachel Kushner for a second in-depth interview—this time about her gripping new corporate-surveillance, bad guy spy-thriller, Creation Lake. This is a twisted tale […] The post Rachel Kushner: Novelist of Activism, Revolution and Intrigue and What's a Workers' Center? appeared first on KKFI.

We are thrilled to welcome back award-winning novelist Rachel Kushner for a second in-depth interview—this time about her gripping new corporate-surveillance, bad guy spy-thriller, Creation Lake. This is a twisted tale […] The post Rachel Kushner: Novelist of Activism, Revolution and Intrigue and What's a Workers' Center? appeared first on KKFI.

The United Electrical, Radio and Machine workers is a union that's much more than just those occupations. UE as it's called, has organized thirty thousand graduate workers in the last […] The post What's a Member-Run Union? Carl Rosen, President of UE – the United Electrical Radio and Machines Workers Union appeared first on KKFI.

The United Electrical, Radio and Machine workers is a union that's much more than just those occupations. UE as it's called, has organized thirty thousand graduate workers in the last […] The post What’s a Member-Run Union? Carl Rosen, President of UE – the United Electrical Radio and Machines Workers Union appeared first on KKFI.

KU Labor Historian David Roediger is a scholar of white working-class studies. His new memoir, An Ordinary White; My Anti-Racist Education chronicles growing up in a sundown town and then […] The post Two Books: David Roediger: An Ordinary White: My Antiracist Education and Eric Blanc: We Are the Union: How Worker-to-Worker Organizing Is Revitalizing Labor and Winning Big appeared first on KKFI.

KU Labor Historian David Roediger is a scholar of white working-class studies. His new memoir, An Ordinary White; My Anti-Racist Education chronicles growing up in a sundown town and then […] The post Two Books: David Roediger: An Ordinary White: My Antiracist Education and Eric Blanc: We Are the Union: How Worker-to-Worker Organizing Is Revitalizing Labor and Winning Big appeared first on KKFI.

There's a lot of controversy about Trump's tariffs for auto. Is it just spectacle, or could they actually lead to more domestic auto production and at what cost? We'll talk […] The post UAW's Support of Tariffs and Jeremy Brecher: the Green New Deal from Below appeared first on KKFI.

There's a lot of controversy about Trump's tariffs for auto. Is it just spectacle, or could they actually lead to more domestic auto production and at what cost? We'll talk […] The post UAW's Support of Tariffs and Jeremy Brecher: the Green New Deal from Below appeared first on KKFI.

Trump dumped NIOSH – the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health? We'll ask if we can save it and why it's important to workers. Then many unions in the […] The post Can We Save NIOSH? and Labor for Palestine appeared first on KKFI.

Trump dumped NIOSH – the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health? We'll ask if we can save it and why it's important to workers. Then many unions in the […] The post Can We Save NIOSH? and Labor for Palestine appeared first on KKFI.

Last November Missouri citizens made their voices heard at the ballot box in favor of abortion access and paid sick leave for workers.  Then during the last week of the […] The post Licking Our Wounds: A 2025 Missouri Legislature Wrap-Up appeared first on KKFI.

Last November Missouri citizens made their voices heard at the ballot box in favor of abortion access and paid sick leave for workers.  Then during the last week of the […] The post Licking Our Wounds: A 2025 Missouri Legislature Wrap-Up appeared first on KKFI.

Americans have many questions these days about government services like the postal service that are under attack. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we'll visit with Darcy Wood, President […] The post Labor Leader Series: Darcy Wood and Our Right to Read Is Under Attack appeared first on KKFI.

Americans have many questions these days about government services like the postal service that are under attack. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we'll visit with Darcy Wood, President […] The post Labor Leader Series: Darcy Wood and Our Right to Read Is Under Attack appeared first on KKFI.

UAW founder Walter Reuther was famous, his brother Roy wasn't, but he made important contributions to both the labor and civil rights movements. Roy's son, Alan joins us this week […] The post Alan Reuther: From Flint to Selma: How Roy Reuther Shaped Labor & Civil Rights in America and Bert Nash Mental Health Workers Organize appeared first on KKFI.

UAW founder Walter Reuther was famous, his brother Roy wasn't, but he made important contributions to both the labor and civil rights movements. Roy's son, Alan joins us this week […] The post Alan Reuther: From Flint to Selma: How Roy Reuther Shaped Labor & Civil Rights in America and Bert Nash Mental Health Workers Organize appeared first on KKFI.

Former Commissioner Martin O'Malley says Social Security could collapse within just a few months. Social Security workers report bedlam at work, and their union leader Everett Kelley says Elon Musk […] The post Social Security Workers Speak Out appeared first on KKFI.