Union Strong

There is a new president of the union that represents New York State Police Investigators. On this podcast, Tim Dymond talks about changes and challenges ahead for law enforcement and what he wants people to know about the investigators he represents. 

Nurses represented by the New York State Nurses Association have authorized a one-day strike after rejecting a contract offer from Albany Medical Center Hospital. On this podcast we take you outside the hospital where nurses and supporters have gathered to talk about working conditions in the hospital and to explain why nurses have been pushed to the point of walking out during one of the worst pandemics of our time. 

Take action -> https://nysna.salsalabs.org/respectalbanymednurses/index.html or call Dennis McKenna and tell him to negotiate a fair contract (518-262-3830)

Airline industry workers, like so many others during this unprecedented health and economic crisis, are teetering on the edge. 

Thousands of airline workers have already received furlough notices, thousands more are wondering if they will be next – and their future lies in the hands of our federal government still unable or unwilling to agree on desperately needed funding to save jobs and support the aviation industry.

In the middle of this crisis, a rogue labor group is attempting to divide union members by raiding the unions that represent mechanics at American Airlines.

On this podcast we talk to the TWU International President John Samuelsen and TWU International Vice President Gary Peterson on what is at stake and why it is happening now.

With just weeks to go before the general election, we hear from a labor activist who also ran her own successful political campaign on the importance of getting out the vote. Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Council Director Jenn Puja talks about the power behind labor’s endorsement, running for office as a woman and a mother of two, and why it’s so important to get involved. NYS AFL-CIO Chief of Staff Ryan Delgado also joins the podcast to talk about what’s at stake in the upcoming election and what labor is doing to ensure a victory for our endorsed candidates.

Each year on Labor Day we recognize and honor the incredible achievements and many contributions of working people. This year however is like no other. While we still honor the hard work of working people, the unemployment rate in New York State is at nearly 16 percent, workers fear about their safety on the job and the safety of their families. Parents struggle with whether to send their children back to school and many families struggle with how to pay for housing and food. And, an alarming number of workers have died or become ill after being exposed to the coronavirus at work.

On this podcast we hear from the President of the New York State AFL-CIO, Mario Cilento. President Cilento talks about where we have been in 2020 and what we need to do moving forward to support workers and our economy.

The United States Postal Service is by far the public's favorite agency in the federal government. But just weeks before the 2020 general election, the postal service is caught in the middle of a firestorm with a new postmaster general calling for cutbacks that are causing delivery delays and a President launching an attack on mail-in voting. On this podcast we hear from Bill Cook, the President of the Northeastern New York Branch 358 of the National Association of Letter Carriers to set the record straight. 

There are concerns across the country of a massive undercount for the 2020 Census. In New York state, like many others, residents are falling behind in responding and there is a lot at stake.

In New York City the push to be counted is in full force and labor is playing an important role.

The New York City Central Labor Council has been working hard to get the word out about the importance of filling out the 2020 Census.

On this podcast our guest is the Political Director of the NYC CLC, Lucia Gomez who explains why the count is so important and how labor is getting over the many hurdles to ensure everyone is counted.

More and more of us are returning to our workplaces as New York State reopens after the COVID-19 shutdown. You may also be visiting retail and department stores, hair and nail salons and barber shops. Many New Yorkers are also dining out.

The big question is, how do we return safely as clients, customers and workers.

On this podcast we will talk about workplace safety in the office setting, and in the retail industry to learn what we can do as customers, clients, and coworkers to stay safe.

Our guests are:

Geraldine Stella – Health & Safety Specialist at the NYS Public Employees Federation (PEF)

David Mertz – Assistant to Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) President Stuart Appelbaum

Charlene Obernauer – Executive Director of the New York Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (NYCOSH)