Episodes
Monday Jul 18, 2022
Legislative Wrap Up 2022
Monday Jul 18, 2022
Monday Jul 18, 2022
Workers won big in the 2022 legislative session. The list of victories includes workplace health and safety protections, improvements to labor rights and pensions, and the creation of good-paying jobs as we address climate change.
On the latest Union Strong podcast, New York State AFL-CIO Legislative Director Mike Neidl breaks it all down for us to explain what these changes will mean for working people and their families.
See the 2022 End of Session Report
Get tickets for Union Strong Night at The New York Yankees (July 29th)
Get tickets for Union Strong Night at The New York Mets (September 3rd)
Wednesday May 25, 2022
Nurses On The Brink
Wednesday May 25, 2022
Wednesday May 25, 2022
When nurses were forced to work mandatory overtime during the COVID pandemic, it was understood that we were dealing with an emergency.
The emergency has passed, yet mandatory overtime is back with a vengeance and it’s reached a crisis level in many of our hospitals.
Overworked nurses are pleading with lawmakers to do something about it.
On the latest Union Strong podcast, we will hear from nurses and their unions on why they are so passionate about strengthening mandatory overtime laws.
Here are the bills we discuss in the episode, which will improve the prohibition on mandatory nurse overtime law:
S8063A Ramos/A8874B Joyner
S4885A Savino/A181A Gunther
A286A Gunther/S1997A Jackson
Wednesday May 18, 2022
Prioritizing Buy American Rock Salt
Wednesday May 18, 2022
Wednesday May 18, 2022
The concept of Buy American is simple: Our tax dollars should be used to create jobs and advance production here at home.
On the latest episode of the Union Strong podcast, we discuss the importance of prioritizing Buy American legislation and in particular, Buy American Rock Salt.
Our guest, Dave Wasiura, Assistant to the Director for the United Steelworkers, District 4 explains what the legislation would do and its impact on the New York State economy.
Monday Mar 28, 2022
Fix Tier 6
Monday Mar 28, 2022
Monday Mar 28, 2022
The state of New York has lost thousands of public sector workers over the past decade. Recruiting and retaining public employees is reaching a crisis level.
In addition, dedicated public sector workers who risked their lives during the pandemic could be inadvertently penalized for the overtime they worked throughout the crisis.
On the latest Union Strong podcast, we talk about reforming the state’s pension system, to address these issues.
New York State AFL-CIO Legislative Director Mike Neidl is our guest.
Learn more about tier 6 here >>>
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Overworked and Underpaid at a Nursing Home in Lewiston, NY
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Sunday Mar 13, 2022
Nursing home workers at Our Lady of Peace in Lewiston, New York held a one-day strike to draw attention to their contract fight over fair wages. Tomorrow, that fight moves to St. Louis Missouri.
The nursing home workers are represented by 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and have been without a contract since December 31, 2021. Already hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, these caregivers are now working critically short-staffed while their employer, Ascension Living shuts down units and threatens layoffs.
On the latest Union Strong Podcast, a worker describes the conditions inside the nursing home, a union representative gives details on the contract fight, and we hear from our partners at the Missouri AFL-CIO.
Click here to sign the petition for the Our Lady of Peace workers.
Click here for the details about the March 15th event in St. Louis.
Monday Feb 21, 2022
COVID at Work, Know Your Rights
Monday Feb 21, 2022
Monday Feb 21, 2022
Working New Yorkers have put themselves at risk throughout this entire pandemic. Many workers died after being exposed to the virus on the job and countless others became ill.
And now, as we reach the 2-year mark since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are learning more about long-haul symptoms.
That’s why the New York State AFL-CIO wants to help get the word out on how critical it is for every worker who believes they were exposed to COVID-19 at work, to file a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Board.
On this podcast, we will talk to the Chair of the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board and we will hear from an advocate for injured workers to educate workers on their rights and explain the process for filing a claim.
Get info or file a claim on the NYS Workers Compensation Board website >>>
Webinar Series for Workers on Workers' Compensation and COVID-19 >>>
Call 877-632-4996 or email AdvocateForInjuredWorkers@wcb.ny.gov for assistance from the NYS Workers Compensation Board.
Follow the NYS Workers Compensation Board on social media:
Facebook: @NYSWCB
Instagram: @NYSWorkersCompBoard
Twitter: @NYSWorkersComp
Sunday Feb 13, 2022
Brewing Solidarity at Starbucks
Sunday Feb 13, 2022
Sunday Feb 13, 2022
Workers at Starbucks stores across the country are banding together and filing for union recognition at a pace not seen in recent memory, and it all started in Buffalo, New York.
On the latest Union Strong podcast, one of the workers leading the campaign gives us an inside look into what it’s like taking on a corporate giant determined to stand in the way. And Workers United Secretary-Treasurer Edgar Romney joins us to discuss the unique way the campaign started and what’s next.
Sunday Jan 16, 2022
Honoring MLK
Sunday Jan 16, 2022
Sunday Jan 16, 2022
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
The Future of Public Education
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges for teachers and support staff, students, and their parents.
Now the 600,000 member New York State United Teachers has turned those challenges into an opportunity.
NYSUT brought together a group of education professionals from across the state to come up with ideas on how to support public schools to build a brighter future for students.
On the latest Union Strong podcast, we talk to three teachers who were a part of the Future Forward Task Force and get their insight on what their classrooms are like today and what the future of public education should look like.
Link to report https://futureforwardny.org/
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Fairness for Farmworkers
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
For most workers, overtime pay after 40 hours was a victory won over 80 years ago, but shockingly for farmworkers it’s a battle still being fought.
Farmworkers in New York State won some very basic rights in 2019 with passage of the Farmworkers Fair Labor Practices Act.
Those rights which the New York State AFL-CIO had been fighting for, for years include: the right to organize a union, a mandatory day of rest, and the right to overtime pay.
But the overtime threshold remains unfairly high at 60 hours per week.
On the latest Union Strong podcast our guest is the former president of the New York State AFL-CIO, Denis Hughes.
Denis represents Labor on the Department of Labor's Farm Labor's Wage Board which is scheduled to meet on the overtime threshold within weeks.