Unions Crucial for Worker and Farm Safety

Dear Friends,

Can woolly mammoths save us from the climate crisis? Well, probably not. But a fascinating experiment is underway on 90 acres of Siberian permafrost. Check out the amazing story of two Russian scientists.

In addition to giving airtime to woolly mammoths on this week’s Fallon Forum, we discuss the horrific, unprecedented destruction currently unfolding as wildfires rage across California and much of the West.

Charlie Wishman, president Iowa Federation of Labor

We also talk with Charlie Wishman, president of the Iowa Federation of Labor. “With crisis after crisis that has hit our nation and our state,” writes Charlie in his Labor Day message, “it is always workers who are making sure our communities continue to run. With the devastating storms that just blew through Iowa, it is working class workers, public and private sector, that are cleaning up damage, restoring power as quickly as possible, and ensuring that our streets and neighborhoods are safe.”

Charles Goldman joins us, too. He and I discuss how Big Oil has finagled taxpayer subsidies that make the average American’s $1,200 stimulus check look like a joke — even as the fossil-fuel industry struggles with a business model that looks increasingly unstable.

Charles and I also talk about “cancel culture,” which Charles argues is eating its own — see Margaret Sanger for details. I conclude the segment by cancelling Charles, and boy did that feel good.

Finally, Kathy Byrnes of Birds & Bees Urban Farm and I talk about how labor unions have benefited farm workers. Kathy kicks off the conversation, saying, “Did you find great Labor Day sales at the big-box grocery stores for your holiday weekend? Here’s something to think about: the same farm workers who provide us with food often struggle to make ends meet and provide food for themselves and their families.”

The US has a long way to go to assure safe, dignified, and fair conditions for farm workers. But thanks to the efforts many years ago by farm labor leaders like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta (who was the very first guest on The Fallon Forum eleven years ago this month on WOW 98.3 FM), farm workers have a voice and continue to gain important victories.

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CLICK HERE FOR SEPTEMBER 8 PODCAST: Labor Unions Crucial for Worker and Farm Safety

Here’s our line up, with time stamps:

(1:26) Climate Update: Bring back the woolly mammoth!?
(14:57) Government fails to protect workers during the pandemic (with Charlie Wishman, President, Iowa Federation of Labor)
(27:11) As Big Oil fails, Trump props it up — Soviet style (with Charles Goldman)
(39:32) Cancel culture eats its own — see Margaret Sanger for details (with Charles Goldman)
(52:37) Labor unions fight to protect farm workers (with Kathy Byrnes, Birds & Bees Urban Farm)

CLICK HERE to watch our segment with Kathy Byrnes on Facebook.

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