A retrospective on the year that was on the Labor Force Podcast: the developments, trends, worker actions, technology, and all that went into surviving these economic hunger games we’re playing as we soldier on into the back half of the 2020s. 
 

In this episode of Labor Force Podcast, we break down a turbulent moment for workers’ rights in America—where real gains are colliding with aggressive rollbacks, corporate greed, and an economy that looks strong on paper while millions struggle to get by.
We start with developments in Washington, where the House passes the Protect America’s Workforce Act, aiming to restore collective bargaining rights stripped from federal workers in previous administrations. From there, we head to Utah, where massive protests force lawmakers to repeal one of the most restrictive public-sector bargaining bans in the country—proof that sustained pressure still works.
But for every step forward, there’s a reminder of what workers are up against. New York’s attorney general sues UPS over alleged wage theft targeting seasonal workers. TSA leadership moves once again to eliminate collective bargaining for nearly 50,000 security officers. At the federal level, the NLRB is effectively paralyzed, leaving union elections and labor complaints stuck in legal limbo while corporations run out the clock.
We also look at the fightback: Starbucks baristas risking arrest on picket lines, Teamsters at Sysco winning a historic first regional contract with major wage and benefit gains, and video game workers protesting mass layoffs and AI-driven job cuts at the Game Awards.
Zooming out, we examine the broader economic reality—over a million layoffs in 2025, booming stock markets, rising debt, and a middle class increasingly forced to rely on credit just to survive. As automation and AI accelerate, the old promise that hard work leads to stability is rapidly eroding.
We close with a reminder that solidarity doesn’t end at the workplace—especially during the holidays. In a season marked by economic strain and uncertainty, taking care of ourselves and each other remains an act of resistance.

This week on The Labor Force Podcast, we cover one of the busiest news cycles of the year—from Hollywood power plays to working-class realities on the ground across the country.
We start with the massive proposed takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, as Netflix and Paramount battle for control of some of the most iconic brands in film and TV. Lawmakers, guilds, and labor advocates are already sounding the alarm about what this kind of consolidation means for workers, creators, and consumers.
Then we turn to the growing divide between federal inaction on the minimum wage and the wave of local and state-led wage increases taking effect on January 1st. With nearly 70 jurisdictions raising their floor, the message is clear: workers aren’t waiting on Congress.
In the “fightback” segment, we check in on labor battles across the country:• Starbucks baristas continue the longest strike in company history• National Park workers unionize at unprecedented levels• Hollywood PAs secure unanimous union victories• LEGO Store workers push forward despite aggressive union-busting• And 2,000 nurses at UnityPoint face a nail-biter union vote with hundreds of challenged ballots hanging in the balance
From there, we dive into New York’s looming health-care crisis, where federal restrictions threaten to strip coverage or raise costs for nearly half a million residents—undermining a decade of progress and hitting small business owners, gig workers, and legal immigrants especially hard.
We also explore whether a general strike in the U.S. is still a dream—or if the conditions that once made it seem impossible are now creating the kind of cross-worker solidarity that could make it real.
Finally, with Santa gigs drying up and holiday hiring hitting its lowest point since 2009, we ask: what can the state of seasonal work tell us about the economy heading into the new year?
It’s a packed episode about worker power, economic signals, and the ongoing reshaping of labor in America.

This week on the Labor Force Podcast:Starbucks baristas escalate what may become the largest strike in the company’s history, demanding real movement at the bargaining table after years of delay tactics and retaliation. We break down the $35 million New York City settlement, the nationwide picket lines, and why workers say this moment is bigger than coffee.
Then we head to Iowa, where 2,000 UnityPoint nurses are preparing for a union vote with Teamsters Local 90 after years of unsafe staffing, burnout, and violence on the job. In New York, over 350 nurses at Cayuga Medical Center form Cayuga United–CWA, citing deteriorating conditions and the need for a stronger voice in patient care. And in Florida, city workers in Titusville rebuild their union from scratch under the state’s brutal new anti-union law, SB256.
After the labor headlines, we take on a deeper question:How did China eliminate extreme poverty while the richest country on Earth let millions fall through the cracks?We dive into inequality, policy choices, and the uncomfortable truth that America’s economic outcomes aren’t accidental—they’re engineered.
Finally, we explore the growing argument for building a real Labor Party in the United States. From Mamdani’s people-powered organizing in Queens to Dan Osborn’s near victory in Nebraska, we look at what a working-class political movement could accomplish in deep red states where Democrats barely register.
This episode connects the dots: workplace power, policy choices, and the political future of America’s multiracial working class.

This week on the Labor Force Podcast, we take a hard look at a holiday season defined not by shopping, but by worker power and the escalating fight against a system that keeps squeezing people from every angle.
We break down the largest open-ended Starbucks strike in the company’s history, the global Make Amazon Pay mobilization spanning 30+ countries, and the first-contract battles hitting Blue Bottle Coffee and SkyHop Global—where immigrant drivers have now spent two straight Thanksgivings on strike. These aren’t isolated stories; they’re the frontline of a growing labor movement challenging corporate retaliation, union-busting, and the constant grind of low wages and unsafe conditions.
Then we dig into the affordability crisis hitting millions of households. Utility bills are spiking, debt is rising, and the AI industry’s massive power demands are directly pushing rates higher while politicians dodge responsibility. Even streaming services—once the “cheap alternative”—are jacking up prices, forcing families to cut back and rethink what’s essential.
The throughline is simple: the system isn’t broken—it’s working exactly as designed, and working people are paying for it. But across picket lines, across industries, and across borders, workers are refusing to accept the status quo.
Tune in for a grounded, unapologetic look at labor, corporate greed, and the choices we still can make to push back this holiday season.

In this episode of The Labor Force Podcast, we dive deep into America’s worsening affordability crisis and the growing worker uprisings pushing back against it. We start with new data showing that nearly one in three low-income households lives paycheck to paycheck, unable to keep up with inflation as wages stagnate and basic costs climb.
From there, we explore a revealing local debate in Watertown, NY, where shopping carts used by unhoused residents have become a flashpoint—highlighting the failures of U.S. housing policy far more than “city cleanliness.”
In the Fightback segment, we break down:
A bipartisan effort to restore collective bargaining rights for federal employees Trump moved to eliminate.
The ongoing strike at Horseshoe Indianapolis, where dealers and pit supervisors continue their push for Teamsters recognition.
A major union drive inside the Columbus Metropolitan Library, as librarians and staff fight for livable wages, safer workplaces, and a voice on the job.
The expanding Starbucks Workers United strike, now the largest in the company’s history.
We then turn to the future of work:How will AI, automation, and rising productivity reshape employment? Will these gains help workers—or leave millions behind? We examine historical parallels, expert perspectives, and what a fair future of work could look like.
Finally, we close with Vivek Chibber’s argument that the Left is emerging from a decades-long neoliberal dark age—and what it will take to rebuild real working-class power in America.

This week on the Labor Force Podcast:
The federal government may have reopened, but for thousands of workers, the real impact of the shutdown is far from over. We dig deep into the lives of furloughed workers—from maxed-out credit cards to food bank lines—and the stress that lingers long after paychecks resume.
In Pittsburgh, the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh celebrates a landmark victory after three years on strike against the Post-Gazette. We highlight emotional reactions from the picket line and the profound sense of solidarity sustaining the workers through the grind.
Starbucks Workers United turns Red Cup Day red-hot with a nationwide unfair labor practice strike. Meanwhile, corporate heads call it premature. We break down what's at stake and why baristas say “no contract, no profits.”
Boeing machinists in St. Louis vote—grudgingly—to accept the company’s fifth contract offer. A strike may be over, but the bitterness lingers. Is this a win or just fatigue?
And in Durham, NC, Amazon workers are seeding a second union campaign—this time with city support, multilingual outreach, and lessons learned from past defeat. They’re betting big on community, history, and hope.
Plus: the resurgence of U.S. labor power with a new book by Dave Kamper, author of Who’s Got the Power, and why even small cracks in the system are giving workers fresh hope.

In this episode, we trace the through-line connecting a historic political upset in New York City, the grinding federal shutdown, a wave of labor actions across the country, and the everyday financial pressure bearing down on working people. From Zohran Mamdani’s stunning mayoral victory to the strain on air traffic controllers, we dig into the conditions pushing workers to the brink and the movements rising to meet the moment.
We also break down Boeing’s escalating conflict with IAM District 837, the anti-union messaging aimed at UAW workers in Chattanooga, and the growing militancy at Starbucks as baristas prepare for a potential Red Cup Day strike. Plus, a personal snapshot of what it means to navigate bills, gas money, and family responsibilities while the larger economy buckles.
The episode wraps with a deep dive into “greedy work,” unpredictable schedules, and the boundaries workers desperately need in order to live actual lives beyond their jobs.
Topics covered:• The political shockwave of Zohran Mamdani’s election• The nation’s longest government shutdown and its acute impacts• Boeing’s strike, union proposals, and corporate intransigence• Anti-union targeting of VW workers in Tennessee• Starbucks workers gearing up for November 13 strike action• The research behind “greedy work” and the fight for real boundaries