Working People

Latest Episodes:

Mini-cast: Columbia Is a Bully (w/ Joanna Lee, Harlan Chambers, & Cameron Foltz) Mar 30, 2021

Show notes

In the middle of a deadly pandemic that has shaken the world of higher education to its core, graduate workers at Columbia University are heading into their third week on strike, braving both physical and digital picket lines. We talk with three grad workers and members of GWC-UAW Local 2110 and the Columbia Academic Workers for a Democratic Union (C-AWDU) caucus about the strike, the workers' demands, and what listeners can do to show support. Guests: Joanna Lee, Harlan Chambers, and Cameron Foltz.

Additional links/info below...

GWC-UAW Local 2110 website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
C-AWDU website and Twitter page
GoFundMe: Solidarity with Columbia Academic Student Workers
Joanna's Twitter page
Harlan's Twitter page
Cameron's Twitter page
Sophia Chang, Gothamist, "Columbia Grad Students On Strike Over Wages And Harassment Policies, NYU Counterparts Voting On Similar Actions"

Permanent links below...

Working People Patreon page
Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show!
Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"

Terrill Haigler ("Ya Fav Trashman") Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

We sit down and chat with (former) Philly sanitation worker and Instagram sensation Terrill Haigler—or, as listeners may know him, "Ya Fav Trashman." Terrill's incredible and inspiring story took an interesting turn during the COVID-19 pandemic when he was working for the Philly sanitation department and started an Instagram account where he would post updates from the job and answer residents' questions about trash pickup. With his platform, Terrill has helped spread awareness of the hard work sanitation workers do, the conditions they face, and what residents can do to clean up their neighborhoods.

Additional links/info below...

Ya Fav Trashman website, Instagram, Facebook page, and Twitter page
Ya Fav Trashman, Essential Talks (podcast)
Stephanie Farr, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "'Ya Fav Trashman' Gives an Inside Look at Philly Trash Pickup on Instagram, and the City Is Listening"
Stephanie Farr, The Philadelphia Inquirer, "'Ya Fav Trashman' raised $32,000 for PPE for his Philly sanitation colleagues, and his work is gaining national attention"

Permanent links below...

Working People Patreon page
Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show!
Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"
The Relatives, "Your Love Is Real"

Confessions of a Child of the Bourgeoisie (w/ Rick Perlstein) Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

In this special episode, we chat with the one and only Rick Perlstein. Rick is an internationally acclaimed and bestselling author and historian who has published perhaps the most singularly definitive series of books on late twentieth-century American politics, culture, and the rise of the modern conservative movement. In past interviews, Rick has discussed the origins of his books and the influences that shaped his writing career. We wanted to sit down with Rick and retell that story in a way that people haven't heard before ... We wanted to retell that story through the lens of class.

Additional links/info below...

Rick's website and Twitter page
Jason Saltoun-Ebin, HuffPost, "'The Invisible Bridge': 10 or So Questions with Rick Perlstein"

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"
Carroll, "Billionaire"

Goliath Can Be Defeated (w/ Danny Glover) Mar 05, 2021

Show notes

HAVE WE GOT A TREAT FOR YOU... Working People will be taking a much-needed break next week, but never fear—we've got something special to hold you over. Last week, Max drove 14 hours from Baltimore to Bessemer, Alabama, to report on the historic Amazon union drive for The Real News Network. While he was down there, Max was fortunate enough to snag an interview with world-renowned actor, activist, and TRNN Board member Danny Glover, who came to Bessemer to show solidarity with Amazon workers. Max and Danny talk about why this union drive is so significant, and about the long history of labor struggle in the South.

We are excited to announce that we got permission from TRNN to publish this special interview on the Working People feed and share it with our listeners! Follow TRNN and subscribe to their YouTube and podcast channels for more of their upcoming coverage on the workers' struggle in Bessemer.

Additional links/info below...

Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, "Hammer and Hope: Danny Glover on the Amazon Union Drive in Bessemer, Alabama"
William Thornton, AL.com, "Actor Danny Glover Comes to Bessemer to Show Support for Amazon Union Push"

Permanent links below...

Working People Patreon page
Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show!
Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"
Vanessa Williams, "Work to do"

Jennifer Bates Mar 03, 2021

Show notes

At this very moment, one of the most historic union drives of our era is taking place at the Amazon fulfillment center in Bessemer, Alabama. Around 5,800 workers at the facility, the majority of whom are Black, are currently voting on whether or not to unionize with the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU). If they are successful, the workers in Bessemer would become the first unionized Amazon workforce in the United States, and Amazon is pulling out all the stops to keep that from happening. We got to sit down with Jennifer Bates, one of the fulfillment center workers in Bessemer, to talk about her working conditions and about why this union vote is so important.

Additional links/info below...

Jennifer's Twitter page
BAmazonUnion website, Facebook page, Twitter page, and Instagram
RWDSU website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
Democracy Now!, ""David vs. Goliath": Warehouse Workers in Alabama Fight Amazon for the Right to Unionize"
Alex Press, Jacobin, "The Alabama Amazon Union Drive Could Be the Most Important Labor Fight in the South in Decades (An Interview with Michael Goldfield)"
The Valley Labor Report, "February 6th 2021, Full Episode RWDSU Amazon Campaign Live"
Steven Greenhouse, The Guardian, "'We Deserve More': An Amazon Warehouse's High-Stakes Union Drive"
Luis Feliz Leon, The American Prospect, "Union Solidarity on Eve of Historic Amazon Warehouse Election"
Kris LaGrange, UCOMM Blog, "Meet Amazon's Union Busters"
Jay Greene, The Washington Post, "Amazon's Anti-Union Blitz Stalks Alabama Warehouse Workers Everywhere, Even the Bathroom"
Lauren Kaori Gurley, Vice, "Amazon Sends 'Vote NO' Instructions to Unionizing Employees, Tells Them to Use New Mailbox"

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People theme song"
Benjamin Banger, "June"

Rev. Lindsey Joyce Feb 25, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, we talk to Rev. Lindsey Joyce of the United Church of Rogers Park in Chicago and the Institute for Christian Socialism. We talk about Pastor Joyce's life and path to being a full-time pastor and about the community she serves. We also discuss the work of ministry: What is it like to be a worker who works in the church? What is the relationship between the higher calling—the vocation of being a pastor—and the daily labor that goes into fulfilling that role in the church and the community?

Additional links/info below...

Lindsey's Twitter page
United Church of Rogers Park website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
The Institute for Christian Socialism website and Twitter page

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"
The Trumpeteers, "Little Wooden Church"

**Luis Feliz Leon** Patreon Exclusive Feb 23, 2021

Show notes

***This is a Patreon Exclusive episode***

Subscribe to our Patreon: www.patreon.com/workingpeople

Thank you to all the Patreon subscribers for their love, support, and generosity. <3 Max, Jules & the Working People Team.

If you don't know Luis Feliz Leon's work, you really should! In this bonus episode, we chat with Luis about his winding path to labor journalism and organizing, the intersections of immigration politics and labor organizing, and we dive into the historic Amazon union drive in Bessemer, Alabama.

Additional links/info below...

Luis's Twitter page and author page
Luis Feliz Leon, The American Prospect, "Union Solidarity on Eve of Historic Amazon Warehouse Election"
Luis Feliz Leon, The Nation, "Life and Death in the Poultry Capital of the World"
Luis Feliz Leon, The New Republic, "Unemployment Nation"

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"
Cletus Got Shot, "Union Town"

Maya Morena, Part II (w/ Jessie Sage) Feb 17, 2021

Show notes

We're back with Part II of our special mini-series on work and politics in the sex industry, guest-hosted by friend of the show Jessie Sage. Jessie is a writer, podcaster, phone sex operator, clip artist, and co-owner of Peepshow Media. In this rich and expansive two-part series, Jessie interviews sex worker, activist, writer, undocumented migrant, and DACA recipient from Honduras, Maya Morena. In Part II of their conversation, Maya and Jessie pick up where they left off last week and discuss the day-to-day labor that goes into being a sex worker, the images that sex workers have to maintain, and much more.

Additional links/info below...

Maya's Twitter page and OnlyFans page
Jessie's website and Twitter page
Peepshow Media website, Twitter page, and Facebook page
Maya Morena, City Limits, "Opinion: A Sex Worker Says Decriminalization Means a Safer Workplace"
What Women* Want podcast, "Sex Work the Write Way with Jessie Sage"
Emily McCombs, HuffPost, "'This Bill Is Killing Us': 9 Sex Workers On Their Lives In The Wake Of FOSTA"
Fancy Feast, Buzzfeed, "5 Sex Workers Talk About Doing Their Jobs During COVID-19"

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"
The Good Lawdz, "Preachin' Dem Blues"

Maya Morena, Part I (w/ Jessie Sage) Feb 10, 2021

Show notes

We're excited to share Part I of a special mini-series guest-hosted by friend of the show Jessie Sage! Jessie is a writer, podcaster, phone sex operator, clip artist, and co-owner of Peepshow Media (which everyone should check out). In this rich and expansive two-part series, Jessie interviews sex worker, activist, writer, undocumented migrant, and DACA recipient from Honduras, Maya Morena, about the politics of the sex industry, the history of vice, and much more.

Additional links/info below...

Maya's Twitter page and OnlyFans page
Jessie's website and Twitter page
Peepshow Media website, Twitter page, and Facebook page
Samanta Helou Hernandez, Mel Magazine, "Maya Morena and the Secret Lives of Undocumented Sex Workers"
Jessie Sage, Peepshow Media, "When Sex Workers Break the Fourth Wall"

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"
Valery & the Greedies, "Bloody Vomit"

ACLU Staff United Feb 03, 2021

Show notes

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed many serious and dangerous challenges for workers everywhere—not just for workers on the job, but for workers trying to exercise their right to organize. But there have also been unexpected bright spots on this front over the past year, including a boom in union drives at nonprofits around the United States. One of those nonprofits is the American Civil Liberties Union, where staff workers recently voted to unionize with the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union (NPEU). In this episode, we talk with two representatives from ACLU Staff United, Gillian Ganesan and Alex Ortiz, and NPEU President Kayla Blado about the unionization effort at the ACLU and the growing nonprofit labor movement.

Additional links/info below...