The Valley Labor Report

Jacob speaks with Jane Adams from Alabama Arise, a statewide nonprofit, nonpartisan coalition of congregations, organizations and individuals united in their belief that people in poverty are suffering because of state policy decisions. Through Arise, groups and individuals join together to promote policies to improve the lives of Alabamians with low incomes. Arise provides a structure in which Alabamians can engage in public debates to promote the common good.

Jacob and David talk to Paul Prescod, writer for Jacobin, high school social studies teacher and member of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers.

Jacob and David talk to Daniel Harris, opinions editor of The Gate at University of Chicago.

Jacob talks to John Merideth and Jack Jacobs while David is traveling for union business.

Jacob and David interview Rick Neighbors, candidate for US House of Representatives District 4.

We speak to Doug Jones, US Senator to Alabama.

In depth discussion on organizing with the IWW, some reasons why you shouldn't rely on traditional union infrastructure to organize or alleviate workplace issues and how to build worker power in the workplace. We also bash some politicians as usual. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jacob and I discuss Labor Day, IAM Local S6 winning a fair contract, Medicare for All, and organizing in your workplace.

We speak about the RNC. We speak to an Ironworker about the craziness in WI. We speak to Vaush the catastrophe that is the Trump Presidency. We talk about 1st and 2nd Amendment rights. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

On Saturday we spoke with Daniel Gross: Daniel Gross is the founder and executive director of Brandworkers. Brandworkers is an organization of specialty food manufacturing workers building an industry-wide solidarity union with the Industrial Workers of the World. Previously, Daniel co-founded the IWW Starbucks Workers and represented Brandworkers in the founding of the Food Chain Workers Alliance. Trained as an attorney, Daniel has coached and developed tools to support workers building unions and worker centers in a wide variety of industries across the country. He is the co-author with Staughton Lynd of Labor Law for the Rank & Filer: Building Solidarity While Staying Clear of the Law. Daniel has served on the steering committee of the Labor & Employment Committee of the National Lawyers Guild as well as the Guild's National Executive Committee.We will be talking to him about labor law and your rights in the workplace in the context of the covid era. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jacob & David talk with Zac Silverman Hyden of the Automotive Free Clinic on Montgomery AL about mutual aid in the community, what he's doing to help out and where you can donate to his 501(c)(3) non-profit.

Jacob & David talk with Eddie Mitchell from Ironworkers Local 477 out of Sheffield AL about the union, what they offer, what it's done for him and what it can do for you. Free speech rights, how Trump has no free speech rights on Twitter, a private platform. The hypocrisy of the right about nationalizing a platform when it affects them.A big win for TVA with no outsourcing of jobs. A big win for IAM LL44 with the LSA contract, launching satellites for the government through 2025. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jacob interviews Jake Grumbach, UW Professor about his most recent project. Prof. Grumbach put together a peer reviewed research paper outlining how union membership has a profound affect on reducing racism of the membership when compared to non-union people. We also discuss the attacks on the USPS and the administrations attempts to privatize it as well as talk about Senator Doug Jones and compare and contrast him with the republican candidate, Tommy Tuberville, that is challenging Jones in the Alabama Senate race. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jacob and David discuss unions, organizing and take questions from the audience. We also have a scab call in and try to justify the betrayal of his brothers and sisters by crossing the picket line.

David & Jacob interview several candidates for various local positions across Huntsville and Madison County. We discuss labor and social justice issues with the candidates and speak about their vision for the city. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

David & Jacob interview Warren Tidwell from Hometown Action about the mutual aid and direct action projects they have going across Alabama. We also discuss recent SCOTUS rulings that have a detrimental affect on workers at religious operations. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jacob discusses open borders with Dr. Suzy Lee

We interview Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Professionals (PASNAP) - Carla Le'coin about her union, contract and how things went throughout the organizing campaign, contract negotiations and much more. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jacob and David talk with President of Texas State Council of Machinists Machinists Union brother Byron Williams, Angela Curry - Liaison of the Citizens Coalition for Criminal Justice Reform, Reverend Bentley - President of the local SCLC and the former chair of the Alabama Bernie Sanders campaign and President of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Everett Kelly. The discussions centered around the protests that have been happening in the wake of the George Floyd murder with solutions provided by the speakers on how to repair the corrupt and racist system we currently live under. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We're talk to two nurses from St. Mary's Hospital in Langhorne, Pennsylvania about their successful fight for the union (Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses & Allied Professionals), their current contract negotiations, and why one of them is a big union advocate - even though he is a Republican. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We speak with Alex Vitale about his book "The End of Policing." We also speak with President of the Tennessee Valley Progressive Alliance David Odom spoke to give their response to the Huntsville City officials account of what happened when the police assaulted peaceful protesters. He also spoke about their campaign to remove the Confederate Monument on the courthouse square. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We speak with Chris Brooks, a labor journalist from Tennessee and a graduate of the labor studies program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He currently works as a staff writer at Labor Notes and has bylines at The Intercept, Jacobin magazine and more. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We talked to representatives of the IWW Freelance Journalists Union about their big win a while ago - securing $150,000 in unpaid invoices, and how it happened. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The TVA is trying to outsource hundreds of jobs in the middle of a pandemic. We talked to Gay Henson, the Valley Wide president of the TVA Engineering Association and Paul Shearon, IFPTE International President about this yesterday. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

We talk with Michael Klemm, President and General Directing Chair of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 141, representing 38,000 workers in the airline industry. He spoke to us about United Airlines attempt to furlough 15,000 employees and take their benefits, and how the union fought back and won, securing workers salaries and benefits. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★