Solidarity Works

On June 20, 2020, the Poor People's Campaign, led by friend of the USW Rev. Dr. William Barber, will host the largest digital and social media gathering with the Mass Poor People's Assembly & Moral March on Washington. A reboot of MLK's monumental event in 1968, this campaign calls for all hands on deck to address systemic racism, poverty, and all other interlocking injustices of America. Listen to the latest USW podcast episode to hear Barber speak on seizing this moment in history to make real change for the 140 million poor and low-income people in the United States. www.june2020.org

Fear, grief, anger -- workers everywhere are experiencing a storm of emotions amidst the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic. It's up to every one of us to ensure mental health is a priority, and to remember that there are real humans with real trauma behind the headlines. As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, the latest USW Solidarity Works podcast episode focuses on creating a dialogue around these issues. Listen to it on your favorite streaming service or at usw.to/podcast.

Workers in Puerto Rico, including USW members in health care, public services, and technology, have endured wave after wave of destruction and chaos in recent years. It's the job of Local 6135 members at GFR Media to document it all as it unfolds. Listen to the latest USW podcast episode to hear about reporting and resilience on the Caribbean island.

And make sure to follow the USW on social media, @steelworkers, and check out the work of our reporters and photographers for GFR Media at elnuevodia.com and primerahora.com

The coronavirus outbreak has squeezed the U.S. manufacturing sector as many companies have been forced to shut down, but others have ramped up production both to help provide front-line workers with the equipment they need as well as provide everyday essentials and services to keep America running. Check out the latest USW podcast episode, featuring International President Tom Conway, to learn about the mobilization happening amidst COVID, how and when it's been done before, and what's needed to move manufacturing forward post-pandemic.

Make sure to check out usw.org/covid19 for regular updates from the union and to find out how you can donate PPE to workers in need.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has forced millions of American health care workers, including 51,000 USW members, onto the frontlines of the war against the surging outbreak. Tune in to the latest Solidarity Works podcast episode to hear about some of the conditions they are facing, what protections they need to do their jobs safely and what the union is pushing for in Washington, D.C., to make that happen.

Shout-out to Blue Dot Sessions for the music used in this episode.

When the darkness of the Great Depression swept across the globe starting in the 1930s, one woman in America lit the flame that would finally help bring light to millions of U.S. workers and their families. As we close out Women's History Month, the USW podcast Solidarity Works spotlights Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve as a president's cabinet secretary, as a reminder of what can be accomplished by ordinary people during extraordinary times.

Make sure to check out the United Steelworkers' Women of Steel (WOS) program and sign up to receive monthly updates by visiting usw.org/wosnews.

Nine years ago, USW member E.J. Jenkins had a vision -- he wanted to start conversations and ignite change in his community of Gary, Ind., a lakeside city just outside of Chicago struggling with mass joblessness and a housing crisis caused by a history of segregation and steel industry downturns. That vision led to what is now Black Labor Week, an annual five days dedicated to labor, to blackness and to the community members of Gary. Listen to this Solidarity Works episode to learn about the Steelworker event that is growing into a movement, the activists who make it all happen and the city they serve.

For information about the USW's Next Generation program, visit usw.org/nextgen.

Credit to Uniq for the main music theme used throughout this episode: soundcloud.com/uniqofficial.

On January 11, 1912, a group of Polish women weavers at a textile mill in Lawrence, Mass., found out their already abysmal pay had been cut as the result of a new bill that shortened the workweek from 56 to 54 hours. They shut down their machines, refusing to labor any more without the proper pay, as they were producing more than ever, and faster.

What resulted was one of the most monumental strikes in U.S. labor history, and it was led by thousands of immigrant workers who realized their worth and refused to settle for anything less.

Follow the USW on Twitter, @steelworkers, and make sure to find us on Facebook!

For our first full episode, we are excited to bring you a conversation with USW's Rapid Response Director Amber Miller about the busy legislative year that was 2019 and what lies ahead in 2020 for workers and the bills that will undoubtedly impact their lives.

Make sure to visit uswrr.org to sign up to receive updates about legislation that impacts labor and workers, and to learn more about the bills discussed in this episode.

Follow us on Twitter, @steelworkers, and find us on Facebook!

Welcome to Solidarity Works, a podcast from the United Steelworkers (USW) union. We're here to have conversations and start conversations about the past, present, and future of the labor movement, as well as talk about some of the work the union is doing, with USW activists leading the way.

Make sure to follow the USW on Twitter (@steelworkers) and subscribe to our podcast on your favorite streaming service.