Social class composed of members of the society employed in lower tier jobs
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In this special crossover edition of Working People and The Marc Steiner Show, hosts Maximillian Alvarez and Marc Steiner examine how the "artificial intelligence" (AI) boom is shaping the economy and the impact it is already having—and will continue to have—on working people's lives, livelihoods, and jobs. Alvarez and Steiner speak with two members of a new mutual aid and advocacy group called Stop Gen AI, which formed this year out of the critical need to provide material support for creatives, knowledge workers, and anyone else impacted by generative AI. Guests: Kim Crawley is a former cybersecurity professor and co-author of The Pentester Blueprint. She founded Stop Gen AI in May 2025 in response to the immense socioeconomic harm generative AI has done to her and her peers, and to the vast environmental, cultural, scientific, psychological, and economic harm it does to the world. Stop Gen AI is unique for its anticapitalist focus and commitment to raising survival funds for people who are struggling. Emmi is an information security expert with experience across many niches of the industry, including application security across a number of verticals, and she is a specialist in insider threat and cyber threat intelligence. She joined the efforts of Stop Gen AI in 2025 due to the overwhelming amount of friends she has seen lose their entire lives and careers due to the out-of-control AI bubble. She also has nearly two decades of experience with boots-on-the-ground union organizing, protesting, and activism. Additional links/info: Stop Gen AI website and Mastodon page Stop Gen AI Twitch Fest information Khiree Stewart, WBALTV 11, "'Just holding a Doritos bag': Student handcuffed after AI system mistook bag of chips for weapon" Marc Steiner & Maximillian Alvarez, The Marc Steiner Show, "Trump and Silicon Valley's plan to rule the world with AI weapons" Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song Stephen Frank, Marc Steiner Show Theme Song Credits: Studio Production: David Hebden Audio Post-Production: Alina Nehlich
In this special crossover edition of Working People and The Marc Steiner Show, hosts Maximillian Alvarez and Marc Steiner examine how the “artificial intelligence” (AI) boom is shaping the economy and the impact it is already having—and will continue to have—on working people's lives, livelihoods, and jobs. Alvarez and Steiner speak with two members of a new mutual aid and advocacy group called Stop Gen AI, which formed this year out of the critical need to provide material support for creatives, knowledge workers, and anyone else impacted by generative AI.Guests:Kim Crawley is a former cybersecurity professor and co-author of The Pentester Blueprint. She founded Stop Gen AI in May 2025 in response to the immense socioeconomic harm generative AI has done to her and her peers, and to the vast environmental, cultural, scientific, psychological, and economic harm it does to the world. Stop Gen AI is unique for its anticapitalist focus and commitment to raising survival funds for people who are struggling.Emmi is an information security expert with experience across many niches of the industry, including application security across a number of verticals, and she is a specialist in insider threat and cyber threat intelligence. She joined the efforts of Stop Gen AI in 2025 due to the overwhelming amount of friends she has seen lose their entire lives and careers due to the out-of-control AI bubble. She also has nearly two decades of experience with boots-on-the-ground union organizing, protesting, and activism.Additional links/info: Stop Gen AI website and Mastodon page Stop Gen AI Twitch Fest informationKhiree Stewart, WBALTV 11, “'Just holding a Doritos bag': Student handcuffed after AI system mistook bag of chips for weapon”Marc Steiner & Maximillian Alvarez, The Marc Steiner Show, “Trump and Silicon Valley's plan to rule the world with AI weapons”Credits:Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song; Stephen Frank, Marc Steiner Show Theme SongStudio Production: David HebdenAudio Post-Production: Alina NehlichBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
In this special crossover edition of Working People and The Marc Steiner Show, hosts Maximillian Alvarez and Marc Steiner examine how the “artificial intelligence” (AI) boom is shaping the economy and the impact it is already having—and will continue to have—on working people's lives, livelihoods, and jobs. Alvarez and Steiner speak with two members of a new mutual aid and advocacy group called Stop Gen AI, which formed this year out of the critical need to provide material support for creatives, knowledge workers, and anyone else impacted by generative AI.Guests:Kim Crawley is a former cybersecurity professor and co-author of The Pentester Blueprint. She founded Stop Gen AI in May 2025 in response to the immense socioeconomic harm generative AI has done to her and her peers, and to the vast environmental, cultural, scientific, psychological, and economic harm it does to the world. Stop Gen AI is unique for its anticapitalist focus and commitment to raising survival funds for people who are struggling.Emmi is an information security expert with experience across many niches of the industry, including application security across a number of verticals, and she is a specialist in insider threat and cyber threat intelligence. She joined the efforts of Stop Gen AI in 2025 due to the overwhelming amount of friends she has seen lose their entire lives and careers due to the out-of-control AI bubble. She also has nearly two decades of experience with boots-on-the-ground union organizing, protesting, and activism.Additional links/info: Stop Gen AI website and Mastodon page Stop Gen AI Twitch Fest informationKhiree Stewart, WBALTV 11, “'Just holding a Doritos bag': Student handcuffed after AI system mistook bag of chips for weapon”Marc Steiner & Maximillian Alvarez, The Marc Steiner Show, “Trump and Silicon Valley's plan to rule the world with AI weapons”Credits:Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song; Stephen Frank, Marc Steiner Show Theme SongStudio Production: David HebdenAudio Post-Production: Alina NehlichBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-marc-steiner-show--4661751/support.
This is the afternoon All-Local update on Wednesday, Oct. 22.
On this week's Labor Radio Podcast Weekly: Work Stoppage: 32,000 Michigan home healthcare workers win SEIU recognition with a 73% “yes” vote and gear up to bargain with the state. Radio Labour Canada: CUPE re-elects Mark Hancock, announces 800,000 members, and vows to fight back-to-work orders and a right-wing federal agenda. Machinists 141 Connections: Inside JetBlue ramp organizing: why workers want a union and how an in-shop committee is building power. Labor History Today: The 1948 Donora “Death Fog”: how a Pennsylvania smog disaster reshaped U.S. thinking on work, health, and environmental accountability. Plus, on Shows You Should Know: Labor Force, Working People, Labor Notes Podcast, Heartland Labor Forum, Tales from the Reuther Library, Talk The TAUC, Labor Heritage Power Hour. Help us build sonic solidarity by clicking on the share button below. Highlights from labor radio and podcast shows around the country, part of the national Labor Radio Podcast Network of shows focusing on working people's issues and concerns. @WorkStoppage @radiolabour#LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO Edited by Patrick Dixon, produced by Chris Garlock; social media guru Mr. Harold Phillips.
“In Texas, a socialist professor is now in the fight of his life against MAGA's New McCarthyism,” scholar and author Bill V. Mullen writes in Jacobin. “Tom Alter, a labor historian and tenured professor of history at Texas State University, was fired from his job on September 10 after a far-right troll doctored a videotape of Alter speaking at a virtual Revolutionary Socialism conference. After viewing the video, university president Kelly Damphousse fired Alter on September 10 with what Alter and his supporters say was no due process.” While Alter was provisionally reinstated on Sept. 26, he and his family remain in limbo as they wait for a final decision from Texas State University regarding his firing. In this urgent episode of Working People, we speak with Professor Alter himself about the sequence of events that have made his case a flashpoint in the MAGA right's all-out assault on free speech, higher education, and the people who live, work, and study there. Additional links/info: Texas State Employees Union - CWA Local 6186: “Reinstate Dr. Tom Alter | Defend Free Speech” Bill V. Mullen, Jacobin, “MAGA McCarthyism comes to Texas State” Russell Payne, Salon, “Fox News “expert” says Hitler went to heaven” Full video of Professor Alter's Revolutionary Socialism conference speech Edward Helmore, The Guardian, “US anti-fascism expert leaves country day after being blocked from flying to Spain” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
“In Texas, a socialist professor is now in the fight of his life against MAGA's New McCarthyism,” scholar and author Bill V. Mullen writes in Jacobin. “Tom Alter, a labor historian and tenured professor of history at Texas State University, was fired from his job on September 10 after a far-right troll doctored a videotape of Alter speaking at a virtual Revolutionary Socialism conference. After viewing the video, university president Kelly Damphousse fired Alter on September 10 with what Alter and his supporters say was no due process.” While Alter was provisionally reinstated on Sept. 26, he and his family remain in limbo as they wait for a final decision from Texas State University regarding his firing. In this urgent episode of Working People, we speak with Professor Alter himself about the sequence of events that have made his case a flashpoint in the MAGA right's all-out assault on free speech, higher education, and the people who live, work, and study there.Additional links/info: Texas State Employees Union - CWA Local 6186: “Reinstate Dr. Tom Alter | Defend Free Speech”Bill V. Mullen, Jacobin, “MAGA McCarthyism comes to Texas State”Russell Payne, Salon, “Fox News “expert” says Hitler went to heaven”Full video of Professor Alter's Revolutionary Socialism conference speechEdward Helmore, The Guardian, “US anti-fascism expert leaves country day after being blocked from flying to Spain”Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
On this week's Labor Radio Podcast Weekly: Working People — Max Alvarez follows up with two HUD whistleblowers who were fired after going public; our clip captures them describing how they watched officials “continue to dismantle fair housing” from the inside. The Labor Show (with J-Doc & Krausey) — FOP Lodge 5 President Roosevelt Poplar talks tech and accountability; in our excerpt, he explains how body cams protect officers: “If someone makes a complaint…we have it on video.” Stick Together — On-the-ground from Melbourne, security guards at hospitals and public housing rally for safety and pay; our cut features UWU's blunt message: disrespect guards and you disrespect residents. My Labor Radio — NYC Building Trades leader Gary LaBarbera on PBS's Hard Hat Riot and union identity; “You go to work, you work hard, you don't want anything for free.” Third & Fairfax (WGAW) — Filmmaker Susie Singer Carter on No Country for Old People and exposing elder abuse. Help us build sonic solidarity by clicking on the share button below. Highlights from labor radio and podcast shows around the country, part of the national Labor Radio Podcast Network of shows focusing on working people's issues and concerns. @WorkingPod @stick__together @mgevaart @WGAWest#LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO Edited by Patrick Dixon, produced by Chris Garlock; social media guru Mr. Harold Phillips.
This is the full 9-28-2025 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. Day laborer Willian Giménez kidnapped by ICE, the Chicago Teachers Union protests more charter school closures and plans for No Kings Day 2.0 on Oct. 18th.Labor Express Radio is Chicago's oldest labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page... laborexpress.organd our homepage on Archive.org at:http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadioLabor Express is a member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network, Working People's Voices – Broadcasting Worldwide 24 Hours A Day. laborradionetwork.org #laborradionetwork #LaborRadioPod #1u #UnionStrong
This is the full 9-14-2025 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. Interviews and speeches from Labor Day 2025 in Chicago, including with members of Teamsters Local 705, on strike for three months at Mauser Packaging Solutions, in the La Villita neighborhood, who demand their employer agree to protections against ICE raids at their workplace.Labor Express Radio is Chicago's oldest labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page... laborexpress.organd our homepage on Archive.org at:http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadioLabor Express is a member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network, Working People's Voices – Broadcasting Worldwide 24 Hours A Day. laborradionetwork.org #laborradionetwork #LaborRadioPod #1u #UnionStrong
Who Are NOT Defined as “Working People” in the Budget? Company's Mentioned Beeks Financial Cloud #BKS Personal Group #PGH Time Finance #TIME Van Elle Holdings #VANL Global X Uranium ETF #URND ***** About The SharePickers Investment Club ***** The SharePickers Investment Club employs a unique, systematic method to uncover small, profitable companies on the London Stock Exchange. Each potential investment undergoes comprehensive analysis and is evaluated against 15 crucial financial metrics. This fact-based, quantitative approach allows us to pinpoint high-potential growth businesses and deliver consistent results, bypassing the hype and focusing on the numbers. *****MY BOOK ***** How to Become a MicroCap Millionaire - A 3 Step Strategy for Stock Market Success Is now on sale here: https://www.sharepickers.com/how-to-become-a-microcap-millionaire-3-step-strategy/ !!!IF YOU BUY THE BOOK YOU CAN GET 25% OFF MEMBERSHIP TO THE SHAREPICKERS INVESTMENT CLUB!!! HOW? If you buy a copy of the book, then like it enough to leave a 5 star rating & write a positive review, you can get yearly membership to the SharePickers Investment Club for just £149!!! THIS IS £2.87 WEEK - LESS THAN: HALF A PINT OF BEER A BATTERED JUMBO SAUSAGE FROM THE CHIPPY HALF THE AMOUNT A PERSON SPENDS ON CHOCOLATE LESS THAN A LATTE FROM STARBUCKS ONE FEEDS YOUR MIND THE OTHERS FEEDS YOUR BELLY. —---------------------------------------------------------------------- In this podcast I cover the Microcap News to see if they're good enough to be added to the MicroCap League. The UK's first MicroCap League where 100's of small businesses are analysed and scored in relation to their growth, value, health, efficiency, momentum & potential. The companies that score the highest are added to the MicroCap League and possess the best risk / reward profile. —---------------------------------------------------------------------- If you regularly listen to this podcast and value its content, it's a free resource, so please consider paying back in kind by giving it a 5 star rating and review. That way more people will find it. Thank you!
On this week's Labor Radio Podcast Weekly: art, political corruption, and worker power — from Robert Redford's films to frontline labor struggles and global supply-chain fights. Over on The Green and Red, a film-forward conversation looks at Redford's movie work and how cinema has long probed political corruption and community resistance. This week on Working People, fired tech workers tell the story of No Azure for Apartheid and why they risked their jobs to pressure a tech giant. From Stick Together, an Oxfam campaigner walks us through a new report exposing wage theft and the crisis facing garment workers in Bangladesh. In the latest We Work Europe, the founder of Bulgaria's first independent trade union shares lessons learned and how they echo in today's Europe. Plus, Harold's got some more hot tips on his Shows You Should Know segment. Help us build sonic solidarity by clicking on the share button below. Highlights from labor radio and podcast shows around the country, part of the national Labor Radio Podcast Network of shows focusing on working people's issues and concerns. @WorkingPod @stick__together @PodcastGreenRed #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO Edited by Captain Swing, produced by Chris Garlock; social media guru Mr. Harold Phillips.
Current and former tech workers with the No Azure for Apartheid coalition continue to disrupt business as usual at Microsoft's global headquarters in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide, and in protest of Microsoft's contracts with the Israeli military to provide tech that Israel uses to surveil, kill, and retroactively justify the killing of Palestinians. In this episode of Working People, which is a critical follow-up to our last episode, we speak with a panel of five tech workers and No Azure for Apartheid coalition members who have all been fired by Microsoft in the past year in response to their protest actions: Anna Hattle, Joe Lopez, Hossam Nasr, Nisreen Jaradat, and Riki. Even after losing their jobs, however, these workers have vowed not to stop organizing and protesting until Microsoft meets their demands to “fully and perpetually divests from Israel's economy of occupation, apartheid, and genocide.” Additional links/info: No Azure for Apartheid Instagram and Linktree Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / The Real News Network, “‘Microsoft is an active partner in the genocide!': Inside the tech worker revolt for Palestine” Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “Cops violently dismantle Palestine encampment at Microsoft HQ, arrest protestors” Tom Warren, The Verge, “Microsoft locks down a building after protesters get inside president's office” Microsoft: Brad Smith press conference on Aug. 26, 2025 Harry Davies & Yuval Abraham, The Guardian, “‘A million calls an hour': Israel relying on Microsoft cloud for expansive surveillance of Palestinians” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
Current and former tech workers with the No Azure for Apartheid coalition continue to disrupt business as usual at Microsoft's global headquarters in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide, and in protest of Microsoft's contracts with the Israeli military to provide tech that Israel uses to surveil, kill, and retroactively justify the killing of Palestinians. In this episode of Working People, which is a critical follow-up to our last episode, we speak with a panel of five tech workers and No Azure for Apartheid coalition members who have all been fired by Microsoft in the past year in response to their protest actions: Anna Hattle, Joe Lopez, Hossam Nasr, Nisreen Jaradat, and Riki. Even after losing their jobs, however, these workers have vowed not to stop organizing and protesting until Microsoft meets their demands to “fully and perpetually divests from Israel's economy of occupation, apartheid, and genocide.”For full show notes and episode transcript, click here.Credits:Audio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
Tech workers at the heart of Microsoft are waging one of the most significant and under-covered labor battles in the US right now. For the last two weeks, members of the No Azure for Apartheid coalition, including current and former tech workers at Microsoft and community allies, have been taking bold, continuing, and escalating actions to disrupt business as usual in solidarity with Palestinians facing genocide and in protest of Microsoft's contracts with the Israeli military to provide tech that Israel uses to surveil, kill, and retroactively justify the killing of Palestinians. Those actions have included establishing a “liberated zone” encampment and even occupying executives' offices at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, WA. In this on-the-ground episode of Working People, recorded at Microsoft headquarters on Aug. 19-20, we take you to the front lines of the No Azure for Apartheid struggle.Additional links/info: No Azure for Apartheid Instagram and Linktree Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “Cops violently dismantle Palestine encampment at Microsoft HQ, arrest protestors” Tom Warren, The Verge, “Microsoft employee arrested at headquarters while protesting Israel contracts” Tom Warren, The Verge, “Microsoft locks down a building after protesters get inside president's office” Harry Davies & Yuval Abraham, The Guardian, “‘A million calls an hour': Israel relying on Microsoft cloud for expansive surveillance of Palestinians” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Studio Production: Maximillian Alvarez Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
Tech workers at the heart of Microsoft are waging one of the most significant and undercovered labor battles in the US right now. For the last two weeks, members of the No Azure for Apartheid coalition, including current and former tech workers at Microsoft and community allies, have been taking bold, continuing, and escalating actions to disrupt business as usual in solidarity with Palestinians facing genocide and in protest of Microsoft's contracts with the Israeli military to provide tech that Israel uses to surveil, kill, and retroactively justify the killing of Palestinians. Those actions have included establishing a “liberated zone” encampment and even occupying executives' offices at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, WA. In this on-the-ground episode of Working People, recorded at Microsoft headquarters on Aug. 19-20, we take you to the front lines of the No Azure for Apartheid struggle.For full show notes and episode transcript, click here.Credits:Studio Production: Maximillian AlvarezAudio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
Right now, Israel's military is invading and obliterating what remains of Gaza City. After 700 days of genocidal bombing, shooting, forced starvation, and the systematic destruction of schools, hospitals, farms, refugee camps, roads, houses, and the entire infrastructure of civilian life, the Palestinians clinging to life in Gaza City are being exterminated, while others run or limp for their lives with nowhere safe to go. Amid the horrors of Israel's military onslaught, with starvation and illness spreading, Mohamed Abu Tawila, a former English teacher, and his nephew Abdul Rahman, a would-be college student, have been raising money online and risking their lives and safety to secure and transport clean water to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. In this urgent episode of Working People, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez speaks with Mohamed and Abdul Rahman from Gaza about their daily struggle to live in the midst of genocide.For full show notes and episode transcript, click here: https://therealnews.com Studio Production: Cameron GranadinoAudio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
Steve Earle, 2025 New Member of the Grand Ole Opry, Songwriter, Activist, Hell Raiser, and Friend of the Working Folks. Steve Earle burst onto the Music Scene in 1986 with Guitar Town and despite years of personal struggles has produced one of the finest song catalogs in Country Music. Country, Rockabilly, Punk Rock, Bluegrass, Earle has combined many musical styles to become one of the finest voices in music. Chris and Jim discuss why Earle's music is important and why he deserves a good listen. Chris and Jim say goodbye to summer 2025 with some Steve Earle suggested listening and a fine Mac and cheese Recipe from Pepper Belly Pete. https://www.youtube.com/@pepperbellypetehttps://www.patreon.com/u81625843
This is the full 8-31-2025 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. This Labor Day 2025 episode includes news and music. Jorge Mujica of ARISE Chicago Workers Center discusses plans for Labor Day 2025 in Chicago, as well as how unions are taking action to defend immigrant workers. English folk musician Ed Pickford, the author of “The Worker's Song” and many other songs addressing the struggles of working people, talks about his life and music.Labor Express Radio is Chicago's oldest labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page... laborexpress.organd our homepage on Archive.org at:http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadioLabor Express is a member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network, Working People's Voices – Broadcasting Worldwide 24 Hours A Day. laborradionetwork.org #laborradionetwork #LaborRadioPod #1u #UnionStrong
Railroad workers are sounding the alarm about the potentially catastrophic consequences of the proposed mega-merger of two of the nation's Class 1 freight rail companies. “Union Pacific said it would buy smaller rival Norfolk Southern in an $85-billion deal to create the country's first coast-to-coast freight rail operator,” Reuters reported in July. “If approved, the deal would be the largest-ever buyout in the sector.” If this giant merger goes through, what will it mean for railroad workers, customers, and for the general public? In this episode of Working People, we speak with a panel of six veteran railroaders and members of Railroad Workers United to get a workers' eye view of the proposed mega-merger and what it will mean for rail labor, the US supply chain, and for the public writ large. Speakers: Ron Kaminkow is a member of Railroad Workers United, currently serving as a trustee, and he is also a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), Division 51 in Reno, Nevada. Kaminkow recently retired from Amtrak; prior to working in passenger rail, he worked on the freight rail system for Norfolk Southern and Conrail. Jeff Kurtz was a railroad engineer and union member for 40 years and is a member of Railroad Workers United. He served as a union officer most of his career, including eight years as president of BLET Local 391 and chairman of the BLET Iowa State Legislative Board, where he oversaw safety and legislative matters for the union in the state for four railroads for 10 years. He retired in 2014 and served as state representative for one term in the Iowa House after winning the 2018 election in his House district. Derek Masters is a member of Railroad Workers United and works as a conductor for a major Class 1 railroad, primarily in the Northeast. He is a member of SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD). Matt Parker is a member of Railroad Workers United who works as a rank-and-file locomotive engineer, based in Nevada, with over 20 years of experience. Matt Weaver is a founding member of Railroad Workers United and has been a member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (Teamsters) for 30 years. He serves as the BMWED legislative director for the state of Ohio. Nick Wurst currently serves as general secretary of Railroad Workers United who works as a freight conductor and locomotive engineer, based in Massachusetts. Wurst started working for the railroad in 2019 as an intermodal worker and member of the Transportation Communication Union (TCU/IAM) and is currently a member of SMART-TD. Additional links/info: Railroad Workers United website, Facebook page, and X page Railroad Workers United press release: “Railroad worker group opposes Class One rail mergers” Michael Sainato, The Guardian, “Greater risk of toxic derailments if $85bn railroad merger is approved, warn unions” Sabrina Valle, Shivansh Tiwary, & David French, Reuters, “Union Pacific to reshape US freight rail with $85 billion deal for Norfolk” CNBC, “Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena & Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George on merger: Deal is 'great for America'” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
Railroad workers are sounding the alarm about the potentially catastrophic consequences of the proposed mega-merger of two of the nation's Class 1 freight rail companies. “Union Pacific said it would buy smaller rival Norfolk Southern in an $85-billion deal to create the country's first coast-to-coast freight rail operator,” Reuters reported in July. “If approved, the deal would be the largest-ever buyout in the sector.” If this giant merger goes through, what will it mean for railroad workers, customers, and for the general public? In this episode of Working People, we speak with a panel of six veteran railroaders and members of Railroad Workers United to get a workers' eye view of the proposed mega-merger and what it will mean for rail labor, the US supply chain, and for the public writ large.Speakers:Ron Kaminkow is a member of Railroad Workers United, currently serving as a trustee, and he is also a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), Division 51 in Reno, Nevada. Kaminkow recently retired from Amtrak; prior to working in passenger rail, he worked on the freight rail system for Norfolk Southern and Conrail.Jeff Kurtz was a railroad engineer and union member for 40 years and is a member of Railroad Workers United. He served as a union officer most of his career, including eight years as president of BLET Local 391 and chairman of the BLET Iowa State Legislative Board, where he oversaw safety and legislative matters for the union in the state for four railroads for 10 years. He retired in 2014 and served as state representative for one term in the Iowa House after winning the 2018 election in his House district.Derek Masters is a member of Railroad Workers United and works as a conductor for a major Class 1 railroad, primarily in the Northeast. He is a member of SMART Transportation Division (SMART-TD).Matt Parker is a member of Railroad Workers United who works as a rank-and-file locomotive engineer, based in Nevada, with over 20 years of experience.Matt Weaver is a founding member of Railroad Workers United and has been a member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees (Teamsters) for 30 years. He serves as the BMWED legislative director for the state of Ohio.Nick Wurst currently serves as general secretary of Railroad Workers United who works as a freight conductor and locomotive engineer, based in Massachusetts. Wurst started working for the railroad in 2019 as an intermodal worker and member of the Transportation Communication Union (TCU/IAM) and is currently a member of SMART-TD.Additional links/info:Railroad Workers United website, Facebook page, and X pageRailroad Workers United press release: “Railroad worker group opposes Class One rail mergers”Michael Sainato, The Guardian, “Greater risk of toxic derailments if $85bn railroad merger is approved, warn unions”Sabrina Valle, Shivansh Tiwary, & David French, Reuters, “Union Pacific to reshape US freight rail with $85 billion deal for Norfolk”CNBC, “Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena & Norfolk Southern CEO Mark George on merger: Deal is 'great for America'”Featured Music:Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits:Audio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
Hello to you listening all over Whidbey Island and these United States!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Wednesdays on Whidbey and your host, Diane Wyzga.Traditionally, parades, picnics, and barbeques happen on Labor Day; but this year pack up the babies, grab the old ladies and everyone go to one of many mass mobilization protests that will be taking place from coast to coast.We are working people rising up to stop the tycoon takeover - not just through the ballot box or the courts, but by building a powerful, ever stronger mass mobilization movement. We the People are fighting for a country that is more fair, just, equitable, and free for all of us. Together on Labor Day we hope to exceed the estimated five million people who hit the streets at June's No Kings! rally.We march to stop the tycoon takeover and cruelly obscene corruption of the Trump administration, to protect and defend Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs for working people, to ensure fully funded schools, and healthcare and housing for all.Hear us when we say: We the People want no part of you and your lies. We won't back down. We will never stop fighting for our families, our rights, our freedoms!Click HERE to sign up and join us on Whidbey IslandDate: Monday 1st September 2025Time: 10 AM to 12 noonPlace: Coupeville intersection => HWY 20 & Main StreetBring: flags, signs, good trouble spirit & non-perishable food items to donate to Good Cheer PantryClick HERE to access the Indivisible Whidbey website for tools you can use.Click HERE to find the Workers Over Billionaires rally events happening in your city or region Thank you for listening, being one of us, and see you out on the streets this Labor Day!We're not watching history - we are making it - to save our Democracy!You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you'll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Services I offer, arrange a no-sales Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.ALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved. If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.
Hello to you listening all over Whidbey Island and these United States!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds for Motivate Your Monday and your host, Diane Wyzga.Traditionally, parades, picnics, and barbeques happen on Labor Day; but this year pack up the babies, grab the old ladies and everyone go to one of many mass mobilization protests that will be taking place from coast to coast.We are working people rising up to stop the tycoon takeover - not just through the ballot box or the courts, but by building a powerful, ever stronger mass mobilization movement. We the People are fighting for a country that is more fair, just, equitable, and free for all of us. Together on Labor Day we hope to exceed the estimated five million people who hit the streets at June's No Kings! rally.We march to stop the tycoon takeover and cruelly obscene corruption of the Trump administration, to protect and defend Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs for working people, to ensure fully funded schools, and healthcare and housing for all.Hear us when we say: We the People want no part of you and your lies. We won't back down. We will never stop fighting for our families, our rights, our freedoms!Click HERE to sign up and join us on Whidbey IslandDate: Monday 1st September 2025Time: 10 AM to 12 noonPlace: Coupeville intersection => HWY 20 & Main StreetBring: flags, signs, good trouble spirit & non-perishable food items to donate to Good Cheer PantryClick HERE to access the Indivisible Whidbey website for tools you can useClick HERE to find the Workers Over Billionaires rally events happening in your city or region Thank you for listening, being one of us, and see you out on the streets this Labor Day!We're not watching history - we are making it - to save our Democracy!You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you'll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Services I offer, arrange a no-sales Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.ALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved. If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.
After seeing friends and neighbors in their community of Pasadena, CA, being terrorized, assaulted, and abducted by masked federal agents, Daniela Navin and Jeannette De la Riva joined together with other neighbors in their area to form Grupo Auto Defensa and fight back. From chasing ICE cars out of town with bullhorns to setting up security brigades so terrified residents can walk outside and go to the grocery store, from providing know-your-rights information to reclaiming public space, protecting each other, and rebelliously refusing to live in fear, the members of Grupo Auto Defensa are defending their community when no one else will. In this crossover episode of Working People, recorded with Professor David Palumbo-Liu and the Speaking Out of Place podcast, TRNN editor-in-chief Maximillian Alvarez joins Daniela Navin and Jeannette De la Riva to discuss the origins of Grupo Auto Defensa and the power of grassroots resistance in the face of the Trump administration's authoritarian assault on immigrant communities and the rule of law. Guests: Daniela Navin is a resident of Pasadena, CA, and a founding member of Grupo Auto Defensa. Jeannette De la Riva is a lifelong resident of Pasadena, CA, and a founding member of Grupo Auto Defensa. Additional links/info: Grupo Auto Defensa Instagram Speaking Out of Place website and Instagram The Real News Network, “‘ICE out of Dena!': CA community FIGHTS BACK against ICE terror” Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “He's worked in the US for 30 years—then masked ICE agents beat and kidnapped him in broad daylight” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
For the last week, countless videos have circulated online showing National Guard troops menacingly patrolling the streets of Washington, DC, and militarized police setting up traffic checkpoints, harassing residents in the streets, and violently clearing encampments of people experiencing homelessness. “The state of mind of DC citizens right now is that they're under a police state, mainly in the poor Black and Brown communities,” Mansa Musa, host of Rattling the Bars at TRNN and a DC native, reports. In this episode of Working People, we speak with Mansa about the authoritarian reality DC residents are experiencing right now, and we hear from a range of residents and organizers Mansa spoke with on the ground at the “Free DC” demonstration on Monday, August 11.Additional links/info:Rattling the Bars website and Bluesky pageFree DC Coalition website, Facebook page, and InstagramChris Cameron, The New York Times, “Trump's DC police takeover and national guard deployment, explained”Brian Mann, NPR, “Trump's purge of Washington's homeless encampments escalates”Stephen Prager, Common Dreams, “Trump may 'fabricate a national emergency' to extend DC takeover without Congressional support”Brad Reed, Common Dreams, “'We are fighting to stop it': DC Attorney General sues to block Trump takeover of City police”Featured Music:Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits:Studio Production: Cameron GranadinoAudio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
This is the full 8-17-2025 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. Don Villar of the Chicago Federation of Labor discusses Chicago's history as a leader in labor media and the current attacks on immigrant workers by the Trump administration. Also, organizers in the immigrant worker communities in Los Angeles discuss attacks on their members.Labor Express Radio is Chicago's oldest labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page... laborexpress.organd our homepage on Archive.org at:http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadioLabor Express is a member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network, Working People's Voices – Broadcasting Worldwide 24 Hours A Day. laborradionetwork.org #laborradionetwork #LaborRadioPod #1u #UnionStrong
After seeing friends and neighbors in their community of Pasadena, CA, being terrorized, assaulted, and abducted by masked federal agents, Daniela Navin and Jeannette De la Riva joined together with other neighbors in their area to form Grupo Auto Defensa and fight back. From chasing ICE cars out of town with bullhorns to setting up security brigades so terrified residents can walk outside and go to the grocery store, from providing know-your-rights information to reclaiming public space, protecting each other, and rebelliously refusing to live in fear, the members of Grupo Auto Defensa are defending their community when no one else will. In this crossover episode of Working People, recorded with Professor David Palumbo-Liu and the Speaking Out of Place podcast, TRNN editor-in-chief Maximillian Alvarez joins Daniela Navin and Jeannette De la Riva to discuss the origins of Grupo Auto Defensa and the power of grassroots resistance in the face of the Trump administration's authoritarian assault on immigrant communities and the rule of law. Guests: Daniela Navin is a resident of Pasadena, CA, and a founding member of Grupo Auto Defensa. Jeannette De la Riva is a lifelong resident of Pasadena, CA, and a founding member of Grupo Auto Defensa. Additional links/info: Grupo Auto Defensa InstagramSpeaking Out of Place website and InstagramThe Real News Network, “‘ICE out of Dena!': CA community FIGHTS BACK against ICE terror” Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “He's worked in the US for 30 years—then masked ICE agents beat and kidnapped him in broad daylight”Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
Dozens of Democratic lawmakers have strategically left Texas to thwart Republicans' latest effort to further gerrymander the Congressional map ahead of next year's midterm elections. While facing bomb threats at their hotels to threats from President Trump to sic the FBI on them, Texas Democrats have so far succeeded in preventing a vote, but how far are they willing to go to win this fight? In this exclusive interview, recorded at the 2025 Netroots conference in New Orleans, LA, TRNN editor-in-chief Maximillian Alvarez speaks with former Texas Congressman Beto O'Rourke about the national stakes of the political showdown in Texas, and about what Democrats are and aren't willing to do to prove to working people that they're actually going to fight back against MAGA authoritarianism.Credits:Kayla Rivara, Rosette Sewali, Maximillian AlvarezPost-Production: David HebdenHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!
“I think the community came together more when we started getting those notices about people being swept up by these supposedly ICE agents who are just covered up. So that was the thing that made us come out there and start defending everyone who doesn't want to come out to defend themselves.”In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu speaks with Daniela Navin and Jeanette de La Riva, two members of Grupo Auto Defensa a community organization based in Pasadena CA, which has come about in response to attacks by ICE, which have violently disrupted everyday life and led people to form new relations of mutual support and care. We hear their stories of how Trump lieutenant Stephen Miller's demand that ICE arrest 3000 people every day has put unbelievable constraints on hard-working people's lives. Nevertheless, we also hear how they have invented tactics to challenge these repressive measures. We are joined by journalist-activist Maxmillian Alvarez of The Real News Network who grew up in Los Angeles and comments on the broad networks of resistance cropping up organically to fight fascism.Maximillian Alvarez is an award-winning journalist and the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Executive Director of The Real News Network (TRNN) in Baltimore. He is the founder and host of Working People, "a podcast about the lives, jobs, dreams, and struggles of the working class today," and the author of "The Work of Living," a collection of interviews with US workers recorded during Year One of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to joining TRNN, he was an Associate Editor at the Chronicle Review. His writing has been featured in outlets like The Nation, In These Times, Poynter, Boston Review, The Baffler, Current Affairs, and The Chronicle of Higher Education; as an analyst and commentator, he has appeared on programs like PBS NewsHour, Breaking Points, Democracy Now!, The New Republic, NPR's 1A, The Hill's Rising, and more.www.palumbo-liu.comhttps://speakingoutofplace.comBluesky @palumboliu.bsky.socialInstagram @speaking_out_of_place
“I think the community came together more when we started getting those notices about people being swept up by these supposedly ICE agents who are just covered up. So that was the thing that made us come out there and start defending everyone who doesn't want to come out to defend themselves.”In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu speaks with Daniela Navin and Jeanette de La Riva, two members of Grupo Auto Defensa a community organization based in Pasadena CA, which has come about in response to attacks by ICE, which have violently disrupted everyday life and led people to form new relations of mutual support and care. We hear their stories of how Trump lieutenant Stephen Miller's demand that ICE arrest 3000 people every day has put unbelievable constraints on hard-working people's lives. Nevertheless, we also hear how they have invented tactics to challenge these repressive measures. We are joined by journalist-activist Maxmillian Alvarez of The Real News Network who grew up in Los Angeles and comments on the broad networks of resistance cropping up organically to fight fascism.Maximillian Alvarez is an award-winning journalist and the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Executive Director of The Real News Network (TRNN) in Baltimore. He is the founder and host of Working People, "a podcast about the lives, jobs, dreams, and struggles of the working class today," and the author of "The Work of Living," a collection of interviews with US workers recorded during Year One of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to joining TRNN, he was an Associate Editor at the Chronicle Review. His writing has been featured in outlets like The Nation, In These Times, Poynter, Boston Review, The Baffler, Current Affairs, and The Chronicle of Higher Education; as an analyst and commentator, he has appeared on programs like PBS NewsHour, Breaking Points, Democracy Now!, The New Republic, NPR's 1A, The Hill's Rising, and more.www.palumbo-liu.comhttps://speakingoutofplace.comBluesky @palumboliu.bsky.socialInstagram @speaking_out_of_place
The working class makes this economy go. Get to know them.
Today we speak with Daniela Navin and Jeanette de La Riva, two members of Grupo Auto Defensa, a community organization based in Pasadena CA which has come about in response to attacks by ICE which have violently disrupted everyday life and led people to form new relations of mutual support and care. We hear their stories of how Trump lieutenant Stephen Miller's demand that ICE arrest 3,000 people every day has put unbelievable constraints on hard-working people's lives. Nevertheless, we also hear how they have invented tactics to challenge these repressive measures. We are joined by journalist-activist Maxmillian Alvarez of The Real News Network who grew up in Los Angeles and comments on the broad networks of resistance cropping up organically to fight fascism.Maximillian Alvarez is an award-winning journalist and the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Executive Director of The Real News Network (TRNN) in Baltimore. He is the founder and host of Working People, "a podcast about the lives, jobs, dreams, and struggles of the working class today," and the author of "The Work of Living," a collection of interviews with US workers recorded during Year One of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to joining TRNN, he was an Associate Editor at the Chronicle Review. His writing has been featured in outlets like The Nation, In These Times, Poynter, Boston Review, The Baffler, Current Affairs, and The Chronicle of Higher Education; as an analyst and commentator, he has appeared on programs like PBS NewsHour, Breaking Points, Democracy Now!, The New Republic, NPR's 1A, The Hill's Rising, and more.
My conversation with Dean starts at about 31 minutes but I have your headlines and clips first! Learn more about Farm Jam Sept 5-7 Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 700 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more Dean Baker co-founded CEPR in 1999. His areas of research include housing and macroeconomics, intellectual property, Social Security, Medicare, and European labor markets. His blog, Beat the Press, provides commentary on economic reporting. His analyses have appeared in many major publications, including The Atlantic, The Washington Post, the Financial Times (London), and the New York Daily News. Dean received his BA from Swarthmore College and his PhD in economics from the University of Michigan. Dean has written several books, including Getting Back to Full Employment: A Better Bargain for Working People (with Jared Bernstein, Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2013); The End of Loser Liberalism: Making Markets Progressive (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2011); Taking Economics Seriously (MIT Press, 2010), which thinks through what we might gain if we took the ideological blinders off of basic economic principles; and False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press, 2010), about what caused — and how to fix — the 2008–2009 economic crisis. In 2009, he wrote Plunder and Blunder: The Rise and Fall of the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press), which chronicled the growth and collapse of the stock and housing bubbles and explained how policy blunders and greed led to catastrophic — but completely predictable — market meltdowns. He also wrote a chapter (“From Financial Crisis to Opportunity”) in Thinking Big: Progressive Ideas for a New Era (Progressive Ideas Network, 2009). His previous books include The United States Since 1980 (Cambridge University Press, 2007), The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2006), and Social Security: The Phony Crisis (with Mark Weisbrot, University of Chicago Press, 1999). His book Getting Prices Right: The Debate Over the Consumer Price Index (editor, M.E. Sharpe, 1997) was a winner of a Choice Book Award as one of the outstanding academic books of the year. Among his numerous articles are “The Benefits of a Financial Transactions Tax,” Tax Notes 121, no. 4 (2008); “Are Protective Labor Market Institutions at the Root of Unemployment? A Critical Review of the Evidence” (with David R. Howell, Andrew Glyn, and John Schmitt), Capitalism and Society 2, no. 1 (2007); “Asset Returns and Economic Growth,” with Brad DeLong and Paul Krugman, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (2005); “Financing Drug Research: What Are the Issues,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Medicare Choice Plus: The Solution to the Long-Term Deficit Problem,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Professional Protectionists: The Gains From Free Trade in Highly Paid Professional Services,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2003); and “The Run-Up in Home Prices: Is It Real or Is It Another Bubble?,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2002). Dean previously worked as a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute and an assistant professor at Bucknell University. He has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank, the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress, and the OECD's Trade Union Advisory Council. He was the author of the weekly online commentary on economic reporting, the Economic Reporting Review, from 1996 to 2006. Join us Monday's and Thursday's at 8EST for our Bi-Weekly Happy Hour Hangout! Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing
Osborn, the populist independent who ran a surprisingly close campaign for a Senate seat in Nebraska last year, is back for another run in the 2026 midterms. A steamfitter and union member, he says he naturally connects with other workers drawing paychecks who are feeling the squeeze. And he likes to point out that his opponent last time took money from corporate donors; but this time, his opponent is a corporate donor—incumbent Pete Ricketts, one of the wealthiest members of Congress. Plus, the pain from tariffs on Main Street, the inhumanity of masked ICE agents, and the peril for Democrats if they can't figure out how to talk to Trump voters. Dan Osborn joins Tim Miller for the weekend pod. show notes Tucker talking about home ownership and the American dream Tim's playlist Get 15% off OneSkin with the code BULWARK at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Start your new morning ritual & get up to 43% off your @MUDWTR with code THEBULWARK at mudwtr.com/THEBULWARK! #mudwtrpod
On Sunday, July 20, 2025, Working People host and TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez delivered the keynote speech at the national convention of the National Organization of Legal Services Workers (NOLSW), UAW Local 2320. “I am here to report back to you from the front lines of struggle, without hesitation or hyperbole, that we are at risk of losing everything,” Alvarez told the crowd of union members. “And so I am here not to extol the virtues of your union or the value of unions in general, but to ask you bluntly: What good is a union in Hell? How much can an organization of the dawned do in a future no one wants to live in? What good does a collective bargaining agreement serve when the world as we know it is dying?” Additional links/info: NOLSW-UAW Local 2320 website, X page, Facebook page, and Instagram Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
After getting a job as a barista at the Elmwood Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, Jaz Brisack became a founding member of Starbucks Workers United and helped organize the first unionized Starbucks in the US in December of 2021. In their new book, Get on the Job and Organize, Brisack details the hardwon lessons they and their coworkers have learned from building one of the most significant and paradigm-shifting worker organizing campaigns in modern history. In this extended episode of Working People, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian speaks with Brisack about their book, the facts and fictions characterizing today's “new labor movement,” and why union organizing is essential for saving democracy and the world.Guests: Jaz Brisack is a union organizer and cofounder of the Inside Organizer School, which trains workers to unionize. After spending one year at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, Jaz got a job as a barista at the Elmwood Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, becoming a founding member of Starbucks Workers United and helping organize the first unionized Starbucks in the United States in December of 2021. As the organizing director for Workers United Upstate New York & Vermont, they also worked with organizing committees at companies ranging from Ben & Jerry's to Tesla. Additional links/info: Jaz Brisack, One Signal Publishers, Get on the Job and Organize: Standing Up for a Better Workplace and a Better World Jaz Brisack, Teen Vogue, “Starbucks Workers United grew out of Jaz Brisack's undercover organizing. Here's how” Starbucks Workers United website, Facebook page, X page, and Instagram Inside Organizer School website Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
After getting a job as a barista at the Elmwood Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, Jaz Brisack became a founding member of Starbucks Workers United and helped organize the first unionized Starbucks in the US in December of 2021. In their new book, Get on the Job and Organize, Brisack details the hardwon lessons they and their coworkers have learned from building one of the most significant and paradigm-shifting worker organizing campaigns in modern history. In this extended episode of Working People, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian speaks with Brisack about their book, the facts and fictions characterizing today's “new labor movement,” and why union organizing is essential for saving democracy and the world.Guests:Jaz Brisack is a union organizer and cofounder of the Inside Organizer School, which trains workers to unionize. After spending one year at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, Jaz got a job as a barista at the Elmwood Starbucks in Buffalo, New York, becoming a founding member of Starbucks Workers United and helping organize the first unionized Starbucks in the United States in December of 2021. As the organizing director for Workers United Upstate New York & Vermont, they also worked with organizing committees at companies ranging from Ben & Jerry's to Tesla.Additional links/info:Jaz Brisack, One Signal Publishers, Get on the Job and Organize: Standing Up for a Better Workplace and a Better WorldJaz Brisack, Teen Vogue, “Starbucks Workers United grew out of Jaz Brisack's undercover organizing. Here's how”Starbucks Workers United website, Facebook page, X page, and InstagramInside Organizer School websiteFeatured Music:Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits:Audio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Air Date 7/2/2025 The militarization of Trump's deportation regime and response to protesters is the clearest example of his desire to implement a fully authoritarian government. Pure and simple. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on the infamous Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: America Hates The Left & We Need A Plan - Olurinatti - Air Date 12-8-24 KP 2: America Has No Left Wing with Vivek Chibber - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 6-18-25 KP 3: What's 'Left' in America?: The Moral Apathy of Liberal Optimism - Cheyenne Lin - Air Date 9-2-24 KP 4: Ralph Nader's Message to Doomers: "Stop Making Excuses!" - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-22-25 KP 5: The Worst People in Politics Are LOSING IT Over Zohran Mamdani - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-25-25 KP 6: “We Fight for Working People with No Apology”: Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo in NYC Mayoral Primary - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-25-25 (00:45:01) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how to fund the politics we need DEEPER DIVES (00:56:26) SECTION A: PROTESTS (01:25:24) SECTION B: HISTORY & INFIGHTING (02:01:22) SECTION C: SUBVERSION & THE RIGHT (02:38:02) SECTION D: ORGANIZING (03:24:46) SECTION E: THEORY SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a grid of multi-colored Zohran Mamdani political posters that say “Zohran For Mayor” and a photo of Zohran. Credit: “Zohran for Mayor” by Eden, Janine and Jim, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 Changes: Cropped and expanded background Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Dozens of peaceful protesters, including disabled people in wheelchairs, were arrested last Wednesday in Washington, DC, while protesting President Trump's massive spending and tax bill, which will dramatically slash taxes, restructure the student loan and debt system, and make devastating cuts to vital, popular programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote, Senate Republicans voted Tuesday to advance Donald Trump's so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, which will now go back to the House of Representatives for final approval. In this urgent episode of Working People, we speak with Lorraine Chavez and Chrstine Rodriguez, who were among the dozens arrested for their peaceful act of civil disobedience on June 25, about what's in this bill, what it will mean for working people, and how working people are fighting back. Editor's Note (7/1/25): Before the US Senate voted to advance President Trump's spending and tax bill, the provision to bar states from issuing new regulations on artificial intelligence for 10 years was removed from the legislation. Guests: Lorraine Chavez is an educator, researcher, and community leader based in Chicago. She is also a student debtor and traveled to the Washington DC protest with the Debt Collective. Chrstine Rodriguez is a legal assistant and student debtor from Pasadena, California, who also traveled to the Washington DC protest with the Debt Collective. Additional links/info: The Debt Collective website, X page, Facebook page, and Instagram Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams, “Medicaid defenders in wheelchairs arrested ahead of Senate vote on 'betrayal of a bill'” Chris Stein, The Guardian, “What's in Trump's big, beautiful bill? Tax cuts, deportations and more” Chris Stein, The Guardian, “Senate Republicans pass Trump's ‘big, beautiful' bill, clearing major hurdle” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
Dozens of peaceful protesters, including disabled people in wheelchairs, were arrested last Wednesday in Washington, DC, while protesting President Trump's massive spending and tax bill, which will dramatically slash taxes, restructure the student loan and debt system, and make devastating cuts to vital, popular programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). With Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote, Senate Republicans voted Tuesday to advance Donald Trump's so-called One Big Beautiful Bill, which will now go back to the House of Representatives for final approval. In this urgent episode of Working People, we speak with Lorraine Chavez and Chrstine Rodriguez, who were among the dozens arrested for their peaceful act of civil disobedience on June 25, about what's in this bill, what it will mean for working people, and how working people are fighting back.Guests:Lorraine Chavez is an educator, researcher, and community leader based in Chicago. She is also a student debtor and traveled to the Washington DC protest with the Debt Collective.Chrstine Rodriguez is a legal assistant and student debtor from Pasadena, California, who also traveled to the Washington DC protest with the Debt Collective.Additional links/info:The Debt Collective website, X page, Facebook page, and InstagramBrett Wilkins, Common Dreams, “Medicaid defenders in wheelchairs arrested ahead of Senate vote on 'betrayal of a bill'”Chris Stein, The Guardian, “What's in Trump's big, beautiful bill? Tax cuts, deportations and more”Chris Stein, The Guardian, “Senate Republicans pass Trump's ‘big, beautiful' bill, clearing major hurdle”Featured Music:Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits:Audio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Headlines for June 25, 2025; “We Fight for Working People with No Apology”: Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo in NYC Mayoral Primary; “One Mass Casualty After Another”: U.S. Doctor in Gaza on Ongoing Israeli Massacres at Aid Sites; “Imperial Decline”: NATO Nations Boost War Spending at Trump’s Urging as He Defends Iran Bombing; “Inhumane”: Marine Veteran Calls for ICE to Release His Father After Video of Brutal Arrest Goes Viral
In Los Angeles, CA, armed, masked agents of the state are snatching and disappearing immigrants off the street, peaceful protestors and journalists are being attacked with tear gas and rubber bullets, National Guard troops and active-duty Marines have been deployed to police and intimidate American citizens. Fear and uncertainty have gripped America's second largest city as a barrage of misinformation obscures the reality on the ground; nevertheless, Angelinos continue to defy the Trump administration's attacks on immigrant communities and authoritarian crackdown on civil rights. In this episode of Working People, we take you to the streets of LA and speak with multiple on-the-ground eyewitnesses to the events of the past two weeks to help you better understand what's actually happening and where this is all heading.Guests: Sonali Kolhatkar is an award winning journalist, broadcaster, writer, and author; she is the founder, host, and executive director of Rising Up with Sonali. She is the author of Talking About Abolition: A Police-Free World is Possible and Rising Up: The Power of Narrative in Pursuing Racial Justice. Javier Cabral is the editor-in-chief of the award-winning, independent outlet L.A. Taco Michael Nigro is an award-winning filmmaker and multimedia journalist who is among the numerous journalists to have been assaulted by police while reporting on assignment in LA. Additional links/info: Tim Javier Cabral, L.A. Taco, “A ride-along with Union Del Barrio, L.A.'s leading community patrol against ICE” David Folkenflick, NPR, “Press group sues L.A., alleging police abuse of reporters at ICE rallies” Luis Feliz Leon, In These Times, “Trump has put a target on SEIU, and the labor movement is fighting back” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
In Los Angeles, CA, armed, masked agents of the state are snatching and disappearing immigrants off the street, peaceful protestors and journalists are being attacked with tear gas and rubber bullets, National Guard troops and active-duty Marines have been deployed to police and intimidate American citizens. Fear and uncertainty have gripped America's second largest city as a barrage of misinformation obscures the reality on the ground; nevertheless, Angelinos continue to defy the Trump administration's attacks on immigrant communities and authoritarian crackdown on civil rights. In this episode of Working People, we take you to the streets of LA and speak with multiple on-the-ground eyewitnesses to the events of the past two weeks to help you better understand what's actually happening and where this is all heading.Guests:Sonali Kolhatkar is an award winning journalist, broadcaster, writer, and author; she is the founder, host, and executive director of Rising Up with Sonali. She is the author of Talking About Abolition: A Police-Free World is Possible and Rising Up: The Power of Narrative in Pursuing Racial Justice.Javier Cabral is the editor-in-chief of the award-winning, independent outlet L.A. TacoMichael Nigro is an award-winning filmmaker and multimedia journalist who is among the numerous journalists to have been assaulted by police while reporting on assignment in LA.Additional links/info:Tim Javier Cabral, L.A. Taco, “A ride-along with Union Del Barrio, L.A.'s leading community patrol against ICE”David Folkenflick, NPR, “Press group sues L.A., alleging police abuse of reporters at ICE rallies”Luis Feliz Leon, In These Times, “Trump has put a target on SEIU, and the labor movement is fighting back”Featured Music:Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits:Audio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
On June 6, thousands of veterans, union members, VA hospital nurses, elected officials, and more gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. at the “Unite for Veterans, Unite for America rally” to protest the Trump administration's attacks on veteran jobs, benefits, and healthcare. In this on-the-ground edition of Working People, we report from Friday's rally and speak with veterans and VA nurses about how Trump's policies are affecting them now and how to fix the longstanding issues with the VA. Speakers: Peter Pocock, Vietnam War veteran (Navy) and retired union organizer Everett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees Terri Henry, Air Force veteran Ellen Barfield, Army veteran and national vice president of Veterans for Peace Lindsay Church, executive director and co-founder of Minority Veterans of America Lelaina Brandt, veteran (National Guard), 2SLGBTQIA+ advocate, and part-time illustrator and graphic designer. Eric Farmer, Navy submarine veteran Irma Westmoreland, registered VA nurse in Augusta, GA, secretary-treasurer of National Nurses United, chair of National Nurses United Organizing Committee/NNU-VA Andrea Johnson, registered VA nurse in San Diego, CA, medical surgical unit and the NNOC/NNU director of VA Medical Center- San Diego Justin Wooden, registered VA nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa, FL Cecil E. Roberts, Vietnam War veteran (Army) and president of the United Mine Workers of America Additional links/info: Tim Balk & Helene Cooper, The New York Times, “Military parade in Capital on Trump's birthday could cost $45 million, officials say” Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press, “Transgender troops face a deadline and a difficult decision: Stay or go?” Eric Umansky & Vernal Coleman, ProPublica, “Internal VA emails reveal how Trump cuts jeopardize veterans' care, including to ‘life-saving cancer trials'” Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / The Real News Network, “Trump cuts leave VA hospital nurses and veteran patients in a crisis” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
On June 6, thousands of veterans, union members, VA hospital nurses, elected officials, and more gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C. at the “Unite for Veterans, Unite for America rally” to protest the Trump administration's attacks on veteran jobs, benefits, and healthcare. In this on-the-ground edition of Working People, we report from Friday's rally and speak with veterans and VA nurses about how Trump's policies are affecting them now and how to fix the longstanding issues with the VA.Speakers:Peter Pocock, Vietnam War veteran (Navy) and retired union organizerEverett Kelley, national president of the American Federation of Government EmployeesTerri Henry, Air Force veteranEllen Barfield, Army veteran and national vice president of Veterans for PeaceLindsay Church, executive director and co-founder of Minority Veterans of AmericaLelaina Brandt, veteran (National Guard), 2SLGBTQIA+ advocate, and part-time illustrator and graphic designer.Eric Farmer, Navy submarine veteranIrma Westmoreland, registered VA nurse in Augusta, GA, secretary-treasurer of National Nurses United, chair of National Nurses United Organizing Committee/NNU-VAAndrea Johnson, registered VA nurse in San Diego, CA, medical surgical unit and the NNOC/NNU director of VA Medical Center- San DiegoJustin Wooden, registered VA nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa, FLCecil E. Roberts, Vietnam War veteran (Army) and president of the United Mine Workers of AmericaAdditional links/info:Tim Balk & Helene Cooper, The New York Times, “Military parade in Capital on Trump's birthday could cost $45 million, officials say”Lolita C. Baldor, Associated Press, “Transgender troops face a deadline and a difficult decision: Stay or go?”Eric Umansky & Vernal Coleman, ProPublica, “Internal VA emails reveal how Trump cuts jeopardize veterans' care, including to ‘life-saving cancer trials'”Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / The Real News Network, “Trump cuts leave VA hospital nurses and veteran patients in a crisis”Featured Music:Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits:Audio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Already burdened by years of funding cuts and understaffing, registered nurses who work at Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities across the country are facing a crisis as the impact of the Trump administration's cuts to the federal workforce take effect. In this episode of Working People, Maximillian Alvarez speaks with VA nurses and union representatives for National Nurses United about how these cuts, coupled with Trump's attempt to strip over one million federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, are hurting VA workers, the quality of care they've been trained to provide, and the veterans they serve.Guest(s): Irma Westmoreland, a registered VA nurse in Augusta, Georgia, who currently serves as secretary-treasurer of National Nurses United and chair of the National Nurses United Organizing Committee/NNU-VA Sharda Fornnarino, a navy veteran who has worked as a VA nurse for 25 years, and who currently serves as the National Nurses United director of the Denver VA. Additional links/info: National Nurses United website, Facebook page, X page, and Instagram National Nurses United - Veterans Affairs website NNU Press Release: National Nurses United RNs join Unite for Veterans, Unite for America rally in Washington, DC NNU statement on executive order seeking to strip federal employees of their protected union rights Eric Umansky & Vernal Coleman, ProPublica, “Internal VA emails reveal how Trump cuts jeopardize veterans' care, including to ‘life-saving cancer trials'” Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / The Real News Network, “What's really behind Trump's war on federal unions?” Featured Music: Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
Already burdened by years of funding cuts and understaffing, registered nurses who work at Veterans Health Administration (VA) facilities across the country are facing a crisis as the impact of the Trump administration's cuts to the federal workforce take effect. In this episode of Working People, Maximillian Alvarez speaks with VA nurses and union representatives for National Nurses United about how these cuts, coupled with Trump's attempt to strip over one million federal workers of their collective bargaining rights, are hurting VA workers, the quality of care they've been trained to provide, and the veterans they serve.Guest(s):Irma Westmoreland, a registered VA nurse in Augusta, Georgia, who currently serves as secretary-treasurer of National Nurses United and chair of the National Nurses United Organizing Committee/NNU-VASharda Fornnarino, a navy veteran who has worked as a VA nurse for 25 years, and who currently serves as the National Nurses United director of the Denver VA.Additional links/info:National Nurses United website, Facebook page, X page, and InstagramNational Nurses United - Veterans Affairs websiteNNU Press Release: National Nurses United RNs join Unite for Veterans, Unite for America rally in Washington, DCNNU statement on executive order seeking to strip federal employees of their protected union rightsEric Umansky & Vernal Coleman, ProPublica, “Internal VA emails reveal how Trump cuts jeopardize veterans' care, including to ‘life-saving cancer trials'”Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / The Real News Network, “What's really behind Trump's war on federal unions?”Featured Music:Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongCredits:Audio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
In the latest episode of Working People, we go back to the picket line to get a critical update on the longest ongoing strike in the United States. In October 2022, over 100 workers represented by five labor unions—including production, distribution, advertising, and accounts receivable staff—walked off the job on an unfair labor practice strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PPG). The strike began after the newspaper's management, Block Communications, which is owned by the Block family, cut off health insurance for employees on Oct. 1 of that year. After more than 2.5 years on strike, with other unions reaching contracts or taking buyouts and dissolving their units, workers represented by the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh are the last remaining strikers holding the line. We speak with a panel of union officers for the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh about how they've managed to stay on strike so long and about recent legal updates that have given them hope that an acceptable end to the strike may be on the horizon. Panelists include: Ed Blazina, striking transportation writer at the PPG and one of the Vice Presidents of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh; Erin Hebert, also one of the Vice Presidents of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh and a striking copy-editor and page designer at PPG; Emily Matthews, photographer on strike and treasurer for the Post-Gazette Unit of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh. Additional links/info: Pittsburgh Union Progress website, Facebook page, X page, and Instagram Donate to Support Striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Workers Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh website Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “TRNN wins 2025 Izzy Award for coverage of East Palestine, OH, trainwreck & chemical disaster” Bob Batz Jr., Pittsburgh Union Progress, “The strike is over for 3 Pittsburgh news production unions, but the journalists' strike continues” Ian Karbal, Pennsylvania Capital Star, “The strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is now the longest in the nation. And it's not over” Mel Buer, Working People / The Real News Network, “Two years into a strike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers aren't ready to give up” Bob Batz Jr. & Steve Mellon, Pittsburgh Union Progress, “A start to the end of the strike? Feds file for temporary injunction to return Pittsburgh news unions to work” Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams / The Real News Network, “‘AI will not scab us': Post-Gazette newsroom decries use of artificial intelligence” Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “(Livestream) After months of striking, media workers aren't backing down” Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “(Livestream) Strikes at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, University of Michigan, and more” Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / The Real News Network, “The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's half-year strike” Permanent links below… Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show! Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page Featured Music… Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme Song Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor
In the latest episode of Working People, we go back to the picket line to get a critical update on the longest ongoing strike in the United States. In October 2022, over 100 workers represented by five labor unions—including production, distribution, advertising, and accounts receivable staff—walked off the job on an unfair labor practice strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (PPG). The strike began after the newspaper's management, Block Communications, which is owned by the Block family, cut off health insurance for employees on Oct. 1. After more than 2.5 years on strike, with other unions reaching contracts or taking buyouts and dissolving their units, workers represented by the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh are the last remaining strikers holding the line. We speak with a panel of union officers for the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh about how they've managed to stay on strike so long and about recent legal updates that have given them hope that an acceptable end to the strike may be on the horizon. Panelists include: Ed Blazina, striking transportation writer at the PPG and one of the Vice Presidents of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh; Erin Hebert, also one of the Vice Presidents of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh and a striking copy-editor and page designer at PPG; Emily Matthews, photographer on strike and treasurer for the Post-Gazette Unit of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh. Additional links/info: Pittsburgh Union Progress website, Facebook page, X page, and InstagramDonate to Support Striking Pittsburgh Post-Gazette WorkersMaximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “TRNN wins 2025 Izzy Award for coverage of East Palestine, OH, trainwreck & chemical disaster”Bob Batz Jr., Pittsburgh Union Progress, “The strike is over for 3 Pittsburgh news production unions, but the journalists' strike continues”Ian Karbal, Pennsylvania Capital Star, “The strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is now the longest in the nation. And it's not over”Mel Buer, Working People / The Real News Network, “Two years into a strike, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette workers aren't ready to give up”Bob Batz Jr. & Steve Mellon, Pittsburgh Union Progress, “A start to the end of the strike? Feds file for temporary injunction to return Pittsburgh news unions to work”Brett Wilkins, Common Dreams / The Real News Network, “‘AI will not scab us': Post-Gazette newsroom decries use of artificial intelligence”Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “(Livestream) After months of striking, media workers aren't backing down”Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, “(Livestream) Strikes at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, University of Michigan, and more”Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / The Real News Network, “The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's half-year strike”Permanent links below…Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show!Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter pageIn These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter pageThe Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter pageFeatured Music…Jules Taylor, “Working People” Theme SongAudio Post-Production: Jules TaylorHelp us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Sign up for our newsletterLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast
Stand Up is a daily podcast that I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 700 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more Dean Baker co-founded CEPR in 1999. His areas of research include housing and macroeconomics, intellectual property, Social Security, Medicare, and European labor markets. His blog, Beat the Press, provides commentary on economic reporting. His analyses have appeared in many major publications, including The Atlantic, The Washington Post, the Financial Times (London), and the New York Daily News. Dean received his BA from Swarthmore College and his PhD in economics from the University of Michigan. Dean has written several books, including Getting Back to Full Employment: A Better Bargain for Working People (with Jared Bernstein, Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2013); The End of Loser Liberalism: Making Markets Progressive (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2011); Taking Economics Seriously (MIT Press, 2010), which thinks through what we might gain if we took the ideological blinders off of basic economic principles; and False Profits: Recovering from the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press, 2010), about what caused — and how to fix — the 2008–2009 economic crisis. In 2009, he wrote Plunder and Blunder: The Rise and Fall of the Bubble Economy (PoliPoint Press), which chronicled the growth and collapse of the stock and housing bubbles and explained how policy blunders and greed led to catastrophic — but completely predictable — market meltdowns. He also wrote a chapter (“From Financial Crisis to Opportunity”) in Thinking Big: Progressive Ideas for a New Era (Progressive Ideas Network, 2009). His previous books include The United States Since 1980 (Cambridge University Press, 2007), The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer (Center for Economic and Policy Research, 2006), and Social Security: The Phony Crisis (with Mark Weisbrot, University of Chicago Press, 1999). His book Getting Prices Right: The Debate Over the Consumer Price Index (editor, M.E. Sharpe, 1997) was a winner of a Choice Book Award as one of the outstanding academic books of the year. Among his numerous articles are “The Benefits of a Financial Transactions Tax,” Tax Notes 121, no. 4 (2008); “Are Protective Labor Market Institutions at the Root of Unemployment? A Critical Review of the Evidence” (with David R. Howell, Andrew Glyn, and John Schmitt), Capitalism and Society 2, no. 1 (2007); “Asset Returns and Economic Growth,” with Brad DeLong and Paul Krugman, Brookings Papers on Economic Activity (2005); “Financing Drug Research: What Are the Issues,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Medicare Choice Plus: The Solution to the Long-Term Deficit Problem,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2004); “Professional Protectionists: The Gains From Free Trade in Highly Paid Professional Services,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2003); and “The Run-Up in Home Prices: Is It Real or Is It Another Bubble?,” Center for Economic and Policy Research (2002). Dean previously worked as a senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute and an assistant professor at Bucknell University. He has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank, the Joint Economic Committee of the US Congress, and the OECD's Trade Union Advisory Council. He was the author of the weekly online commentary on economic reporting, the Economic Reporting Review, from 1996 to 2006. Join us Monday's and Thursday's at 8EST for our Bi-Weekly Happy Hour Hangout! Pete on Blue Sky Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing