1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Molly John Fast and this is Fast Politics, 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:07,120 Speaker 1: where we discussed the top political headlines with some of 3 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: today's best minds. We are off for the holidays, but 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: in advance we made you a fantastic show. Today, Kim Kelly, 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: the author of Fight Like How, The Untold History of 6 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: American Labor, stops by to tell us about America's current 7 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 1: labor movement. But first we have Congressman Jake Kanglass who 8 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: represents Massachusetts fourth Congressional District. Welcome to Fast Politics. Representative 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 1: Jake ochanclass like to be so we are in this 10 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: new congressional reality. Republicans have this razor stin majority. Are 11 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: they in disarray? And I think as we mark the 12 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: eighteenth Congress, it's important to look back on the hundred 13 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:01,560 Speaker 1: and seventeenth Congress, which is the most most bipartisan Congress 14 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 1: in my lifetime. We did infrastructure, we did science and semiconductors, 15 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: we did clean energy, we did Ukraine, a gun safety, 16 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:16,440 Speaker 1: all of it bipartisan, just historic, generational investments in our future. 17 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: And now the GOP is looking to hold the gavel 18 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 1: and the initiative is with them. They have a fork 19 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 1: in the road. They can take up that mantle and 20 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: reach across the aisle and say here are ideas. Let's 21 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: try to get stuff done with votes from both parties, 22 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: or they can cater to their hard right, their conspiracy 23 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:39,360 Speaker 1: theorizing authoritarian wing of the party and have political theater 24 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,880 Speaker 1: for two years. I've seen polling and reporting that shows 25 00:01:42,880 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: that the American people actually just want you guys to 26 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: get stuff done. But it strikes me that the Republican 27 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: primary sort of base does not. Are the Republicans in 28 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 1: Congress going to be able to stand up to their race. 29 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: That's a question for the Republicans in Congress. What I 30 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: will say is when we had the gavel in the 31 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 1: seventeen Congress, we delivered results. We delivered infrastructure investments that 32 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: are going to guarantee clean water for every kid in 33 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: this country for example, upgrade transit, invest in basic research 34 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: and development that makes our economy more productive for generations 35 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,920 Speaker 1: to come, the biggest, boldest climate action in history. So 36 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: we delivered results where possible, We work with Republicans where 37 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: they were in transigent like on climate action. We did 38 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: it with our own votes, but we got stuffed, and 39 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,360 Speaker 1: I think that's why you saw us over overperform in 40 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 1: the midterms, and again the GOP is going to have 41 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: to do some internal reflection on whether it wants to 42 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 1: be a serious party of governance or whether it just 43 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 1: wants to cater to its hard right wing. What we 44 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: saw in the omnibus negotiations is that even the GOP 45 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: and the Senate didn't take Kevin McCarthy seriously. He wasn't 46 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: even invited to the big Kids table to negotiate. That's 47 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: embarrassing for him. That's a bad sign for the seriousness 48 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 1: of the GOP conference under a g a pe speaker 49 00:03:00,760 --> 00:03:04,640 Speaker 1: in the eighteenth Congress. But I do hope that they 50 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 1: try to get some serious legislating done because we've got 51 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:09,919 Speaker 1: work to do, particularly on lowering toss for working families. 52 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: So Democrats are now in the minority, even though it's 53 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: a small minority. I mean, how does everything change now? 54 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: Explain to us from my dad, I think people would 55 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 1: love to know, like just the mechanics of how things change. Well, 56 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: the mechanics of how things change is that we don't 57 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: have committee chairmanships anymore. The GOP has the chairs, and 58 00:03:29,960 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: that means that the pipeline of legislation going from origination 59 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: from you know, a good idea, and drafting all the 60 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: way to the floor for a vote is a lot 61 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 1: harder for Democrats. That's really the primary prerogative of of 62 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:44,720 Speaker 1: being the speaker is that you control that pipeline of 63 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: legislation to the floor for a vote, which means that 64 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: you really need Republicans on board to deliver wins. And 65 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: here again is where I go back to, you know, 66 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: the goop having to decide for itself whether it wants 67 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: to be serious or not. In my district, people are 68 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 1: energized and in hent on continuing climate action and clean 69 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: energy investments. We we don't we can't take two years 70 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: off because Democrats are in the minority. We've got Paris 71 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: Accord goals to hit. We've got you know, one point 72 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: seven degrees celsius by twenty fifty goal to achieve. It's 73 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,360 Speaker 1: just not acceptable to me or to my constituents to say, well, 74 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: you know, we're in the minority, so we're gonna not 75 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:20,600 Speaker 1: work anymore on this issue. Not we gotta keep working. 76 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 1: The same thing on gun safety, same thing on housing 77 00:04:23,480 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: and healthcare costs. These things are near and present priorities. 78 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:29,280 Speaker 1: Maybe we're not hitting home runs, but we got to 79 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: hit singles and double Still, you have never been in 80 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: the minority in your time in Congress. I mean, and 81 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:39,719 Speaker 1: now you're in this Congress that is right now, McCarthy 82 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: is still trying to figure out a way to put 83 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 1: together the votes. He's got this okay buttons which stand 84 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: for only Kevin I mean d I will say that 85 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: the okay buttons are an over building of his merit 86 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: for that position. I mean, I guess mat was taken right. 87 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: It's such a small majority. I mean, there are Republicans 88 00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: who have won in Biden districts. I mean, do you 89 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: know these people? Do you think there are back ventures 90 00:05:09,279 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: who we don't know about who might make the journey, 91 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:17,239 Speaker 1: or do you think that's really just West wing fan fiction. 92 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:19,400 Speaker 1: It's my job to try to find out. It's my 93 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,040 Speaker 1: job to represent my district's values and to advance their priorities. 94 00:05:23,200 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: And in order to do that with four and thirty 95 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,919 Speaker 1: four other members of the House of Representatives at a 96 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 1: time when Republicans are in charge of the House, it's 97 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: my job to go and try to find out in 98 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: good faith and if I hear back in good faith, hey, 99 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: I also care about lowering healthcare costs. Here's how I'd 100 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: go about it. You know, I'd use health saving accounts, 101 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 1: doctor bles, do shopping and things that are more kind 102 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: of considered center right proposals. Great, like, let's have that debate. 103 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,720 Speaker 1: If I hear in response instead, I'm sorry, we're too busy. 104 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 1: We're doing this investigation into a private citizen's lap top 105 00:05:54,920 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 1: designed to americ the president. Well, we're going to find that. 106 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:01,360 Speaker 1: This Democratic caucus, it's worth noting half of it has 107 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:06,320 Speaker 1: been elected since we've got energetic, young leadership. This Democratic 108 00:06:06,360 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: Caucus is fit and fighting. People have been through tough campaigns. 109 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: They came a political age during the Trump years. They 110 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: know why they're in office. They know what they stand for. 111 00:06:15,760 --> 00:06:18,680 Speaker 1: They know what's worth fighting for and losing over. We're 112 00:06:18,680 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: not going to f around. We are going to hold 113 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:26,239 Speaker 1: the Republicans to account to protect our democracy, to protect 114 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: women's rights, and to advance common sense measures at lower 115 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,279 Speaker 1: costs and help us compete against China. What are you 116 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 1: excited that you think you can get done in this 117 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: brave new world where Steve Schools is the speaker. I 118 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:41,960 Speaker 1: want to beginning to make progress on clean energy and 119 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: healthcare issues, which are critical to my constituents. I think 120 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 1: that there are solid incremental progress to be made on 121 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 1: both front for workforce development and permitting issues for clean 122 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:54,760 Speaker 1: energy projects that you might be able to get some 123 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,719 Speaker 1: Republican support for. For a way to make our healthcare 124 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:01,240 Speaker 1: system more transparent and to have more of a fiducieri 125 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: responsibility to patients as opposed to pairs of providers. I 126 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 1: think that there are ways that we can move the 127 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: ball forward there that I'm going to be aggressively exploring. 128 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:11,760 Speaker 1: I think we have the f a A, the Aviation 129 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:15,520 Speaker 1: Administration re authorization coming up. That's an opportunity I think 130 00:07:15,520 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: to get some bipartisan work on that tends to be 131 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: a bipartisan bill. There's pathways of opportunity here. Can you 132 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 1: please not make it so there's only one pilot per flight. 133 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,760 Speaker 1: I happened to be the daughter of the author of 134 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,560 Speaker 1: the book Fear of Flying, so I do have some 135 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: anxiety here. But like we've had such a good run 136 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: of like planes not crashing, why mess with that? Safety 137 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: is always going to be the paramount consideration for any 138 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 1: f a A policy. Safety is always going to be 139 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 1: number one. We're not going to do anything that would 140 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,160 Speaker 1: decrimend safety by even one iota. So talk to me 141 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 1: about the leadership, because this is a bold new leadership. 142 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 1: I mean, we don't have You know, Nancy Pelosi was 143 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,640 Speaker 1: the leader for a long time, and you know, people 144 00:07:55,720 --> 00:07:59,680 Speaker 1: had complaints, as they always do about leadership, but she 145 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: was very, very very effective. Even her worst critics said 146 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 1: that what does this new leadership look like? And talk 147 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: to me about that. Kim Jeffreys will be our our leader. 148 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: Katherine Clark, my neighbor here in Massachusetts, will be with 149 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: and then Pete Aguilar from California will be number three 150 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: a caucus chair. And the Democratic Caucus is energized and 151 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 1: unified behind these three. I think we know them. They 152 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:27,400 Speaker 1: have risen through our ranks through relationships and hard work, 153 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: and they have I think the trust and the confidence 154 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 1: of the caucus right now, and we are very excited 155 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: to make a Keem Jeffreys the Speaker of the House. 156 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 1: In One of the things that Pelosi had to deal 157 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 1: with is that it's not just MAGA and no maga. 158 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: It's like some people are very left, some people are 159 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,800 Speaker 1: more center, some people are part of no labels. I mean, 160 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 1: how do you manage I mean, are you concerned about 161 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: having to sort of juggle all of those groups. Of course, 162 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: you've gotta juggle diff and emphasies and priorities within a 163 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: big tang caucus. I think though that story is a 164 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: very popular story with the media. Everyone loves the sort 165 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: of Dems and disarray storyline. Again, though, like I, I 166 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: go back to the vent Congress when I actually came 167 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 1: to get stuck done with a very tight vote count, 168 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 1: when you had to have left and center on the 169 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: same page, And I think our track record just speaks 170 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 1: for itself. Everything from infrastructure to ukrainate, the gun safety legislation, 171 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: to clean energy investments, to science and semiconductors. Like the 172 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 1: pace and productivity of the dred seventeen alies the notion 173 00:09:34,600 --> 00:09:37,719 Speaker 1: that somehow Dems can't line up and deliver for the 174 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: American people. We did, we will again when we get 175 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: the gabble. We're gonna have vigorous debate, as we should, 176 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,520 Speaker 1: because that makes legislation better. But right now we have 177 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:49,840 Speaker 1: a party in the Democratic side of the House that 178 00:09:50,040 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 1: knows and has shown what it stands for to the 179 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: American people. We want to make this economy work for everybody, 180 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:57,960 Speaker 1: and we want to protect democracy, and we've got a 181 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:01,559 Speaker 1: GOP that is having a pretty biggerest internal debate about 182 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: whether it actually thinks democracy is the path forward. And 183 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: until that story changes, I think the spotlight needs to 184 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 1: be on the GOP and it's internal issues. There are 185 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:16,800 Speaker 1: things like TikTok where they don't necessarily it doesn't necessarily 186 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: cut on partisan lines, right, I mean, are there things 187 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,040 Speaker 1: like that that you feel like you guys can get 188 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,360 Speaker 1: going with right away in this House. Well, the Omnibus 189 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:31,320 Speaker 1: included a measure to fan TikTok from government phones, I believe, 190 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,920 Speaker 1: and I think that's a reasonable step forward. We should 191 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 1: have severe concerns about industries that need to be decoupled 192 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 1: from the Chinese Communist Party, telecoms, the A p I 193 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: supply chain for pharmaceuticals. Obviously, you know, military contracting, semiconductor 194 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: manufacturing in the nation of one point four billion people. 195 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 1: We're not going to just stop trading all together. I 196 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: don't think that serves the American consumer well. But we 197 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,679 Speaker 1: do need to aggressively decouple industries that are of significant 198 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: econo coomic energy or national security to the United States 199 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: and make clear that we do not want our personally 200 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: identifiable information or critical notes of our supply chain to 201 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:13,000 Speaker 1: be subject to the Chinese Communist Party. Right, your district 202 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: is very tech heavy. By district is very tech heavy. 203 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:18,600 Speaker 1: America is very technically I mean right, Twitter is now 204 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 1: subject to the whims of Elon Musk. Do you think 205 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 1: there needs to be more regulation in tech and more 206 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: more importantly almost do you think that there can be 207 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,839 Speaker 1: some kind of reproache mont with the right and a 208 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: sort of bipartisan or nonpartisan tech regulation. I think my 209 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 1: friend and colleague Rocana has done a very nice job 210 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 1: of explicating this issue. I think these social media platforms Twitter, 211 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: probably most acutely, but Facebook and Instagram as well. Yes, 212 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,640 Speaker 1: they're private companies, but they are also functionally their information 213 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: utilities in the same way that the broadcast providers were 214 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 1: in the heyday of TV. And with the designation comes 215 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:07,239 Speaker 1: accountability and responsibility the leading reporters accounts without a clear, transparent, 216 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:10,640 Speaker 1: accountable process for doing so and explaining why you're doing so, 217 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:15,200 Speaker 1: it's totally unacceptable. Totally unacceptable. We're not well served by 218 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: having big tech put its thumb on the scale of 219 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,360 Speaker 1: political discourse in this country, and we're also not well 220 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:24,439 Speaker 1: served by having politicians way in on the nash nations 221 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: of big tech and there in the way that they 222 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:30,160 Speaker 1: are how they have internal processes for dissemining information. Because 223 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: in both situations, I worry that we politicize what really 224 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: should be a utility for information dissemination. So I really 225 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: think Row has done a nice job of laying this out. 226 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 1: It's certainly going to be a live area of debate. 227 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: Have you talked to Republicans who you think could get 228 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: on board with us, because you only need, like, you know, 229 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: a very small number I have. I don't. I don't 230 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 1: know that this is a cleanly partisan issue though in regulation. Yeah, 231 00:12:55,520 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: that's what I'm That's why I think so. Yeah, I 232 00:12:57,640 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 1: think we're going to see the camps on this issue 233 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: for very differently. I think there's gonna be geographic considerations. 234 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,600 Speaker 1: I think there's going to be ideological considerations that are 235 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,559 Speaker 1: not necessarily partisan. It's it's still developing, but I wouldn't 236 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:10,640 Speaker 1: just count on it being the verses are now. Thank 237 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: you so much. This is so interesting. I hope you'll 238 00:13:13,600 --> 00:13:20,000 Speaker 1: come back. Kim Kelly is the author of Fight Like 239 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:25,239 Speaker 1: How The Untold History of American Labor, Welcome Too Fast, 240 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:29,360 Speaker 1: politics Kim Kelly, Well, thank you so much for having me, Molly. 241 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: We're seeing a lot of striking. The Pittsburgh Post Gauzette, 242 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:36,080 Speaker 1: the fort Worth to Start Telegram, and the New York 243 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:40,199 Speaker 1: Times all on strike end of December. Talk to us 244 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:44,080 Speaker 1: about why is this happening within large groups and what 245 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,599 Speaker 1: are they striking for. Well, we're coming up on the 246 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:48,600 Speaker 1: end of the year, and that means that a lot 247 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 1: of contracts, like unique contracts that have been negotiated are 248 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,680 Speaker 1: coming They're coming up. It's time to renegotiate. And also, 249 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 1: I mean a lot of these places, like workers have 250 00:13:57,320 --> 00:14:00,080 Speaker 1: been negotiating or trying to negotiate new contracts for a 251 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:02,600 Speaker 1: long time. I think The New York Times has taken 252 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 1: them months and months and months. And it's been a 253 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 1: whole acrimonious process for a lot of different places because 254 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:12,200 Speaker 1: it's tough to negotiate and bargaining union contract because invariably 255 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: across industries, no matter what's really happening, doesn't matter if 256 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:18,959 Speaker 1: you're like a barista or a coal miner or working 257 00:14:18,960 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 1: at the New York Times, there's usually this tension of like, Okay, 258 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: my co workers and I we need better wages, better 259 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:26,600 Speaker 1: working conditions. There's certain things about our job we need 260 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: to improve, and the bosses are invariably saying, well, I mean, 261 00:14:30,560 --> 00:14:33,040 Speaker 1: think about the bottom line. We don't want to give 262 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: you these things. We would like to keep those profits 263 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: for ourselves and secure our own improve those positions. So 264 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:40,720 Speaker 1: we're going to fight you on it. And so we're 265 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,120 Speaker 1: seeing this happen. I mean, we've been seeing it happened 266 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: for hundreds of years, but right now it is it 267 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 1: does feel like a very striky kind of season. I mean, 268 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,880 Speaker 1: thousands upon thousands of workers are on strike right now 269 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,920 Speaker 1: from California to Alabama to New York City, and I 270 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,480 Speaker 1: think people are just fed up. They're sick and tired 271 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 1: of being overworked and underpaid and told that they don't count. 272 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: And I think the past couple of years there's been 273 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 1: the shifting consciousness, especially that you know, so much of 274 00:15:06,360 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: our labor is essential, so many of our jobs are essential, 275 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: but we're not treated like we matter. And one of 276 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: the most effective engines that we had to change that 277 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:18,080 Speaker 1: is by organizing collectively, by unionizing, by fighting for a contract, 278 00:15:18,080 --> 00:15:20,640 Speaker 1: by hitting the picket line. So it's you know, we 279 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:22,760 Speaker 1: we've been workers have been been doing this for a 280 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: very long time, but right now it does feel like 281 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,800 Speaker 1: there's a very specific moment happening that everybody's coming to 282 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: have had. And also one thing that I think is 283 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 1: really important too, is that a lot of these strikes, 284 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: in these union drives and campaigns, they're getting a lot 285 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: of attention right like we're talking about this on your podcast, 286 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 1: Like we're seeing lots of media coverage. They a lot 287 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:45,800 Speaker 1: of unions have kind of harnessed the power of social 288 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: media to get their stories out there. Like that is 289 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 1: not just having in a vacuum. It's not something that 290 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 1: people can ignore as easily as they perhaps could have 291 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: been or could have done decades before or years before 292 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 1: when there was a less labor curious press. But right 293 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 1: now post October, where everyone's trying to get in on 294 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: everyone with most labor stores, and I think it's great. Like, so, 295 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: there have been some really amazing labor stories. The one 296 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:17,600 Speaker 1: that I'm very conscious of is this Starbucks story. Will 297 00:16:17,640 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: you talk a little bit about that? Yeah, I mean, 298 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,400 Speaker 1: it's been such a big year for Starbucks Workers United. 299 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: The past couple of years have been just an absolute 300 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: wildfire for that organizing effort. Hundreds of Starbucks stores are 301 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: not unionized. Some of them are trying to get to 302 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,520 Speaker 1: the bargaining tables Starbucks, Starbucks, it's very anti union. They've 303 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: been busting the hell out of this effort the entire time. 304 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: They fired organizers, they've retaliated, they've tried to intimidate. Howard 305 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: Schultz has been publicly given statements about how he doesn't 306 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: think unions are a good staying, especially for his baby. 307 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,240 Speaker 1: Like they've been up against the wall for this entire time, 308 00:16:53,720 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: but they still kept going. Kind of hilarious that this guy, 309 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 1: like big Democrat. Yeah, it was supposed to be Hillary 310 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 1: Clinton's labor secretary. Can you imagine that timeline? My god, 311 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 1: and it's it's it's sort of funny. Yeah, I mean, 312 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:12,000 Speaker 1: it's crazy that anyone wanted him to ever be anyone's 313 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: labor secretary is amazing. What a dick. And I mean 314 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,480 Speaker 1: it's sort of funny in another way because Starbucks has 315 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:21,560 Speaker 1: become this the shorthand for like the pampered liberal right, 316 00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:24,160 Speaker 1: like oh my latte, I gotta get my star Bees. 317 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: But the workers there who are dealing with low wages 318 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: and poor working conditions and dangerous issues at work. They're 319 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 1: still being busted as if they were working for Jay 320 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:39,440 Speaker 1: Gould in the eighteen hundreds, like so insane, But they're 321 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:41,560 Speaker 1: still going and it's being led. One of the things 322 00:17:41,600 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 1: I think is so important and notable about the Starbucks 323 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:49,080 Speaker 1: Workers United struggles that it's being led predominantly by younger workers, 324 00:17:49,119 --> 00:17:52,119 Speaker 1: by black and round workers, queer and trans workers, like 325 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: people who are younger, who have been told that their 326 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:57,920 Speaker 1: labor and their opinions and their identity doesn't matter. Yeah, 327 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:01,000 Speaker 1: they're leading this movement, which is good. I mean, that 328 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: sounds good. Now, we love to see it. The two 329 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:07,639 Speaker 1: biggest stories of the fall in my mind are the 330 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 1: Starbucks unionizing and also Howard Schultz just showing us who 331 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:17,720 Speaker 1: he really is. And then this Amazon union. Let's talk 332 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,919 Speaker 1: about that. Oh yeah, that's amazing. I mean they've had 333 00:18:20,960 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: they've had a little bit of a tough year after 334 00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: you know, that big historic, incredible victory that I was 335 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 1: a labor union had at their Staten Island facility where 336 00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,280 Speaker 1: they won the union. The unionized that facility. There have 337 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: been efforts and union votes at other facilities. Another one 338 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 1: I think is Staten Island. I think there's an effort 339 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 1: in Kentucky. There's been a couple of other places that 340 00:18:41,520 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 1: have tried to kind of recreate their magic right and 341 00:18:45,040 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 1: organized with them, and those efforts have unfortunately not been successful, 342 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 1: but that organizing is continuing. You know. The incredible visibility 343 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: of their win and of the people involved, Chris Smalls 344 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:00,639 Speaker 1: and Dirk Palmore, Angelico Maldondo, like, they have given so 345 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 1: many people hope, and they have done such a great 346 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:08,440 Speaker 1: job of showing the importance of multi racial, multi lingual, multigender, 347 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:13,200 Speaker 1: multigenerational solidarity when comes to organizing these big workplaces against 348 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,800 Speaker 1: these big richer than God evil all the arcs. Yeah, 349 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: it's amazing to me though. The it's the younger people 350 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 1: who understand labor right, and then they're bringing along the 351 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 1: older people. It depends. I mean, that's why it's so 352 00:19:27,440 --> 00:19:31,240 Speaker 1: important to approach us from a multigenerational standpoint, right, because 353 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 1: younger folks they have the fire, they have perhaps more 354 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:36,520 Speaker 1: progressive viewpoints, they're ready to go out there and burn 355 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:38,919 Speaker 1: it all down. And then older folks maybe have the 356 00:19:38,960 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 1: institutional knowledge and then experience the wisdom and when you 357 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 1: work together, that's how you win. I mean, this is 358 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 1: why it's so significant seeing the teamsters who are about 359 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 1: as established a union as you can get, who have 360 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,960 Speaker 1: been partnering and supporting the Amazon labor union because they're recognizing, Okay, 361 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:58,440 Speaker 1: these younger folks, these newer folks, they we need that energy. Like, 362 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:00,920 Speaker 1: let's throw some resources at I would see what they do. 363 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,400 Speaker 1: That's what Workers United did with Starbucks, and that's why 364 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,199 Speaker 1: they're being so successful. I think that's the magic, the 365 00:20:06,280 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 1: magic solution, right, work together a list of people. So 366 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:16,359 Speaker 1: let's talk about the train unions. Sorry, I need you 367 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: to explain to us what's happening there. A bunch of bullshit. Basically, 368 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:26,920 Speaker 1: it seems like I just published today I say that 369 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: the Baffler going into the many ways in which it 370 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: was bullshit. Basically, the sticking point here, and I think 371 00:20:32,960 --> 00:20:36,000 Speaker 1: this is an important thing to focus on, is that 372 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: they they need more sick days, right. I mean, this 373 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 1: is hardly like they're being greedy. They are like lived 374 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 1: through a pandemic and can't get sick days. Actually, Aaron Gordon, 375 00:20:45,680 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: a reporter at Motherboard who has covered this for a while, 376 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: he made a good point that it's it's definitely sick days, 377 00:20:50,600 --> 00:20:52,600 Speaker 1: but it's bigger than that. It's the lack of time, 378 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 1: like the lack of control that these workers have their 379 00:20:54,800 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 1: on calle. Any given moment, you have a ninety minutes 380 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 1: to get to work, whether you're sick, you're at your 381 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,119 Speaker 1: kid's birthday, doesn't matter. They're treated like robots. And a 382 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 1: lot of that comes down to this PSR system, like 383 00:21:06,760 --> 00:21:11,080 Speaker 1: precision precision scheduling railroading at all. It's an acrotim but 384 00:21:11,119 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: it's a system that's in place that it basically was 385 00:21:13,320 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: put in place after the railroads cut about thirty of 386 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 1: their workforce six years ago. And so now these people 387 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,959 Speaker 1: who were working on multiple person cruise before, now it's 388 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 1: one person, it's two people. Everything is stretched so thin 389 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:27,840 Speaker 1: and so tight that if one person needs to go 390 00:21:27,920 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 1: home because they have a cold, well that throws the 391 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: whole thing out of whack. So the railroad companies do 392 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:35,680 Speaker 1: not want to give the workers any flexibility, They don't 393 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: want to give them any autonomy, and they really don't 394 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,800 Speaker 1: want to give them sick days. Right now, I think 395 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: the current contract that while it's now being forced down 396 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:45,959 Speaker 1: their throats by the buying administration, that was negotiated in 397 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:49,360 Speaker 1: part between thanks to this this kind of federal mediation 398 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 1: that took place on top of the negotiations that were 399 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: happening with the rail companies and the and the unions. 400 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 1: I think they get one personal day that they have 401 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: to schedule like thirty days in advance, and they get 402 00:21:59,840 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 1: a couple of days where they can go to the 403 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:03,360 Speaker 1: doctor that they have to schedule a month in advance. 404 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:06,199 Speaker 1: Like it's just very They got decent wages out of it, 405 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:09,879 Speaker 1: they got I think, okay, health care protections, But the 406 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 1: way they're being treated like they're just cogs in a machine. 407 00:22:13,280 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 1: That's what's really driving so much of the brutality of 408 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:19,399 Speaker 1: what's happening. And the fact that Congress felt the need 409 00:22:19,480 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: to step in and avert a strike because it would 410 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 1: have hurt the economy, would have caused economic pain. That's 411 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:28,919 Speaker 1: what strikes are for. That's why people go on strike. 412 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: They're not supposed to be fun for anybody. We also 413 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 1: have right now the new schools on strike. De Oh, 414 00:22:38,280 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 1: that's getting so ugly too, Yeah, Will you explain that? 415 00:22:42,119 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: It just kind of goes to show that no matter 416 00:22:44,000 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: how publicly progressive or enlightened or even like radical and 417 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: institution likes to paint itself as being when it comes 418 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: down to paying their workers, that's when all like the 419 00:22:55,720 --> 00:23:00,040 Speaker 1: neo con Republican Reagan vibes start coming out. Because of 420 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:04,560 Speaker 1: adjuncts and other academic workers at the New School, which 421 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 1: is like this very allegedly progressive institution in New York City, 422 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: they have been on strike because they're trying to win 423 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: decent wages and they're trying to win but our benefits 424 00:23:13,880 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 1: all of the things that people go on strike for 425 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: that you would think a nice liberal institution and be like, Okay, 426 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:21,200 Speaker 1: you are the reason that our students excel. You're the 427 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: reason our institution runs. Yeah, we can give you a race. 428 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 1: But the New School has just dug in and fought back. 429 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,240 Speaker 1: And I think just yesterday they put out a statement 430 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:34,119 Speaker 1: saying they were stopping, but they're cutting the workers striking 431 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: workers health insurance, and they were threatening to punish staff 432 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: other staff members who were, you know, standing a solidarity 433 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 1: with them and not showing up to work. Like it's 434 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: become this knockdown, drag out fight, and it's like, do 435 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: you do you see what you're doing to your own brand? 436 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:55,520 Speaker 1: Like people can see you well. And I also feel 437 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:58,800 Speaker 1: like with the New School This is not corporate greed. 438 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: This is some other weirdness, right, because there's no corporate 439 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,199 Speaker 1: to be greedy for. Right. Yeah, it's I don't know 440 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 1: what cut type. It's some type of greed, and it's 441 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: some type of I think some of it comes down 442 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 1: to and maybe this is maybe a little bit of 443 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:15,280 Speaker 1: spit bawling, but I think some of it is both 444 00:24:15,320 --> 00:24:19,080 Speaker 1: classism and also some of these progressive institutions that talk 445 00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:21,119 Speaker 1: about that care about culture and art and it's a 446 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: passion project for you to work here. Like they don't 447 00:24:23,880 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 1: think that workers. They think workers should feel lucky to 448 00:24:26,920 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 1: be there, like, oh, you get the opportunity to be 449 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 1: part of our community. Yeah, okay, well I still I 450 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:34,399 Speaker 1: still gotta pay rent in New York City, Like my 451 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: my boss to my landlord doesn't care about cultural value. 452 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 1: They care about dollars and dollars and cents. I mean, 453 00:24:41,440 --> 00:24:43,800 Speaker 1: do you think these strikers will get what they want? 454 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: I mean, I hope. So that's the whole point, right, 455 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:48,520 Speaker 1: And I think the fact that some of these these 456 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:51,640 Speaker 1: actions are getting so much publicity and getting support from 457 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,560 Speaker 1: the public, I think that is a very big deal. 458 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:56,320 Speaker 1: Especially I mean the New York Times going on a 459 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 1: one day walk out, that's going to get a ton 460 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:02,320 Speaker 1: of publicity, and as it's a warning strike on their end, 461 00:25:02,359 --> 00:25:04,680 Speaker 1: they're not going on a prolonged strike yet, but they're 462 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 1: showing what could happen if they did. I think one 463 00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:10,280 Speaker 1: of the biggest points of going on strike is to 464 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,360 Speaker 1: strike fear into your boss's heart and show just how 465 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 1: important you are, just how much you matter. And that's 466 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: what these workers are doing. And as long as people 467 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:20,880 Speaker 1: support them and donate to their strike funds and show 468 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:23,479 Speaker 1: up to their picket line, they're gonna show that, you know, 469 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:26,520 Speaker 1: people value us, they say you're all worth the fact 470 00:25:26,520 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: that you don't as a problem, and just keep exerting 471 00:25:29,080 --> 00:25:31,200 Speaker 1: pressure and hopefully bring them to the table. Because these 472 00:25:31,200 --> 00:25:33,600 Speaker 1: are just a few of the big strikes happening right now. 473 00:25:33,840 --> 00:25:36,280 Speaker 1: Tell us any other big strikes that we should be 474 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:39,719 Speaker 1: aware of. Oh man, right now, there's forty eight thousand 475 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: University of California workers on strike in California. That was 476 00:25:44,280 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 1: getting wild too. I think just the other day seventeen 477 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:51,240 Speaker 1: strikers were arrested for occupying UH school officials office. Like 478 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:55,679 Speaker 1: they're going hard in California. I've been covering this strike 479 00:25:55,880 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 1: in rural Alabama for the past almost two years now, 480 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 1: the Warrior met coal strike. Yeah, for twenty months now. Uh, 481 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,479 Speaker 1: coal miners in rural Alabama have been on strike against 482 00:26:06,560 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: their Wall Street venture capital backed coal bosses, trying to 483 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 1: get a decent contract. Twenty months and they haven't gotten 484 00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,919 Speaker 1: very much attention. But they're still out here. You know. 485 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:21,240 Speaker 1: Earlier this year, fifty thousand nurses in Minnesota went out 486 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 1: on strike. We had an art museum strike here in Philly. 487 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:28,399 Speaker 1: There's always something happening, and yeah, it's just matter of 488 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:33,160 Speaker 1: paying attention. Please plug your book. Yeah, My book Fight 489 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: Like Hell, The Untold History of American Labor, came out 490 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: earlier this year. It's my first one. I think of 491 00:26:38,840 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 1: it as kind of a marginalized people's history of labor 492 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: in the US, So it focuses specifically on the struggles 493 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: and strikes and triumphs of women, queer workers, black, brown, 494 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:56,240 Speaker 1: Indigenous Asian workers, trans workers, disabled workers, sex workers, incarcerated workers, 495 00:26:56,520 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 1: everybody who doesn't necessarily get those big headlines throughout history, 496 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:03,679 Speaker 1: but has always been here and has always had to 497 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 1: fight the hardest to push us towards whatever pieces of progress. 498 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,200 Speaker 1: We've actually made and it's out known. I'm the paperback 499 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 1: comes out this summer. Oh I love this. Thank you 500 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:17,360 Speaker 1: so much, Kim. This was fantastic. I hope you'll come 501 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:21,680 Speaker 1: back and talk about all the other stuff that's going on. Yes, 502 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:25,600 Speaker 1: I am always available to be your strike correspondent. Excellent. 503 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:32,240 Speaker 1: That's it for this episode of Fast Politics. Tune in 504 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:35,520 Speaker 1: every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to your the best minds 505 00:27:35,520 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: and politics makes sense of all this chaos. If you 506 00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 1: enjoyed what you've heard, please send it to a friend 507 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:45,200 Speaker 1: and keep the conversation going. And again, thanks for listening.