Union Free Radio
20 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 years ago - ★★★★ - 31 ratingsA podcast covering news and views about today’s labor unions in the United States, labor union politics, and best practices to help keep your workplace union free.
Our mission is to provide facts, news and other information about today's unions in a thought-provoking way, without the union spin.
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/unionfreeradio/support
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Episodes
Union Free Radio, S.2 Ep. 3: Is Card Check Here? An Interview With LRI's Phil Wilson
January 24, 2022 19:36 - 56 minutes - 52.3 MBBack-door card check is on its way this year, says Labor Relations Institute's Phil Wilson. Last August (2021), the National Labor Relations Board's General Counsel, Jennifer A. Abruzzo, sent a lengthy memo to all NLRB regions seeking cases from its regions to submit specific types of cases to her for advice. Among the many types of cases that General Counsel Abruzzo is seeking are cases which would lead to the imposition of what is known as "card check," which would eliminate most secret-...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 1: Five Reasons People Hate The PRO Act
January 14, 2022 03:38 - 26 minutes - 30.4 MBThe PRO Act being pushed by unions and their allies is a dangerously bad bill that threatens jobs, companies and America’s Free Enterprise system. Here’s why: Unions and their Democratic Party allies–like the Democratic Socialists of America–are pushing Congress to enact the so-called “Protecting the Right to Organize Act,” which President Biden has vowed to sign. The bill is a massive rewrite of U.S. labor and employment laws that threatens jobs and job creators, as well as the American Fre...
Union Free Radio, S2, Ep. 2: Associated Builders & Contractors’ Ben Brubeck Talks About Vax Mandates, Build Back Better, PLAs & Much More
January 13, 2022 19:36 - 1 hour - 56 MBA wide-ranging discussion with Ben Brubeck of the Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC), one of the largest trade associations for merit-shop construction contractors and their employees. The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) is a national construction industry trade association representing more than 21,000 members, mostly small union-free contractors and their employees, with 69 chapters nationwide. In this hour-long, wide-ranging discussion, Ben Brubeck, ABC's Vice President o...
Union Free Radio, S2, E1: With “Micro Units,” Coming, the NLRB Is About To Make HR’s Job Much Harder (Again)
January 06, 2022 22:34 - 32 minutes - 37 MBThe NLRB is going to re-institute "Micro Units." Here's what you need to know... Labor law in the United States (under the National Labor Relations Board) swings like a pendulum whenever the political party controlling the White House changes. With the PRO Act stalled in Congress and President Biden vowing to be "the most pro-union President in American history," his appointees at the National Labor Relations Board are working full time to fulfill his vow, signaling a host of changes that ...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 17: What The Kellogg Strikers Actually Lost
December 27, 2021 00:56 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBUnions and their allies are calling the Kellogg strike a "win." But, is it? The 11-week Kellogg strike is over. However, while the union movement is calling it a "win," some strikers and some reporters are questioning whether the strike was, in fact, a "win" or a failure. In this last episode of Union Free Radio for 2021, host Peter List walks listeners through the main-reported issues of the strike, as well as how much strikers potentially lost. Articles and resources cited in this episo...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 16: A Step-By-Step On How Workers Can Decertify An Unwanted Union
December 03, 2021 20:50 - 31 minutes - 28.8 MBDespite the fact that over 90% of employees in unions today never voted to unionize, unions spend millions of dollars bankrolling union organizers and politicians to put more people into unions. However, there are very few resources for employees to learn how to kick an unwanted union out of their workplace---and employers are legally forbidden to help them. In this episode of Union Free Radio, in addition to providing listeners a step-by-step "how-to" guide to decertify unions, host Peter...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 15: The Hidden Origins Of The Fight For $15 Movement & Its Impact
October 10, 2021 19:36 - 35 minutes - 32.5 MBAlthough many people are aware of the "Fight for $15" campaign, most probably do not know that it was never intended to be about merely raising the minimum wage. The genesis of the entire campaign was designed in 2009 by the SEIU---or Service Employees International Union---as a way to unionize millions of the nation's fast-food workers. In fact, the actual $15 per hour figure was arbitrarily picked---almost as an afterthought---only two months before the first astroturf protest in 2012. I...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 14: When Unions Lie, Employee Free Choice Dies
September 14, 2021 15:56 - 17 minutes - 19.5 MBUnions are legally allowed to lie to workers when unionizing them. Why? According to National Labor Relations Board doctrine, "Employees are generally able to understand that a union cannot obtain benefits automatically by winning an election but must seek to achieve them through collective bargaining." In this episode of Union Free Radio, host Peter List explores the legal background of unions deceiving workers, as well as ponders the question: Instead of Congress and the NLRB looking at ...
Union Free Radio, Ep 13: SSDD—The AFL-CIO’s New President, Renaming the PRO Act & The Truth About CEO Pay
August 24, 2021 22:31 - 16 minutes - 19.3 MB<h3><strong>Last week, the nation's union bosses selected a new AFL-CIO president. For those who were hoping for a union movement that is less reliant on politics, it doesn’t appear that’s going to be happening anytime soon</strong></h3><!--more--> Last Friday, the AFL-CIO Executive Council---the 'board of directors' for the nation's largest union federation---selected Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth Shuler to replace Richard Trumka, who died earlier this month from an apparent heart attack. ...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 12: Richard Trumka’s Successor & Vaccine Mandates
August 11, 2021 22:23 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBThe unexpected death of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka comes at an interesting time for unions, as they stand at a 'crossroads' and grapple with vaccine mandates in the American workplace. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka died suddenly last Thursday. Rather than focus on Richard Trumka's long history as a union leader, in this episode of Union Free Radio, host Peter List discusses who might replace Trumka and the "crossroads" the union movement now finds itself. Additionally, List cover...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 11: Labor Disputes Are (Unofficially) Up. Here Are Facts That Every Employer & Employee Should Know
July 30, 2021 16:50 - 24 minutes - 23.1 MB<h3><strong>“A union’s bargaining power depends on three main elements: The right to strike, the ability to strike effectively, and the company’s ability to withstand a strike.” -- Teamster Strike Manual</strong></h3><!--more--> Since the end of the government lockdowns, work stoppages are (<a href="https://paydayreport.com/payday-track-its-1400th-strike-as-retail-worker-rebellion-grows/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">unoffcially</a>) on the rise. <br> In this episode of Union Free Radio...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 10: With 'Just Cause' Laws, Unions Continue Legislating Themselves Obsolete
July 06, 2021 21:02 - 23 minutes - 21.8 MB'Why buy the cow, when you can get the milk for free?' On July 4, 2021, New York City's "Just Cause Law" took effect for fast-food operators and their employees. Although many employers may be concerned these types of laws will spread to other municipalities or states, that may not necessarily be a bad thing. In this episode of Union Free Radio, host Peter List unravels the history of "employment at will," the mystery of "Just Cause Discipline," as well as "Progressive Discipline," and e...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 9: A PRO Act Update–Unions, White House Appear To Be Pivoting To ‘Plan B’
June 19, 2021 23:06 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBLinks to Articles referenced in this episode of Union Free Radio: For prior episodes of Union Free Radio, go here. Déjà Vu: With the poisonous PRO Act stalled in the U.S. Senate, the White House and union bosses appear to be turning to ‘Plan B’ and preparing a ‘slew’ of executive actions to help unions. After passing in the U.S. House of Representatives in February, the unions’ holy grail—the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (aka the PRO Act)—appears to be dying a slow death in the U.S...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 8: Five Types Of Union Corruption That Hurts All Union Members
June 15, 2021 21:53 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MB“There is no odor so bad as that which arises from goodness tainted.” — Henry David Thoreau Not all unions are corrupt, but most unions have some people who are corrupt. Today, the Department of Labor’s Office of Labor Management Standards is planning to do a “public outreach” campaign to let the public know that unions are not as corrupt as they tend to seem. That’s all well and good. However, with the recent sentencing of two former United Auto Workers presidents to prison in the last...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 7: How To Talk To Union-Free Employees About Unions
June 08, 2021 21:35 - 22 minutes - 21 MB“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” — Benjamin Franklin All too often, employers are afraid to talk to their employees about unions. However, talking with employees about unions is NOT unlawful, as long as it is done legally and carefully. Here’s how… For many union-free employers around the nation, talking to their employees about unions can be an angst-ridden decision. However, it does not need to be. Union-Free employers DO have a legal right to talk to employees about...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 6: Unions Need Amazon More Than Amazon Workers Need A Union
June 01, 2021 23:34 - 16 minutes - 14.9 MBAs unions like the Teamsters continue to target Amazon, it has become increasingly clear that Unions Need Amazon More Than Amazon Workers Need A Union. 'It’s not you, it’s us…' Beyond the RWDSU’s recent debacle trying to unionize thousands of Amazon workers in Bessemer, Alabama, it is becoming increasingly clear that unions need Amazon more than Amazon workers need unions. In this episode of Union Free Radio, host Peter List gives context as to why unions are so threatened by Amazon and i...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 5: Here’s A Simple, Six-Step Recipe To Stay Union Free
May 25, 2021 15:03 - 24 minutes - 22.6 MBThe Biden Administration's focus on helping unions organize employers has many HR professionals and small business owners looking for tips on remaining union free. Here is a simple six-step recipe. Since January, there has been a sea change in the federal government's approach to labor relations. In this episode of Union Free Radio, host Peter List shares a simple six step recipe for remaining union free for human resource professionals, small business owners and anyone who carries the ti...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 4: Here's Everything You Need To Know About The PRO Act's 'ABC Test' & Why Millions Are Worried
May 20, 2021 01:42 - 26 minutes - 30.6 MBWith California's passage of AB5, union-backed politicians took aim at companies like Uber and Lyft--and missed...Now, though, the 57 million Americans who make up America's 'gig economy' may ultimately pay the price with the poisonous PRO Act. Following a listener's question about the onerous 'ABC Test' contained in the poisonous PRO Act, Union Free Radio host Peter List takes listeners on a deep-dive of what the ABC Test is, and how it could devastate the 57 million Americans who comprise...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 3: What employees don’t know about unions might hurt them
May 17, 2021 01:20 - 14 minutes - 16.3 MBToday’s lack of institutional memory in our society is dangerous for employees and their employers. In this episode of Union Free Radio, host Peter List addresses society’s general lack of knowledge about today’s unions and how it is dangerous for both employees and their employers. “Unless they work for a really crappy employer,” List states, “if employees know the truth about unions, their history and how they work, as well as the rights they already have, most will decide they don’t wan...
Union Free Radio, Ep. 2: Sorry, Joe, Unions Did NOT Build The Middle Class
May 14, 2021 00:37 - 21 minutes - 19.7 MBWhen President Biden proclaimed recently that “unions built the middle class,” he was repeating one of unions’ biggest myths. Although unions--like a hitchiker--were along for the ride, they were not the driving force that built the middle class. In this episode of Union Free Radio, host Peter List dispels the union myth that “unions built the middle class,” by giving listeners the logic, and the data, that proves the myth false. “You know,” List states, “the bad part about blindly accepti...