Bread + Roses

In this episode we talk all things sports from collective bargaining, pay caps, NIL, CTE, and everything in between. We're joined by our resident sports fanatic and producer, Tommy, to discuss the state of worker health in sports, what we're worried about, and what can/should be done. We also hear from a former Chicago Bear (!) about his work life as a player and some thoughts on how to protect NFL player health.

Lastly, here is an article about the new tribute at UIC to honor healthcare workers that died during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/10/28/new-covid-19-monument-and-park-honors-chicagos-frontline-workers-pandemic-victims/

We talk about all things fall from Teachers to Pesticides. As we head back into the classrooms and prepare for the fall harvest, we thought we'd find out more about the work of teaching our young people and the impact of pesticide use on workers. We also hear from a teacher in Cicero, IL about her day to day.

This episode of Bread + Roses is about something we all have in common, getting older. We first talk about caring for our aging population and then we talk about the differences in occupational health outcomes for workers that are aging. Lastly, we interview a person working in as a home health aid in New York City.

This episode of Bread + Roses is about two things many of us have in common, taking the bus and being a woman at work. We first talk about bus drivers at the CTA and what their work is like and how it impacts health. Then we talk about the differences in occupational health outcomes for women and what drives some of the disparities. Lastly, we interview a woman and a Physician Assistant out in these Chicago streets working.

This episode of Bread + Roses is about the Roses in Bread + Roses. We first talk about where the title of our podcast and the term Bread and Roses comes from and what we owe to workers. Then we talk about the tragic increases in suicide rates within construction workers in the US. Lastly, we hear from a person working in retail talk about their work and what they need to stay healthy and happy.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health or suicide, please reach out to us and we'll try to get you some help ([email protected]). Or you can access resources here: Dial 988 to connect to a crisis line (https://988lifeline.org/) or find walk-in centers in your area by searching out Living Rooms, Community Triage Centers, and Welcoming Centers. If you are in the Chicago area here are some options: Thresholds (https://www.thresholds.org/programs-services/crisis-response/the-living-room), Southside Community Triage Center (https://www.hrdi.org/ctc.html), and Northside Welcoming Center (https://www.lssi.org/services/mental-health-and-addiction-services/mental-health-services/welcoming-center/).

This episode of Bread + Roses is about our reliance on methods and structures that fail to protect workers in this changing environment. We first talk about what Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and how it often falls short in protecting health and then we discuss the Wildland Firefighting industry and how it has changed overtime as fires become more common, bigger, and more toxic. Lastly, we interview an actual wildland firefighter about their day to day. And if you'd like to prepare your house for fires so these men and women can stay safe and keep us safe, here's some resources.

https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/wildfire/preparing-homes-for-wildfire

https://wfca.com/wildfire-articles/firewise-defensible-space/

This episode of Bread + Roses is about the changing workplaces. We talk about what AI and streaming means to the occupational health of actors and writers and then we discuss the resurgence of Black Lung. Lastly, we interview an actor about their day to day.

This episode of Bread + Roses is about the recent Trump Administration ICE raids on workplaces and chemical exposures. We talk about the ICE raids have impacted the most vulnerable workers and how chemicals are regulated (or not) in the workplace. Lastly, we interview a security guard from the Chicago suburbs to learn more about their day to day.

This episode of Bread + Roses is about Temporary Workers and Violence in the workplace. We talk about how the use of third party staffing agencies leaves workers in limbo and discuss the worker populations most impacted by violence. Lastly, we interview a worker from a meat processing plant and learn more about their day to day.

This episode of Bread + Roses is about Heat Stress and the recent cuts to the National Institutes of Occupational Safety and Health. We talk about what heat in different workplaces and how that is changing due to climate change and then we discuss how the defunding of NIOSH will play out for worker health. Lastly, we interview a chef from Texas about his work in the kitchen and beyond.