Power At Work
The Burnes Center for Social Change
Sustained and effective worker power arises out of collective action. Our goal at Power At Work is to advance actions that build power to confront power — contributing to a discourse in the United States that puts workers at the center of the conversation.
Episodes
Mentioned books
May 6, 2025 • 1h 12min
Power At Work Crossover Blogcast: Lessons for the Trump Era
Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris will be co-hosting this blogcast with Chris Garlock from the Labor Heritage Power Hour and Labor History Today podcasts. To celebrate Labor History Month, they will be joined by Professor Veroníca Martínez-Matsuda from the University of California, San Diego, and Professor Joe McCartin from Georgetown University to discuss the lessons from labor history. Watch now to hear the discussion on the 1981 PATCO strike, migrant farm workers, the National Labor Relations Act, and more!Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInChris Garlock is the Executive Director of the Labor Heritage Foundation and the founder-coordinator of the Labor Radio Podcast Network (which Power At Work is a proud member of!). Garlock co-hosts two labor podcasts, the Labor Heritage Power Hour and Labor History Today. He is also the executive director of the DC Labor FilmFest. Veroníca Martínez-Matsuda is an Associate Professor of History at the University of California, San Diego; prior to this, she was an Associate Professor in Cornell University ILR School’s Department of Labor Relations, Law, and History. Martínez-Matsuda has published numerous academic articles on migrant farm workers and labor history, most notably her book “Migrant Citizenship: Race, Rights, and Reform in the U.S. Labor Camp Program.”Joe McCartin is the founding Executive Director of Georgetown's Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. McCarrtin is currently a Professor of History at Georegtown University. He is the 2024-26 president of the Labor and Working-Class History Association, and a board member of the Catholic Labor Network. He makes regular appearances in Chris Garlock’s podcast Labor History Today.
Apr 29, 2025 • 1h 3min
Power At Work Blogcast #90: The Battle Over the NLRB
In this blogcast, Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris is joined by former chair of the NLRB, Lauren McFerran, to discuss the current dire state of the NLRB. Watch now to hear McFerran discuss the implications of Gwynne Wilcox’s firing, the efforts by the Trump administration to dismantle and disempower the board, and the significance of the board maintaining its independence from political influences. This discussion will also highlight the big accomplishments that McFerran achieved during her tenure on the board and the positive impact they have had for worker power and the labor movement.Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInLauren McFerran is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, having previously served as chairman of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) during the Biden administration, from 2021 to 2024. She served as a member of the NLRB from December 2014 to December 2019 and from July 2020 to January 2021. Prior to her appointment to the NLRB, McFerran served the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions as deputy staff director to Chairman Tom Harkin and previously as senior labor counsel to Senator Ted Kennedy.
Apr 22, 2025 • 60min
Power At Work Blogcast #89: Workers, Worker Power, and the Trump Economy
In this blogcast, Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris is joined by Dr. Heather Boushey, a member of Biden’s Council of Economic Advisers, to discuss the implications of the Trump economy on workers and worker power. Watch now to hear Heather and Seth discuss Trump’s industrial policies, the impact of tariffs and tax cuts on income inequality, the role of unions in addressing economic inequality, and more! Also, listen to Heather stress the importance of a holistic approach to economic policies that would address issues faced by working-class families. Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInHeather Boushey served as a member of President Joe Biden's Council of Economic Advisers and the Chief Economist for the Invest in America Cabinet at the White House. Boushey is also co-founder of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth, where she was president and CEO from 2013 to 2020.
Apr 15, 2025 • 1h 3min
Power at Work Blogcast #88: Reporting on Worker Power with Claudia Irizarry Aponte, McKenna Schueler, and Suhauna Hussain
In this blogcast, Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris is joined by three reporters who cover labor in different parts of the United States: Claudia Irizarry Aponte of THE CITY, Suhauna Hussain of the Los Angeles Times, and McKenna Schueler of the Orlando Weekly. Their conversation covers the recent wave of anti-union legislation in Florida; how the Trump administration’s attacks on immigrants are impacting workers in Southern California’s hospitality industry; what’s at stake for unions and worker power in New York City’s upcoming mayoral election; and much more!Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInClaudia Irizarry Aponte is a senior reporter covering labor and work for THE CITY – a nonprofit independent newsroom covering New York City.McKenna Schueler is a news reporter for the Orlando Weekly. Her reporting focuses on state and local government, workers' rights, and housing issues in Florida.Suhauna Hussain is a business reporter covering labor and workplace issues in California for the Los Angeles Times.
Apr 8, 2025 • 1h 15min
Power At Work Blogcast #87: Labor, Right-Wing "Populism,” and Employment-Based Immigration
In this blogcast, Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris is joined by Shannon Lederer, the Director of Immigration Policy at the AFL-CIO, and Daniel Costa, the Director of Immigration Law and Policy Research at EPI, to discuss the systems that allow employers to bring workers temporarily and permanently into the United States to fill their jobs and whether those systems will be reformed during President Trump's second term. Watch now as Shannon and Daniel highlight the integral role that immigrants play in the growth of the American economy, but also how temporary worker programs and employment-based immigration are highly exploitative and essentially indenture workers to their employers. Seth, Shannon and Daniel also discuss the schism in the Republican Party between the businesses that benefit from temporary worker programs and employment-based immigration and right-wing so-called populists who ferociously oppose these programs.Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInShannon Lederer is the Director of Immigration Policy for the AFL-CIO. She works with union affiliates and allies in all sectors of the labor movement to develop and advance policies that promote workers' rights and shared prosperity. In her 17 years in the labor movement, Lederer has focused extensively on efforts to reform our abusive guest-worker programs and regulate the international labor recruitment industry. Daniel Costa is an attorney and the Director of Immigration Law and Policy Research at the Economic Policy Institute. He was the California Attorney General’s senior advisor on immigration and labor from 2018 to 2019. His commentaries have appeared in publications like The New York Times, Roll Call, Fortune, La Opinión, and others, and he was named one of “20 Immigration Experts to Follow on Twitter” by ABC News.
Mar 31, 2025 • 57min
Power At Work Blogcast #86: Celebrating Cesar Chavez Day with Andres Chavez
In this blogcast, Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris is joined by Andres Chavez, Executive Director of the National Chavez Center, to celebrate his grandfather’s birthday–Cesar Chavez Day. Watch now to hear Andres share stories about labor activist and icon, Cesar Chavez, Andres’ work in preserving his grandfather’s legacy, and what we can learn from Cesar’s story to continue promoting worker power in the present. Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInAndres Chavez, Cesar Chavez’s grandson, is the executive director of the National Chavez Center (NCC). He leads the arm of the Cesar Chavez Foundation that educates and promotes his grandfather’s legacy across the nation. He also oversees two historic properties, including La Paz in Keene, Calif., where Chavez lived and labored his last quarter century, a portion of which is now the César E. Chávez National Monument that the NCC manages in partnership with the National Park Service.
Mar 25, 2025 • 56min
Power At Work Blogcast #85: Labor History, Women’s History, and Kate Mullany
In this blogcast, Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris is joined by Paul Cole, the founder and executive director of the American Labor Studies Center, and Carole Turbin, the author of “Working Women of Collar City”, to celebrate Women’s History Month, talk about women’s role in labor history, and spotlight labor activist Kate Mullany. Watch now to learn more about Kate Mullany, the co-founder of the Collar Laundry Union, one of the first all-women trade unions in the U.S., in Troy, New York.Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInPaul Cole is the founder and executive director of the American Labor Studies Center (ALSC). Prior to his work at the ALSC, Paul was the Secretary-Treasurer of the New York State AFL-CIO and the vice president of the American Federation of Teachers.Carole Turbin is a women and labor historian, author, and fine artist. She was a professor of sociology and history at the Empire State College at Old Westbury in New York. Carole is the author of “Working Women of Collar City: Gender, Class, and Community in Troy, 1864-1886.”
Mar 18, 2025 • 1h 6min
Power At Work Blogcast #84: What Could Happen Under Trump? Tariffs, Trades, and Worker Power
In the seventh blogcast of Power At Work’s series “What Could Happen Under Trump?”, Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris is joined by Ambassador Katherine Tai, the 19th U.S. trade representative, to discuss the implications of President Trump’s trade policy on worker power. Ambassador Tai was the architect of the “worker-centered trade policy” during her tenure under President Biden –– watch now to hear her analysis on the current “America First Trade Policy,” the tariffs being placed by the Trump administration, and what it means to have a worker-centered trade policy.Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInKatherine Tai is an American lawyer who served as the 19th United States trade representative from March 18, 2021, to January 20, 2025. She is a member of the Democratic Party and previously served as the chief trade counsel for the United States House Committee on Ways and Means. Ambassador Tai is also an experienced World Trade Organization litigator. She previously developed and tried cases for the Office of the United States Trade Representative, eventually becoming the Chief Counsel for China Trade Enforcement.
Mar 12, 2025 • 48min
Power At Work Blogcast #83 (Live!): “Buy or Sell” 2025 Labor Predictions
In this live blogcast, Burnes Center for Social Change Senior Fellow Seth Harris is joined by Sharon Block, the Executive Director of the Center for Labor and a Just Economy at Harvard Law School, Bill Samuel, the former director of government affairs at the AFL-CIO, and a live audience made up of Power At Work subscribers. For our long-term subscribers, you would know that this is the second ‘buy or sell’ blogcast Power At Work has done, this time with a live audience giving us their labor predictions. Watch now to hear what these three labor experts have to say about the future of the NLRB, potential strikes and collective bargaining agreements, union memberships, and more!Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedInSharon Block is a Professor of Practice and Executive Director of the Center for Labor and a Just Economy at Harvard Law School. Before returning to Harvard, she served as the senior official delegated the duties of the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in President Joe Biden’s White House. She also served as a senior advisor to the Biden-Harris Transition team, providing advice to the policy, OMB and Labor Agency Review teams on labor, worker empowerment and regulatory policy, and participating in briefing and hearing preparation for nominees.Bill Samuel was the director of government affairs at the AFL-CIO before retiring. In addition to serving as the chief lobbyist for the 12.5 million-member labor federation, Samuel chaired the AFL-CIO’s Legislative Committee, which is made up of legislative representatives from the federation’s 55 affiliated unions. Samuel returned to the labor movement in January 2001 after a five-year stint in the Clinton administration, serving first as associate deputy secretary of labor under Robert Reich and then Alexis Herman. In 2000, Samuel joined the White House staff as senior policy adviser to Vice President Al Gore, serving as the vice president’s principal adviser on labor policy issues and liaison to organized labor.
Mar 4, 2025 • 1h 19min
Power At Work Special Blogcast: 2025 Labor Oscars Awards Ceremony
After all the waiting, all the anticipation, all the lobbying to get your union siblings to vote for your favorites, Power At Work is ready to announce the winners of the 2025 Labor Oscars. Who will take home The Worker? Watch this Labor Oscars Awards Ceremony blogcast to find out.In January, we published a list of 68 worker power films divided into four categories: Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, Best International Labor Film, and Best Worker Profile (small group or individual). Then, we recruited a superstar cast for Power At Work's 2025 Labor Oscars Nominating Committee. These distinguished trade unionists, film academics, film critics, labor film festival leaders, directors, actors, and former Power At Work student "co-ops" chose a shorter list of movies in each of these four categories –– and a fifth category, Worst Labor Film –– for your consideration.Then, in mid-February, we turned the decision-making over to you –– Power At Work's subscribers. And the votes poured in. Now, we are ready to make YOUR decisions public.It's the biggest reveal since, well, the Labor Grammys awards ceremony just a few weeks ago (have there been any others?)!We proudly present the 2025 Labor Oscars awards ceremony. Our guests for this very special event are:Harold Phillips - actor, host of the "Labor Week" podcast, SAG-AFTRA member, and co-coordinator of the Labor Radio Podcast Network; Jennifer Merin - journalist, film critic, and co-founder and President of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists; andTami Gold - a documentary filmmaker, visual artist and professor at Hunter College of the City University of New York in the Department of Film and Media Studies. Tami was one of the directors of Out At Work: Lesbians and Gay Men on the Job, a documentary feature that we proudly included on our 2025 Labor Oscars list of worker power films.Watch the blogcast below to enjoy our experts' commentary on our nominees, their discussion about the importance of positive representations of labor in media, and the eagerly awaited “reveal” of the winner of this year’s The Worker!Follow us on social media:TikTokInstagramTwitterFacebookLinkedIn
