Heartland Labor Forum

Hosted by KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio

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Episodes

611

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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EN-US

About the show

This podcast tracks the audio archives for the “Heartland Labor Forum” radio show. The Heartland Labor Forum is Kansas City’s only program about the workplace. It’s radio that talks back to the boss! Whether you’re a union member or your workplace isn’t organized, Heartland Labor Forum (HLF) has stories for you, guaranteed to inspire, educate, or enrage you. ]]>

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60 recent

October 13, 202659 min

What Amazon Workers Can Learn from the Successes (and Failures) of the Fight for 15 and A Century of the Railway Labor Act!

Two veteran union organizers: Pete Olney and Rand Wilson discuss the compelling need to organize Amazon and what that effort could learn from the Fight for $15 and a union. Then the Railway Labor Act just turned a 100. It was our first national labor law which set up the National Mediation Board to settle disputes. We'll ask Deirdre Hamilton, former NMB member if it’s showing its age and needs revision.

October 8, 20261 hr 0 min

The Race for Missouri Senate: Keri Ingle vs. John Patterson plus a couple of MO House Races

With the midterms less than a month away, The Heartland Labor Forum is asking candidates what they think about working class issues. This week we’re diving into some hotly contested races: John Patterson vs Keri Ingle in the 8 th Senate District. Then it’s Kemp Strickler vs Sean Smith in the 34 th House District, Kevin Grover vs Jeff Martin in the 30th and Susan Hoisington vs. Bill Allen in the 17 th . All have been invited. Tune in to find out who shows up.

September 29, 20261 hr 1 min

“The system’s down and I’ve got an 82-year-old woman whose check didn’t arrive?” Social Security Workers Speak Out

You’ve probably heard that coal miners would take a canary into a mine because canaries drop dead before miners do when exposed to poison gasses. Social Security workers will talk on the show about the DOGE and the strain of understaffing, office closures and benefit cuts that are poisoning their work lives and hurting recipients, and we’ll ask if Social Security workers are the canaries warning us of coming Trump Administration cuts to Social Security. Our feature is Safety First with Mary Erio.

September 25, 202659 min

The Race for Kansas 1st Congressional District and State House Districts 3 and 6

The Midterms are barreling toward us with lots of fresh recruits wanting to unseat incumbents. We’ll focus on three Kansas races - the first Congressional District – a weirdly shaped creature with its head in the east and its backside up against Colorado - plus two state House districts – the 3 rd around Pittsburg and 6 th which includes Lewisburg and Paola where a UAW member is running. All candidates have been invited. So far Lauren Reinhold (D), Steven Jacob (L), Frank Henderson (D) and Isiah Harris (D) have accepted. Our feature is Washington Window on Workers with Mark Gruenberg.

September 16, 202659 min

Scandinavian Social Democracy – Why Not? and Devin Thomas O’Shea, The Veiled Prophet: White Supremacy, and the Suppression of the Working Class

We visit the promised land, or is it? Scandinavian social democracy means universal healthcare, pensions, paid family leave and unions for most. Sounds great, right? We’ll talk pros and cons with Erika Gubrium, an American scholar in Norway. Then, there’s a dark and lurid history of secret societies in Missouri. Devin Thomas wrote a book called The Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy and the Struggle for Saint Louis. He’ll be on the show. Our feature is Know Your Rights with Michael Amash.

September 7, 202659 min

Finding Missouri’s 4th Congressional District and Bad News: DC Circuit Court Invalidates Successor Bar

Kansas City area voters should know before the we air on Thursday at 6pm which district and what candidates for Congress they can vote for. Wherever the 4 th turns out to be, we’ve invited Democrat Jordan Herrera, Republican incumbent Mark Alford and Libertarian Thomas Holbrook to talk about working class issues. Then, unions in companies bought up by another have had certain protections from being booted out. Not anymore. We’ll talk with Professor Michael Duff from SLU about the demise of the successor bar doctrine. Our feature is Labor Song of the Month.

September 2, 20261 hr 0 min

Elaine Weiss: Spell Freedom; The Underground Schools of the Civil Rights Movement

Tennessee didn’t just produce Dolly Parton. The Highlander Center arose there in spite of Tennessee. It is a school for the movement - first for labor in the 1930s then civil rights in the 50’s and 60’s. We will talk to Elaine Weiss about her book Spell Freedom: The Underground Schools That Built the Civil Rights Movement . It’s an essential story of how to build a movement that can change America. Our feature is Safety First with Mary Erio.

August 25, 202659 min

Trades Women (and Men) Want Childcare and Introducing Missouri Jobs with Justice’s New Organizer Allie White

Do early child care facilities work for working families? The answer is no — at least not for union and trades families. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum we’ll hear about problems and solutions with the Labor Beacon’s Julia Williams and Tina Shonk Little, member of Operating Engineers local 101. Then Kansas City Jobs with Justice has a new organizer, Allie White. She’s full of ideas and energy to build solidarity and action among working people. She’ll be on the show. Our feature is Washington Window with Mark Gruenberg.

August 19, 20261 hr 0 min

When the KKK ruled KCK and Nelson Lichtenstein on the upcoming UAW elections

A hundred years ago in Kansas City Kansas, the KKK ruled. In fact, for three decades, they held substantial control of city government while fomenting hatred of Blacks, immigrants and Catholics. We’ll interview Tim Rives, author of the book about the KKK in KCK. Then, the United Autoworkers Union is generating controversy over democracy vs. top down unity as they approach the existential negotiations in 2028. We’ll talk to renowned labor historian and UAW expert Nelson Lichtenstein. Our feature is Know Your Rights with Michael Amash.

August 10, 202659 min

What Will It Take to Abolish Fossil Fuels? and You too can be a radio star!

The climate change deniers haven’t stopped our forests and fields from burning this summer. So, this week on the Heartland Labor Forum we’ll ask Kevin A. Young, author of Abolishing Fossil Fuels how do we build the political will to address climate change? Could the answer lie in the past? Then, a panel of our volunteer producers will discuss how you can become a radio star on our show just like us. Our feature is Labor Song of the Month with Mark Galus.

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