America’s Work Force Union Podcast
America’s Work Force Union Podcast provides a clear and unfiltered voice for the working people of America. Radio veteran Ed “Flash” Ferenc leads the discussion with a focus on topics that include the impact of labor unions in America, workers’ rights, legislative actions and labor-management relations. Featured guests include various labor leaders, politicians, journalists and more. America’s Work Force Union Podcast provides updates and information from sources around the United States and continues to be the trusted voice for workers across the country.
Episodes
Trey Martin joined the Iron Workers at 19 with no clear path to the middle class. Twenty years later, he watched his wife nearly die from two autoimmune diseases and nearly go bankrupt in the process — even with solid union health insurance. That experience, and a Congress that has failed to address healthcare for his entire lifetime, convinced him it was time to run.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Iro...
A profitable MillerCoors distributor in West Virginia is demanding wage cuts, retirement rollbacks and health insurance premium increases of up to 880%. The company is not claiming financial hardship. And 49 Teamsters Local 175 members voted unanimously to strike — and have been running 24-hour, seven-day-a-week picket lines ever since.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Teamsters Local 175 Secretary-Treas...
AT&T Mobility wireless workers just ratified a strong new contract covering 9,000 people across 36 states — and a 95% strike authorization vote is a big reason why the bargaining committee had the leverage it needed.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, CWA District 4 Administrative Director Frank Mathews discusses the contract win, the CWA Worker Power Agenda built directly from responses by more than 9...
Three years after the East Palestine derailment, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has adopted the Rail Safety Act as an amendment to the Build America 250 Act — mandating two-person freight train crews, new hazmat transparency requirements and improved defect detector standards. It is the biggest rail safety step in more than two decades.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, SMART Transp...
US employers spend $1.7 billion every year trying to stop workers from organizing. One union-busting consultant earned $7 million alone last year. Amazon spent more than $26.6 million on outside consultants in 2025. And the Department of Labor is enforcing disclosure requirements for unions while largely ignoring the same rules for companies and law firms that fight workers.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, La...
The worker's share of Gross National Income just hit its lowest level ever recorded. Corporate profits just hit their highest share in nearly 80 years. And CEOs took home $1.24 million in raises last year while average workers earned around $50,000. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond has seen enough.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Redmond breaks down the new GNI data, the AFL-CIO's annual Executive Pay...
Central Ohio is on pace to work 20 million building trades hours in 2026 — nearly double its 2023 record. So when Governor Mike DeWine suspended Ohio's data center sales tax exemption without warning or consultation, Columbus Building Trades Executive Secretary-Treasurer Dorsey Hager had plenty to say about it.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Hager breaks down the economic case for the exemption, the re...
Ohio AFL-CIO President Tim Burga just wrapped a seven-city labor roundtable tour across Ohio — and the message from workers was the same at every stop. Affordability is the number one issue, trust in government is near rock bottom and working people are ready for something dramatically different come November.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Burga breaks down what he heard from union leaders in Clevelan...
Taylor Dobson was a fast food shift lead being pushed toward assistant manager when she decided enough was enough. Today she is a first-year carpenter apprentice with Carpenter's Local 174 in Chicago, working on solar farm projects and building a career she always wanted but never knew how to access.
On this episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Taylor walks us through her path from Dunkin Donuts to the union hall, the Hir...
When Live Nation and Ticketmaster make the news, the conversation usually starts and ends with ticket prices. But the real crisis goes much deeper.
In this episode, we sit down with Karen Suarez-Flint, Secretary-Treasurer of the Chicago Federation of Musicians Local 10-208, to expose the systemic extraction of wealth from the working musicians who hold the entire industry up.
What We Discuss in This Episode:
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Every victory at the bargaining table starts with workers standing together—but solidarity means looking out for each other's minds as well as their livelihoods.
In this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, host Ed "Flash" Ferenc sits down with John Lepley, Director of Education and Membership Development at the United Steelworkers (USW). Marking both Mental Health Awareness Month and the USW's 84th anniversar...
As America’s energy infrastructure undergoes a massive evolution, one critical trade is quietly keeping it all efficient: mechanical insulation.
On today's episode of the America's Work Force Union Podcast, host Ed "Flash" Ferenc welcomes back Pete Ielmini, Executive Director of the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust (LMCT), for his monthly update. Pete reveals the latest behind-the-scenes push on Capito...
Is American manufacturing fighting a losing battle against corporate greed and foreign markets?
On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we welcome back our independent labor voice, Tom Buffenbarger (Retired International President of the IAM Union). With over 50 years of labor experience, Buffenbarger delivers a masterclass on the current geopolitical and legislative battles directly affecting Amer...
While veteran students pursuing a four-year degree receive 100% of their monthly housing allowance for the duration of their program, veterans entering union apprenticeships face a steep penalty: their housing support is slashed by 20% every six months.
In this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we sit down with Joseph Sharpe Jr. (Director of the National Veterans Employment and Education Commission at the America...
What does it actually mean to support our military veterans when they transition to civilian life? It goes far beyond a simple "thank you for your service." It means providing a direct path to a good life, a strong career, and an industry culture that protects their mental well-being.
On this special Memorial Day episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, host Ed "Flash" Ferenc sits down with Mike Hazard, a Navy veteran and the...
The labor movement is done waiting for a seat at the table—workers are fighting for survival at the federal level and running for legislative seats locally.
In this episode of America’s Work Force Union Podcast, we examine the dual realities of modern union power: the defensive structural protections of our public infrastructure and the offensive strategy of electoral politics.
Part 1: The Federal Worker Purge & The...Artificial intelligence is moving fast, but union journalists are fighting back even faster.
In today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, host Ed "Flash" Ferenc sits down with Jon Schleuss, President of the NewsGuild-CWA, fresh off his historic election to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) executive committee in Paris. Representing journalists across 100 countries, Schleuss gives us a so...
On today's episode of the America's Work Force Union Podcast, we are covering a massive amount of ground—from the halls of the Ohio Statehouse to the structural healthcare barriers facing union moms across the country.
Segment 1: Ohio Labor Under Fire with Melissa CropperMelissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) and Secretary-Treasurer of the Ohio AFL-CIO, joins the show to unpack three simultaneous...
What happens when local politicians prioritize budget spreadsheets over public safety?
In this episode, we visited with IAFF Local 1120 President Jeremy Gillam from the Bucyrus City Fire Department in Ohio. Gillam shares the harsh reality of leading an 18-member department stretched to its absolute limit, forcing first responders to fight not just fires but also city council budget cuts.
Key Takeaways From the Inter...On this episode of the America's Work Force Union Podcast, host Ed "Flash" Ferenc welcomes Dr. Michael MacDonald, director of audiology, and Rick Renna, chief growth officer of Birdsong Hearing Benefits.
More than 22 million American workers face hazardous noise levels on the job, yet fewer than 16% of adults with hearing loss use hearing aids. MacDonald and Renna break down the severe economic, physical and psychological toll this...
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