Labor Radio Podcast Network’s Member Spotlight Series pays homage to radio and podcast producers who are focusing on working class issues.

In May 2020, En Masse was launched with the mission to build working-class unity in our struggles for economic and social justice by examining the dynamics of class and work using social theory, history, and personal experience.

En Masse is a storytelling podcast about working-class life by oral historian and labor activist, Liz Medina. In each episode, we hear and discuss individual testimonies to the human costs of economic processes as well as working-class resistance. Each season reveals universal aspects of class and work through the personal experiences of the workers interviewed. 

Liz Medina is also the co-chair of the Goddard College Staff Union, UAW 2322, and the Acting Director of the Vermont State Labor Council, AFL-CIO. She spent her childhood around Syracuse and Binghamton, in New York’s rust belt. When she moved to Central Vermont 4 years ago, she was drawn to Barre, VT. It reminded her of home. Barre is a distinctly working-class town that underwent an economic transformation that is recognizable in deindustrialized towns all across the United States.

About the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Launched in April 2020, the Labor Radio Podcast Network focuses on working class issues that are often overlooked in the corporate-controlled media. The goal of the network is to help raise the voices of working people and strengthen organized labor to demand and achieve better treatment from workplaces and elected officials.

The Labor Radio Podcast Network is both a one-stop shop for audiences looking for labor content and a resource for labor broadcasters and podcasters. Resources include a weekly podcast summarizing shows produced by network members, marketing on social media, a website listing network shows and how audiences can find them, a database for contacting expert guests, access to a private listserv for Network members, and a weekly video call to increase solidarity and support amongst members.

If you are a journalist interested in learning more or if you’re a labor radio or podcast producer and want to join the network, contact us at [email protected].

Follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #LaborRadioPod or visit the website at: https://www.laborradionetwork.org/.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LaborRadioNet/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/laborradionet

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/laborradionet/

WEEKLY PODCAST NETWORK SUMMARY: https://laborradiopodcastweekly.podbean.com/

#LaborRadioPod

#1U

#UnionStrong

Video and audio was produced by Evan Matthew Papp of Empathy Media Lab.

The University of Maryland School of Public Policy Alumni Board's video and podcast series called Policy Dialogues discusses current events through a policy lens.

Episode 10 focuses on how Labor History can help inform Public Policy with UMD Professor Julie Greene. Participants also included Evan Papp (UMD SPP ‘11). 

Dr. Julie Greene who is a Professor of History at the University of Maryland College Park focusing on labor, immigration, and empire. She received a BA degree in history from the University of Michigan, a BA and MA degree in history from University of Cambridge, and a PhD in history from Yale University. 

She is the author of numerous books including The Canal Builders: Making America's Empire at the Panama Canal. Julie is the founding co-Director of the Center for Global Migration Studies at the University of Maryland. And she is also the Past President of the Labor and Working-Class History Association.

The views expressed do not represent official positions of the school or alumni network.

Labor Radio Podcast Network’s Member Spotlight Series pays homage to radio and podcast producers who are focusing on working class issues.

Work Week Radio on KPFA is a weekly labor show that covers the struggles of workers and unions in the US and the world. Steve Zeltzer is a long time labor/community activist and leader in the fight for justice. He has produced labor TV shows and labor documentaries since 1983, and also helped found LaborFest to celebrate the culture and art of working people, and LaborNet online. 

About the Labor Radio Podcast Network

Launched in April 2020, the Labor Radio Podcast Network focuses on working class issues that are often overlooked in the corporate-controlled media. The goal of the network is to help raise the voices of working people and strengthen organized labor to demand and achieve better treatment from workplaces and elected officials.

The Labor Radio Podcast Network is both a one-stop shop for audiences looking for labor content and a resource for labor broadcasters and podcasters. Resources include a weekly podcast summarizing shows produced by network members, marketing on social media, a website listing network shows and how audiences can find them, a database for contacting expert guests, access to a private listserv for Network members, and a weekly video call to increase solidarity and support amongst members.

If you are a journalist interested in learning more or if you’re a labor radio or podcast producer and want to join the network, contact us at [email protected].

Follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #LaborRadioPod or visit the website at: https://www.laborradionetwork.org/.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LaborRadioNet/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/laborradionet

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/laborradionet/

WEEKLY PODCAST NETWORK SUMMARY: https://laborradiopodcastweekly.podbean.com/

#LaborRadioPod

#1U

#UnionStrong

Video and audio was produced by Evan Papp of Empathy Media Lab.

Welcome to Empathy Media Lab’s Belief Street where we’ll be exploring religious concepts through text and scripture, interviews and profiles, and documentaries and films.  

So why do I want to explore religious concepts even though I haven’t been a practicing Catholic for over two decades?

Well, first, I’m appalled at the hypocrites who have hijacked Jesus’ teachings to love our neighbor and treat people the way we want to be treated. 

And as an outsider looking into the internal politics of the Catholic Church, it appears to me that there is civil war raging between a progressive Pope Francis and a very dangerous reactionary faction that sides with the hypocrites previously mentioned.

Ultimately, the outcome of this battle will determine whether it is fear or love that organizes the Holy See.

For this series of Belief Street, I’ll be reading Fratelli Tutti, which is Pope Francis’ Encyclical subtitled "on fraternity and social friendship.” 

The encyclical calls for more human fraternity and solidarity, and is a plea to reject wars.

The document was signed on  October 3rd 2020, on the occasion of Pope Francis's visit to the tomb of his namesake, Saint Francis of Assisi, and was published the following day, on the saint's feast day.

The Catholic Church I went to growing up in Muskegon, Michigan was called St. Francis De Sales and it is one of the strangest concrete structures I’ve ever seen. 

The Sunday experience in that brutalist architectural design made a lasting impression on me that I plan to discuss in coming episodes.

Almost twenty years ago, I also had the pleasure of visiting the town of Assisi in Italy during a solo backpacking trip across Europe at the beginning of the U.S. invasion of Iraq.

After a day of exploration, I found a modest campsite at Fontemaggio Assisi not far from the town center, ate a delicious pasta meal with some local red wine, and I still remember that night sleeping on the side a mountain on a clear evening, looking up at the sky and thinking about the deeper questions of our life.

So with an interest in getting back to my roots, I’ll be reading Fratelli Tutti, introduction and chapter 1.

Labor Radio Podcast Network’s Member Spotlight Series pays homage to radio and podcast producers who are focusing on working class issues. 

Jeremy Waugh of the Break Time Breakdown podcast discusses important subjects related to Union Sheet Metal Workers mixed in with light conversations that show the “other side” of SMART Local 110‘s community in Louisville, KY (http://www.smw110.com/).

My Takeaway

Jeremy discussed his path from artist, to car salesman, to sheet metal worker, podcaster, and trade union activist. And he walked me through the financial benefits of being in the union while making an indisputable business case that a worker without union representation is a worker ripe for predatory behavior from the boss. He also discussed how the Break Time Breakdown podcast has increased communication, engagement, and solidarity amongst SMART Local 110 members. Jeremy also talks about why more women should look for work in the skilled building trades. And if a politician is looking for his vote, supporting organized labor better be one of the top three priorities. I hope you benefit from the  conversation as much as I did. 

About the Labor Radio Podcast Network

The Labor Radio Podcast Network is both a one-stop shop for audiences looking for labor content and a resource for labor broadcasters and podcasters. Resources include a weekly podcast summarizing shows produced by network members, marketing on social media, a website listing network shows and how audiences can find them, a database for contacting expert guests, access to a private listserv for Network members, and a weekly video call to increase solidarity and support amongst members.

Launched in April 2020, the Labor Radio Podcast Network focuses on working class issues that are often overlooked in the corporate-controlled media. The goal of the network is to help raise the voices of working people and strengthen organized labor to demand and achieve better treatment from workplaces and elected officials.

If you are a journalist interested in learning more or if you’re a labor radio or podcast producer and want to join the network, contact us at [email protected].

Follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #LaborRadioPod or visit the website at: https://www.laborradionetwork.org/.

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LaborRadioNet/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/laborradionet

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/laborradionet/

WEEKLY PODCAST NETWORK SUMMARY: https://laborradiopodcastweekly.podbean.com/

#LaborRadioPod

#1U

#UnionStrong

Video and audio was produced by Evan Papp of Empathy Media Lab.

Labor Radio Podcast Network’s Member Spotlight Series pays homage to radio and podcast producers who are focusing on working class issues. 

Judy Ancel is the host of the Heartland Labor Forum, which is Kansas City’s only program about the workplace. It’s radio that talks back to the boss! Whether you’re a union member or your workplace isn’t organized, Heartland Labor Forum (HLF) has stories for you, guaranteed to inspire, educate, or enrage you. 

HLF is produced by a diverse group of working people and coordinated by The UMKC’s Labor Studies Program. We have been agitating for the rights of working people on the KKFI airwaves since 1989.

About the Labor Radio Podcast Network

The Labor Radio Podcast Network is both a one-stop shop for audiences looking for labor content and a resource for labor broadcasters and podcasters. Resources include a weekly podcast summarizing shows produced by network members, marketing on social media, a website listing network shows and how audiences can find them, a database for contacting expert guests, access to a private listserv for Network members, and a weekly video call to increase solidarity and support amongst members.

Launched in April 2020, the Labor Radio Podcast Network focuses on working class issues that are often overlooked in the corporate-controlled media. The goal of the network is to help raise the voices of working people and strengthen organized labor to demand and achieve better treatment from workplaces and elected officials.

If you are a journalist interested in learning more or if you’re a labor radio or podcast producer and want to join the network, contact us at [email protected].

Follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #LaborRadioPod or visit the website at: https://www.laborradionetwork.org/.

WEBSITE: https://www.laborradionetwork.org/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LaborRadioNet/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/laborradionet

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/laborradionet/

WEEKLY PODCAST NETWORK SUMMARY: https://laborradiopodcastweekly.podbean.com/

#LaborRadioPod

#1U

#UnionStrong

Video and audio was produced by Evan Papp of Empathy Media Lab.

Deborah Burger, Co-President, National Nurses United, the largest organization of registered nurses in the United States, with close to 185,000 members across the country.

Topics discussed: Defense Production Act to finance and distribute safe protective devices to protect workers; The HEROES Act; Medicare for All; Organizing in Asheville; Biden and labor (OSHA responsive to inspect and punish COVID employers etc.; the NLRB etc.)

Labor Radio Podcast Network’s Weekly Wednesday Livestream interviews labor leaders about current labor issues with rotating hosts made up of network members.

On December 2nd, hosts Chris Garlock of Union City Radio and Mimi Rosenberg of Building Bridges interviewed National Nurses United Co-President Deborah Burger and National Treasury Employees Union President Tony Reardon.

Video and audio was edited and produced by Evan Matthew Papp of Empathy Media Lab.

Tony Reardon, President, National Treasury Employees Union, which represents 150,000 federal employees in 33 departments and agencies, including the IRS and CFPB and many others.

Topics: Executive Order on Creating Schedule F in The Excepted Service: What does Schedule F mean for the future of the civil service? NTEU’s lawsuit to stop Schedule F. What are specific agencies doing to implement it? How is this affecting the morale of federal employees?

Labor Radio Podcast Network’s Weekly Wednesday Livestream interviews labor leaders about current labor issues with rotating hosts made up of network members.

On December 2nd, hosts Chris Garlock of Union City Radio and Mimi Rosenberg of Building Bridges interviewed National Nurses United Co-President Deborah Burger and National Treasury Employees Union President Tony Reardon.

Video and audio was edited and produced by Evan Matthew Papp of Empathy Media Lab.

The University of Maryland School of Public Policy Alumni Board's video and podcast series called Policy Dialogues discusses current events through a policy lens.

Episode 9 focuses on Antitrust Law and Public Policy with UMD SPP alumni Anora Wang. Participants also included Evan Papp (UMD SPP ‘11). 

Anora Wang is an associate attorney of Davis Wright Tremaine LLP and she represents clients in complex antitrust litigation. While pursuing her law degree, Anora worked as a research assistant for the Global Antitrust Institute at George Mason University.

Prior to attending law school, she worked at a biopharmaceutical company, where she gained experience with intellectual property issues related to patenting and licensing technologies in the United States and China.

Anora is an appointed Leadership Member of the American Bar Association’s (ABA) Antitrust Law Section, and she regularly hosts the podcast Our Curious Amalgam, speaking with global experts on antitrust/competition, consumer protection, data, and privacy.

The episode of Our Curious Amalgam discussed in the interview can be found here: https://podcast.ourcuriousamalgam.com/episode/28-why-all-is-not-fair-ftc-fair-advertising-principles/

The views expressed do not represent official positions of the school or alumni network.

Labor Radio Podcast Network’s Member Spotlight Series pays homage to radio and podcast producers who are focusing on working class issues. 

The Rick Smith Show is by working people, for working people. It’s a place that serves up a heaping portion of democracy with a side of fairness, the grit of a Teamster, and no apologies. Where facts are the center, where science is real, and where everyone gets a seat at the table.

From the working-class neighborhoods of Cleveland, where folks didn’t have much and still don’t, Rick went from delivering papers as a boy to a career driving 18 wheelers as a proud union member.

Today, in a world of right-wing radio-vangelists with fancy suits and empty souls, Rick has carved out a place for us, a place where real people can come together and hit back against the forces trying to turn the American Dream into a punchline.

Rick took his straight shooting no nonsense Teamster outlook to the air and started mixing it up with conservatives from one of the reddest areas north of the Mason Dixon line. His show grew steadily, attracting listeners starved for a voice that spoke to working stiffs who felt the economic floor crumbling beneath them.

The Rick Smith Show is a labor radio program from Central Pennsylvania. The show covers state and local politics and national issues.

About the Labor Radio Podcast Network

The Labor Radio Podcast Network is both a one-stop shop for audiences looking for labor content and a resource for labor broadcasters and podcasters. Resources include a weekly podcast summarizing shows produced by network members, marketing on social media, a website listing network shows and how audiences can find them, a database for contacting expert guests, access to a private listserv for Network members, and a weekly video call to increase solidarity and support amongst members.

Launched in April 2020, the Labor Radio Podcast Network focuses on working class issues that are often overlooked in the corporate-controlled media. The goal of the network is to help raise the voices of working people and strengthen organized labor to demand and achieve better treatment from workplaces and elected officials.

If you are a journalist interested in learning more or if you’re a labor radio or podcast producer and want to join the network, contact us at [email protected].

Follow the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #LaborRadioPod or visit the website at: https://www.laborradionetwork.org/.

WEBSITE: https://www.laborradionetwork.org/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LaborRadioNet/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/laborradionet

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/laborradionet/

WEEKLY PODCAST NETWORK SUMMARY: https://laborradiopodcastweekly.podbean.com/

#LaborRadioPod

#1U

#UnionStrong

Video and audio was produced by Evan Papp of Empathy Media Lab.