Labor Force Podcast

The U.S. job market is sending warning signs. Black unemployment is rising, a Princeton Ph.D. has applied for more than 2,300 jobs, AI is rejecting applicants without human interaction, and millions of skilled-trades jobs are expected to open in the coming years. So why are so many workers struggling to find employment?

On this episode, we examine the growing disconnect between economic headlines and workers’ reality. We explore racial inequality in unemployment, the white-collar hiring freeze, AI-powered recruitment, and the skilled-trades worker shortage. 

Subscribe to Labor Force Podcast for working-class perspectives on unions, jobs, eco...

Trump promised lower prices. Instead, working Americans are facing rising inflation, unaffordable necessities, and mounting household debt. New reports reveal millions struggling to afford food, housing, healthcare, and transportation while more households fall behind on credit cards, car loans, and mortgages.

On this episode, we examine the growing affordability crisis, JD Vance’s defense of the economy, Trump’s broken cost-of-living promises, and the financial squeeze hitting working-class families. The economy isn’t working for everyone—and working people deserve more than promises. It’s time to organize, fight back, and demand an economy that works for us.

AI is reshaping the workplace, threatening jobs, expanding worker surveillance, and raising new questions about inequality. On this episode, we examine how automation could affect millions of jobs, why employers are monitoring remote workers, how AI can reproduce gender bias, and why tech workers are increasingly turning toward unions.

Subscribe to the Labor Force Podcast for working-class perspectives on unions, workers, capitalism, and the economy. The future of work should belong to the people whose labor makes it possible.

#AI #Automation #FutureOfWork #LaborUnions #WorkersRights #JobMarket #TechWorkers #SkilledTrades #Capitalism #LaborForcePodcast

Workers are fighting back—and winning. From historic union contracts and nurses recovering stolen wages to faculty wage increases and Amazon delivery drivers organizing for direct employment, this episode examines the growing fight for worker power.

Then we look at the struggles: Maine nurses fighting to protect their union, 465 Orange County workers threatening to strike (and now on strike), tech industry layoffs, Netflix job cuts, and former federal employees struggling to find new jobs.

Subscribe to Labor Force Podcast for working-class perspectives on unions, labor struggles, economic inequality, and the fight against capitalism.

#La...

The economy has a public relations problem—or is capitalism failing working people? From rising living costs and declining consumer confidence to Trump’s economic claims, the risks of the AI investment boom, and warnings of another financial crisis, we examine why the economy looks strong on paper but feels increasingly difficult for ordinary Americans.

We also explore how inflation deepens inequality, why workers remain anxious about jobs and affordability, and what happens when corporations bet billions on AI while working people struggle to make ends meet.  

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The U.S. job market is getting harder for workers. Weak job growth, rising unemployment, brutal job searches, AI-driven hiring, and “entry-level” jobs demanding years of experience are exposing an economy increasingly built around employers — not workers.

The problem isn't that Americans don't want to work. It's that employers want workers who are already trained, experienced, productive — and cheap. The answer isn't more competition between workers. It's worker power.

#LaborForcePodcast #Jobs #Economy #Labor #Workers #JobMarket #WorkerPower #Capitalism

Workers are fighting back—and they’re proving that solidarity still matters.

AutoZone workers make history by unionizing with the UAW. Teamsters refuse to cross a Coca-Cola picket line. Starbucks continues battling its unionized workers in court and at the bargaining table. Meanwhile, nurses are warning that chronic understaffing and AI-driven scheduling are putting both workers and patients at risk.

These stories all point to the same question: Who should control the workplace—the corporations that own it, or the workers who actually do the work?

Subscribe to Labor Force Podcast for more workin...

The economy may look fine on paper — but for millions of working people, it doesn’t feel that way.

Consumer confidence is falling as Americans struggle with high prices, expensive gas, housing costs and economic insecurity. Meanwhile, wealth continues to pile up in the financial and digital economy.

This segment examines oil prices, economic instability, debt, and rising food-pantry use in New York — and asks why an economy that keeps generating wealth leaves so many workers falling behind.

Subscribe to the Labor Force Podcast for more on workers, unions, the economy and capitalism.

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AI isn't just threatening jobs — it's changing who gets the chance to build a career in the first place.

Across the economy, entry-level hiring is weakening as companies use AI to perform the "grunt work" traditionally assigned to young workers. Computer science graduates are struggling to find jobs, Toyota is investing in hundreds of thousands of factory robots, and Amazon is expanding the use of technology to monitor and manage delivery workers.

This episode looks at AI, automation, entry-level jobs, workplace surveillance, robotics and the future of work — from a working-class perspective.

#AI...

Labor is pushing back into American politics—but is electoral politics enough to rebuild working-class power?

With more union candidates running for Congress, deeper labor organizing taking shape, and the fight to organize Amazon continuing, this segment asks a bigger question: Can workers turn political energy into lasting collective power?

#LaborForcePodcast #Labor #Unions #WorkerPower #WorkingClass #UnionOrganizing #Amazon #Capitalism #Socialism #WorkersRights

Mortgage rates are back above 7%. Rent is becoming unaffordable even for middle-income families. Poverty among older Americans is rising. Consumer spending is slowing. And in New York, billions of dollars in federal funding for healthcare and SNAP are at risk. Meanwhile, we're still being told that the economy is entering a “golden age.”

This is the contradiction at the heart of American capitalism: the economy can grow while the people who actually produce the wealth struggle to afford housing, healthcare, food, and retirement. 

The real question isn't whether GDP is growing. It's who is benefiting from...

Diesel prices are hitting record highs — and workers are paying the price. In this segment, we look at how rising diesel costs are driving up food prices, transportation costs, heating bills and inflation, while farmers, truckers and small businesses get squeezed.

We also examine the Federal Reserve, interest rates, supply-chain disruptions and the declining labor share of income — and why workers keep absorbing the costs of an economy increasingly tilted toward capital.

If you want more coverage of workers, unions, wages, inflation and the economy from a working-class perspective, subscribe to the Labor Force Podc...

The labor market is full of contradictions. Employers say they can't find enough workers, yet millions of people are struggling to find jobs. Young workers without college degrees are finding opportunities in some industries while traditional white-collar career paths are becoming less secure. AI is beginning to reshape wages and work, older workers face age barriers, and more Americans are wondering whether they’ll ever be able to afford retirement.

In this segment, we look at what’s really happening beneath the headlines about labor shortages, AI and employment. If workers are producing more, why isn't that secu...

Workers are organizing across the economy — from Amazon delivery drivers and Michigan factory workers to Maine nurses, museum employees in Rochester, and UPS Teamsters. But everywhere workers try to build collective power, employers are fighting back.

This segment looks at what these organizing fights have in common. From the Bradford White strike to the organizing campaign at the George Eastman Museum, these stories show that the labor movement isn't confined to one industry or one kind of worker. The struggle is over who has power at work — the people who do the work, or the corporations and inst...

Inflation may be slowing, but that doesn’t mean prices are going back down. In this segment, we look at what years of inflation have actually done to the cost of living—and why workers are still feeling the squeeze. 

We break down the latest inflation and producer-price data, record diesel prices, rising heating costs, and the continuing affordability crisis. The question isn’t simply whether inflation is rising or falling—it’s whether working people can actually afford their lives. 

#LaborForcePodcast #Inflation #CostOfLiving #WorkingClass #Workers #Wages #Economy #WorkerPower #Labor #Unions #EconomicJustice

AI is transforming the workplace—but who gets the benefits? In this segment, we look at the push for a 32-hour workweek, the growing fight over AI in the workplace, and how unions are demanding a voice in how new technology is deployed. 

We also examine the Democratic Socialists of America’s “Workers Deserve More” program and the bigger question behind it: how do working people actually win shorter hours, better wages, healthcare, housing, immigrant rights, and greater economic security? 

#LaborForcePodcast #Labor #Unions #WorkerPower #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #32HourWorkweek #WorkersRights #Socialism #WorkingClass #Capitalism #LaborMovement

The economy may look strong on the surface, but underneath are growing warning signs: $40 trillion in government debt, rising borrowing costs, massive AI investment, and financial instability.

Who actually pays when the system breaks? Workers don't get bailouts—they get higher bills, lost jobs, and more debt. This is the economy beneath the headlines. 

#LaborForcePodcast #Economy #Workers #Debt #Capitalism #FinancialCrisis #Labor #Unions

The economy is growing, productivity is rising, and corporate profits are flowing—but workers are receiving a smaller share of the wealth they create. This segment examines the rise of the “disposable workforce,” declining worker bargaining power, and the growing disconnect between productivity, wages, and economic security.

We also look at AI and automation, the future of unions and collective bargaining, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new Office of Worker Power. The question isn't whether technology will change work. It’s who gets to decide what that change looks like, and who gets the benefits.<...

Happy Labor Day 🎙️✊

For one day each year, America celebrates “the American worker.” But what happens when those workers decide they want something more than a cookout?

This Labor Day, the numbers tell a fascinating story: Americans overwhelmingly support labor unions—and tens of millions of nonunion workers say they would join one if they could.

In this special Labor Day episode, we look at the growing disconnect between what workers want and what the American workplace allows them to have. And we have USC faculty and Wikipedia organizing, and 1,300 Encore Boston workers on strike.

The August jobs report looks pretty damn good, so why does the American labor market still feel so broken?

In this segment, we dig beneath the headline numbers and look at the contradictions defining work in 2026.

The economy can add jobs while workers remain financially squeezed. Employers can complain about labor shortages while millions of people struggle to get hired. And technology can supposedly make hiring more efficient while making the process even more frustrating and opaque.

So the question isn't simply “How many jobs did we add?”

It's “What kind of job...

In this segment, we look at the growing disconnect between Wall Street's economic optimism and the reality facing working people—and increasingly, even the upper-middle class.

The war with Iran has pushed up oil and energy costs. Mortgage rates are surging again. Meanwhile, the national debt has blown past $40 trillion. 

And the squeeze isn't limited to low-income Americans. Even households earning $200,000, $300,000 or more increasingly feel like they're running on a treadmill.

We then examine the growing appeal of democratic socialism, and the failure of traditional political parties to address economic insecurity

#Lab...

When did economic security become something workers are expected to build entirely on their own?

This segment looks at the growing affordability crisis, stubborn inflation, and the increasingly popular idea that workers need to become their own economic safety nets.

Then we look at a very different response: unionization and collective action. Starbucks Workers United has launched a nationwide boycott in an effort to pressure the company to reach an agreement. 

#LaborForcePodcast #Labor #Unions #Inflation #Economy #WorkersRights #StarbucksWorkersUnited #CostOfLiving #WorkingClass #LaborMovement

In this segment, we look at the escalating U.S.-Canada trade war and what it could mean for American workers and consumers. The Trump administration has revived a Depression-era trade tool, raising new questions about whether we're repeating some of the mistakes of the past.

We look at how tariffs on Canadian goods and raw materials could push prices higher, why toilet paper has suddenly become part of the trade war, and why Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari is warning that prolonged tariff uncertainty could keep inflation elevated.

We'll also look at the strange...

AI isn't just changing the jobs we do — it's changing the balance of power inside the workplace.

In this segment, we look at two developments that are increasingly converging: AI-driven changes to hiring and the rapid expansion of workplace surveillance technology.

New research from Goldman Sachs suggests that industries with greater exposure to AI are experiencing weaker employment growth, with **entry-level workers facing some of the strongest headwinds.

At the same time, an Associated Press investigation examines the rise of workplace surveillance — or “bossware” — that can track employee locations, productivity, communications, devices and even inter...

What happens when the people who do the work have almost no control over the economic decisions that determine whether their jobs survive?

In this segment, we look at a series of labor fights and economic pressures that reveal a common theme: workers are constantly being asked to absorb uncertainty created by corporations, governments, and markets — while having very little say over the decisions themselves.

We start with the Trump administration's 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian exports and the potential consequences for Canadian workers. 

Then we turn to 10,000 John Deere workers, who rej...

What happens when women become more economically independent—but the expectations of marriage and parenthood don't change?

In this segment, we look at the complicated relationship between women's earnings, marriage, family life, and America's declining birth rate.

A recent Hill piece examines research suggesting that couples face greater separation risks when women become the higher earners. 
Then we turn to Nobel Prize-winning economist Claudia Goldin, whose argument is that women aren't necessarily rejecting motherhood—they're evaluating the enormous economic and personal costs that can come with it. 

What do you think? Are declin...

The economy may still be growing, but for millions of workers, the cost of simply getting by keeps rising.

In this segment, we examine the growing affordability crisis from multiple angles: record-high August gas prices, wages struggling to keep pace with inflation, mounting recession warnings, soaring government and corporate borrowing costs, rising grain prices, and the increasingly disturbing use of buy-now-pay-later services to cover basic expenses like rent and utilities.

The economy can grow. Corporate profits can grow. AI investment can grow. And workers can still get poorer.

#LaborForcePodcast #Labor #WorkingClass #Economy #Inflation...

Workers across the country are fighting back — and the battles are happening on multiple fronts.

We start in Minnesota, where union members and activists have faced federal surveillance and indictments connected to protests against ICE. 

Then we turn to Amazon delivery drivers in New York, where the Teamsters are challenging mass layoffs.

We also look at Tyson Foods' decision to eliminate more than 3,000 jobs  — another example of how corporate restructuring can devastate workers and entire communities.

In Cook County, Illinois, roughly 200 Teamsters are on strike at the Forest Preserve District. 

And i...

Trump built his political comeback around a series of big economic promises: lower prices, cheaper gasoline, affordable housing, lower mortgage rates, more manufacturing jobs, a balanced federal budget, and an economy that would “grow like nobody’s ever grown before.”

But how much of that has actually happened? In this segment, we put the promises up against the economic reality. 

We also examine the increasingly K-shaped economy, Trump’s aggressive push for deregulation, and issues at the NLRB, where a new Republican majority could reverse numerous pro-worker precedents.

The larger question is simple: When poli...

Americans are working, earning more on paper—and still falling further behind.

In this segment, we examine the growing disconnect between the headline economy and the economic reality facing working people. Inflation is once again outpacing wage growth, real wages have fallen for four consecutive months, and millions of workers are still trying to recover purchasing power lost during the post-pandemic inflation surge.

At the same time, household debt has climbed to roughly $18.8 trillion, credit-card balances have reached approximately $1.26 trillion, and more Americans are struggling to keep up with their payments.

And then th...

In this segment, we connect several stories that reveal a growing contradiction in the American economy.

At Cargill's meatpacking facility in Fort Morgan, Colorado, more than 1,700 workers remain locked out as employees fight over a contract and their future at the plant. Meanwhile, Cargill salt workers in Newark, California, have gone on strike over wages and soaring health-care costs.

At the same time, a new survey finds that 54% of workers would accept a pay cut simply to keep their jobs — a striking indication of just how much economic insecurity is reshaping workers' priorities.

An...

The Trump administration says America has entered a “new kind of economy.” But what does that actually mean for working people?

In this segment, we look beyond the political and economic headlines and examine what workers are actually experiencing in 2026.

Housing remains painfully out of reach. Instability surrounding the U.S.-Iran conflict threatens to push energy and transportation costs higher. At the same time, millions of workers—especially Gen X—are struggling to balance full-time employment with caring for children and aging parents.

And perhaps most revealingly, younger Americans are increasingly dipping into ret...

Workers are finding new ways to fight back—and the latest battles show just how much the American labor movement is changing.

In this segment, we look at a federal judge blocking the VA for the third time from terminating its union contracts with AFGE, the growing push to unionize Uber and Lyft drivers in California and Illinois, and what these new forms of collective bargaining could mean for the future of gig work.

We also examine the latest jobs data and the emerging “deportation economy”—and why removing immigrant workers isn't necessarily creating more opportun...

The economy may look strong on paper—but for millions of Americans, everyday life is getting harder to afford.

From groceries and gas to housing, healthcare, and even dating, rising costs are forcing working people to make increasingly painful choices. Americans are cutting back, working more hours just to stay in place, and questioning whether they can afford the life they were promised.

And the affordability crisis doesn’t stop at the checkout line. Nearly half a million New Yorkers have lost healthcare coverage following federal Medicaid changes, while the cost of replacing that coverage is o...

AI is changing the workforce—but not in the way most people expected.

In this segment, we examine the contradictions of the AI economy. While Silicon Valley celebrates a new "golden age of entrepreneurship," thousands of workers are experiencing a very different reality. AI is making it easier than ever to launch a business, but it's also eliminating traditional jobs, reshaping industries, and creating entirely new labor shortages.

The biggest question isn't whether AI will create or destroy jobs.

It's who benefits from the productivity gains—and whether workers will have the power to c...

In this segment, the stories may seem unrelated—but together they point to something much bigger.

We examine Abdul El-Sayed's upset victory in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, growing signs of working-class politics gaining traction across the Midwest, and what those elections may signal about the future of economic populism.

Then we turn to the labor movement, where 1,700 locked-out Cargill workers reject a contract they believe still falls short, Iowa nurses fight for recognition after voting to unionize, and nearly 10,000 Michigan nurses secure a landmark first union contract after more than a year of bargaining.

...

The path to the middle class used to seem straightforward: earn a degree, land a stable job, and build a career. But for millions of young Americans, that formula is breaking down.

From shrinking hiring opportunities to the rise of YouTube, TikTok, and Substack entrepreneurs, we examine why more workers are questioning whether the traditional career ladder still exists—and what that means for the future of the American Dream.

If you enjoy in-depth discussions on labor, unions, AI, economics, and the changing world of work, subscribe and join the conversation.

#LaborForcePodcast #Jobs #Co...

Kevin Hassett says the economy is "firing on all cylinders." So why do so many Americans feel like they're falling further behind?

In this segment, we examine the disconnect between economic headlines and everyday reality—from inflation, rising mortgage rates, and AI-driven job insecurity to shrinking affordability, mounting debt, and the growing gap between the middle class and real wealth. We also explore why anti-capitalist ideas are gaining renewed attention as more workers question whether the American Dream is still within reach.

#LaborForcePodcast #LaborNews #Economy #Inflation #AI #WorkingClass #Unions #HousingCrisis #Capitalism #Socialism

From Division I athletes to VA employees, John Deere workers, and refinery operators, this week's labor news makes one thing clear: unions aren't disappearing—they're expanding into every corner of the workforce.

In this episode segment, we break down the largest athlete-led unionization effort in college sports, the latest court victory protecting the AFGE's contract at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the UAW's push for a stronger agreement at John Deere, and the ongoing lockout of more than 800 United Steelworkers at BP's Whiting refinery.

Different industries. Different workplaces. The same conclusion: when workers want a re...

Winning the Vote Is Just the Beginning.

In this segment, we examine what happens after workers organize—and why winning a union election is often only the first step.

In this episode:

🥩 More than 1,700 Teamsters at Cargill in Colorado reach a tentative agreement after a 70-day lockout.
⚓ ILWU solidarity forces C&H Sugar back to the bargaining table after longshore workers refuse to cross picket lines.
🌿 Workers at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden launch a public boycott to pressure management during contract negotiations.
⚖️ Wisconsin's Act 10 legal battle continues as an appeals court reinstat...