America’s Work Force Union Podcast

One mother showed up to a signing day in tears, Isaiah Zemke says, not wanting to believe the wages and benefits her child was being offered were real. On today's Trades Day episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Zemke, business manager and financial secretary-treasurer of SMART Local 49, describes his path from non-union sheet metal shops to union leadership, the data center and federal work behind about 300 new members, the new apprenticeship training center in Lubbock, Texas, and the programs that bring high school students into the trade. Visit smwlu49.org for more.

Two conversations about helping workers get ahead: one on how a Northeast Ohio agency places job seekers and honors everyday union workers, and one on how to choose a health plan during Open Season. United Labor Agency Executive Director Dave Megenhardt says the agency placed more than 2,000 people in Cuyahoga County in 2025 at an average wage of $25.88, and that people who went through training averaged $26.76 an hour, the highest for the agency. He explains why the annual Unsung Heroes of the Labor Movement dinner shifted from honoring labor leaders to honoring everyday union workers nominated by their coworkers and shares the stories of honorees Tyrone Jester and Kimberly Nemeth. Then, David Yoder, senior vice president of the Federal Employee Program at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, offers guidance for federal and postal workers and eligible uniformed service families as Open Season runs through Dec. 14. He says to assess health needs for the next 12 to 18 months, points to FEP’s pharmacy benefit and its plan, doctor and prescription tools, describes the role of postal unions and the dental and vision options for uniformed service families, and urges people to compare total yearly cost rather than premium alone. His segment is part of AWF’s partnership with the Blue Cross and Blue Shield National Labor Office. Visit ulagency.org for more from the United Labor Agency and fepblue.org for more from the Federal Employee Program.

Two conversations about workers coming together: one on what AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond says organized labor proved in Tuesday’s election and one on hospice nurses who say they won a voice by organizing. On First Friday with Fred, the monthly segment held on the first Friday of each month, Redmond says the enthusiasm of organized labor was the highest he has seen and that working people across party lines asked for a different direction. He discusses Sherrod Brown’s return to the Senate, union candidates up and down the ballot, labor’s boots-on-the-ground advantage and an election protection effort that he says fell short of its 50,000 goal but put more than 30,000 people in the field. He also says the AFL-CIO executive council was setting its lame duck priorities, including a major concern about Affordable Care Act healthcare cuts. Then, Allina Health hospice nurse and case manager Susie Smerz discusses the first contract won by hospice nurses with SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa. She says the effort was never about wages and that the contract includes protections around weekend work, pay for time over FTE and a new mileage reimbursement setting, though not holiday pay. She describes how nurses who work alone across the Twin Cities area organized, a unanimous ratification vote and the union’s work with the Attorney General’s office on a community benefits agreement tied to the Sutter Health acquisition. Visit aflcio.org for more from the AFL-CIO and seiuhealthcaremn.org for more from SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa.

Dorsey Hager says it is more important to keep workers on a job than to get them there, and he hopes Intel and Bechtel roll straight from the first two fabs into fabs three and four. On today's Trades Day episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Hager, executive secretary-treasurer of the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, discusses Bayer's planned New Albany plant, the pipeline of work beyond data centers, the Tradeswomen Build Nations conference headed to Columbus in 2028 and his reaction to Tuesday's results in Ohio, including Iron Worker Local 17 member Brian Poindexter, Amy Acton, Sherrod Brown and Columbus Issues 8 and 9. Visit columbusconstruction.org for more.

Fires can double in size every 30 to 60 seconds, and a room can flash over in about three to five minutes, according to William Sylvia, a New Bedford firefighter of 20 years. He says that is why closing a fire company and sending fewer members to a call puts residents and firefighters at risk. On today's episode of America's Work Force Union Podcast, Sylvia, president of IAFF Local 841 New Bedford Firefighters, discusses the fight to keep Engine 9 open after the city moved from a projected surplus to a $32 million deficit. He explains how the city council, a state senator and the governor responded, why the Local filed an unfair labor practice charge, what he says happened when engines were blacked out in 2019 and why he says the contract minimum of four members per apparatus matters.