Episodes
30
Latest episode
May 2026
Language
EN-US
Breaking Ground educates listeners about why union labor and solidarity is more important than ever! Operating Engineers Local 3 is the largest construction trades local in the U.S., representing over 38,000 members across a four-state jurisdiction of Northern California, Northern Nevada, Utah and Hawaii, including the mid-Pacific Islands. From heavy equipment operators, crane operators and mechanics, to surveyors, construction inspectors, highway maintenance workers, police officers and other public employees, Local 3 represents the men and women who drive this country’s economy. Stay informed as we tackle important topics for labor including trends in our digital world like the gig economy and automation, as well as organizing tactics, labor politics and interviews with union leaders and members.
Learn about what union organizing actually is, how it helps the union and the wages of all and how members can help organize, as well. Local 3's Senior Organizer Steve Cubbler talks about his role in Local 3's Organizing Department and his career.
OE Federal Credit Union Business Development Officer Carmel Sangco sits down with Engineers News Managing Editor Mandy McMillen to discuss the benefits of having a credit union specifically tailored to the needs of OE3 members and other union workers and their families, as well as what services, features, perks and benefits are available to individuals who bank with OE Federal Credit Union.
Nevada Retiree Dennis Griffith shares what it was like in the field, when he joined Local 3 in the 1970s, after transferring in from Local 12. His Local 3 retirement and health insurance have helped him and wife, Rita, and their kids, have a great life. Dennis has worked on some amazing projects throughout Local 3’s jurisdiction and offers good advice for those still actively working in the industry today. For the video version, visit Local 3’s official YouTube channel.
Local 3 Business Agent Armie Morgan represents Local 3 members in the counties of Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo, but he wears many other hats, including being a commissioner for the SF Fire Department. Get to know Armie, his job duties and how he got involved in the Construction Trades and helping members in the largest Construction Trades Local in North America.
Meg-Anne Pryor has done it all and made it look easy, from graduating valedictorian in SF’s City Build program to being the keynote speaker for President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address, she is an inspirational figure for us all. Previously a successful Construction Equipment Operator (CEO) in the field and now serving OE3’s apprentices as a coordinator for the CA Training Center and board member of Sistas with Tools, she has a story worth hearing. Her passion for Labor and helping others as she was helped is contagious. You won’t want to miss this episode!
Did you know Local 3 represents close to 10,000 Public Employee members throughout Northern California and Northern Nevada, and this representation includes a 90 percent success rate when it comes to handling grievances, pay issues and disciplinary actions? Learn about the many benefits of Local 3 representation for our Public Employee members and how to get organized, if you’re not!
Hear straight from the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Legislative and Political Director Jeff Soth, as he discusses Labor’s gains during the current administration and what’s at stake during this critical Election Year. He works hard in Washington to lobby for major infrastructure investments at the federal level that put Operating Engineers to work. OE3’s own Political Director Chris Snyder also weighs-in about Local 3’s specific goals for this election cycle and which previous political gains have created massive projects for us.
Please enjoy the Election Season Kick-Off podcast from Local 3’s Political Department, which includes Political Director Chris Snyder and Deputy Political Director Patrick Boileau. Learn how the political process works, from how union endorsements are made, where funding for projects you work on comes from and important races to pay attention to this year.
Local 3 Stockton Business Agent Michelle Gianelli has asked questions her whole life, and it’s this curiosity that has helped her succeed in her career, in the field, as an instructor at the CA Training Center, as a dispatcher in Stockton District 30 and now as a Stockton business agent. Listen and watch as she shares her story and helps provide correct information to the members she represents.
Learn about the almost 30-year Local 3 member’s early days working in the pit in Utah, as well as his climb to becoming the Utah District Rep. and Union Trustee today. Utah district Rep. Brandon Dew is also an active member of coalitions, has helped strengthen the membership and apprenticeship opportunities in the Utah District Office, is actively engaged in union politics and is proudest of his family. Listen to his story now! Brandon’s story of how he became a union member and joined staffExplaining the coalitions he is part ofWhat it’s like to be a district rep in Utah today, how the union is doing and what challenges Local 3 and other unions face in the statePoliticsThings he is most proud of
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