Billy Dycus, President, Tennessee AFL-CIO | Jake Grumbach, Associate Professor, University of Washington

Tennessee AFL-CIO President Billy Dycus joined America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the growth of Tennessee’s organized labor movement, which has been fueled by younger workers. He also spoke about the two sectors leading the way in union growth - construction and automotive manufacturing - and how they led to a 38 percent increase in overall union membership in a state considered to be anti-union.

Author Jake Grumbach appeared on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and spoke about his book, which hypothesizes there is a direct correlation between organized labor and the strength of America’s democracy. In Laboratories Against Democracy: How National Parties Transformed State Politics, Grumbach aruges fewer union members hurt the nation’s democracy and weaken diversity and inclusion. He also aruged that union membership will not see a large increase until more manufacturing work returns to the U.S.