logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2022
57m 59s

Union Busters, Part I: An Origin Story

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

While they're not as common as they once were, labor unions are back in the news as employees of companies like Amazon, Starbucks and more choose to organize, pushing for better pay, more rights and so on. In part one of this two-part episode, Ben and Matt explore the history of unions (which can themselves be conspiratorial)... as well as the powerful forces seeking to destroy unions, or prevent them from forming in the first place.

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Today
Exploding Mics: The Assassination of Charlie Kirk, Chapter Two
In mere hours after the assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10th, 2025, conspiracy theories metastasized across the internet net. Within 33 hours, authorities claimed they had captured the assassin, and began to map out a timeline of the murder. However, a lot of people we ... Show More
40m 43s
Yesterday
CLASSIC: What the Heck is an NFT?
In tonight's Classic episode: a new player has entered the strange, often confusing world of Bitcoin -- the non-fungible token, or NFT. This digital token, which can be virtually anything, is technically unique. It's a one-of-a-kind thing existing in an entirely intangible state. ... Show More
1h 7m
Sep 14
Strange News: The DHS Traces Your Finances, No Water For You! Plus: You Can See Everything, Drone Shenanigans, and More
Recent revelations confirm that the Department of Homeland Security and other parts of law enforcement are secretly accessing your financial records -- and taking you in, even if you haven't committed a crime. Plus, US courts rule people have no right to clean water. A sinister C ... Show More
59m 48s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2022
Why Unions are Making a Comeback
The Amazon Labor Union made history when it won its election at the JFK8 facility in Staten Island — but they aren’t the only ones organizing. Petitions to form unions were up nearly sixty percent between October 2021 and March 2022! What does it take to form a union, and what do ... Show More
26m 49s
Feb 2023
Unionising the US workforce
There has been a surge in the number of workplaces in the United States voting to join a labour union. Amid this wave of unionisation, companies are pushing back hard. We find out what is happening in the US and how businesses and politicians are reacting.We hear from a worker at ... Show More
18m 45s
Jul 2023
S4E34: Strength in Numbers: The Writers Strike and The Power of Unions
<p><strong>Description:<br></strong>Unions and strike have always been seen as controversial in the U.S. This time, the actors and writers are striking for better compensation and more respect. But, how do unions and guilds work in general?  </p><p><strong>Contact:</strong><br><s ... Show More
49m 33s
Aug 2024
Part One: Ben Fletcher, Local 8, and the Fighting, Antiracist Union of Philadelphia
Margaret talks to Miriam about maybe the coolest union local in US history.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
1 h
Sep 2024
How labor unions shape society
The weekend. Social Security. Health insurance. What do these things have in common? They all exist thanks to the advocacy of labor unions. In this episode of TED Talks Daily, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, political economist Margaret Levi explains how these orga ... Show More
19m 33s
Feb 2023
The New State of Unions
Do new unions need “Big Labor”? There is a new generation of labor organizers in the United States: baristas, warehouse workers, and grocers. They are organizing shop-by-shop and relying less on traditional big labor unions. Audie talks with longtime labor activist Erica Smiley, ... Show More
29m 24s
Jul 2022
How the Unionization Trend is Changing Workplace Dynamics
For years, union membership has been shrinking in the United States and many other countries. But recently we've seen a resurgence, with employees in sectors like retail, hospitality, and media organizing to collectively bargain for better pay, benefits, and job flexibility. Thom ... Show More
33m 18s
Mar 2022
Do Unions Still Work?
<p>Organized labor hasn’t had this much public support in 50 years, and yet the percentage of Americans in a union is near a record low. A.F.L-C.I.O. president Liz Shuler tries to explain this gap — and persuade Stephen Dubner that “the folks who brought you the weekend” still ha ... Show More
51m 32s