Maryland Labor History

Bill Barry speaks with Jane Berger who grew up in Baltimore and wrote an important labor history book about the civil rights movement and public sector unionism in Baltimore.

Megan "Sammie" Samuels is the Director of The Irish-American Museum on Lemon Street in Baltimore and presents the history of an immigrant workers' community.

Tim Wheeler joins the podcast to discuss his recent book No Power Greater: The Life & Times of George A. Meyers. Meyers was a prolific union organizer, the first president of the Maryland-D.C. CIO, and a prominent figure in the Communist Party USA who was imprisoned during the McCarthy-era witch hunt.

Deborah Rootacille joins the podcast to discuss her 2010 book on Sparrows Point, Roots of Steel.

Cassie Kilroy-Thompson has created a unique history project about the town of Texas, Maryland (now part of Cockeysville) where her family lived. She speaks on the labor history of this quarry town, settled by Irish immigrants, as well as the union activities of her father.

Workers at Baltimore Gas & Electric (BGE) ran several organizing campaigns with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and we have Al Bankard and Bill Durkin, who participated in the early campaigns. In the 2000 campaign, BGE used "social media" to oppose the union, sending VHS cassettes to the homes of every worker. The union responded and the videos are unique labor history.

Conor Conneally on Building the B&O Railroad

Buddy Cefalu, a longtime member of Ironworkers Local 16 in Baltimore, describes building the Key Bridge. There is also a great exhibit at The Baltimore Museum of Industry about the construction of the bridge. https://www.thebmi.org/exhibits/building-a-baltimore-landmark/  Thanks to Mike Lore for suggesting this topic.

Phil Bradley was an active member of the Major League Baseball Players Association during the lockout of 1989 when he was an outfielder with the Orioles.  He is a Special Assistant with the players union now. Thanks to Matt Hood for suggesting this program.

Bill Barry speaks with Andrew Morton on his amazing 3D rendering of the Sparrows Point Steel Mill.