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Workers of Kansas City and beyond: Do you wonder where your money has gone? Economist Rob Larsen found it, and this week on the Heartland Labor Forum he’ll talk about his book Mastering the Universe; The Obscene Wealth of the Ruling Class. Then, we’ll travel back to 1980s to a time when progressive Democrats won elections in the Heartland and ask Cory Haala, author of When Democrats Won the Heartland what happened to their blue majority. Our feature is Voices from Labor History with Christina Dismang.

Can working class candidates win elections in rural Missouri? That’s our question on the Heartland Labor Forum this week. We’ll hear from The View from Rural Missouri Substack star Jess Piper and candidates Amy Minich, Casey Scott, Shelby Dreier, Gena Puckett and Judy McNeese. All are running to represent Missouri small towns and farmers in the state legislature. We invited all the opponents in their races. Find out what they stand for. Our feature is Washington Window on Workers with Mark Gruenberg.

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.

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 8th Senate District. Then it’s Kemp Strickler vs Sean Smith in the 34thHouse District, Kevin Grover vs Jeff Martin in the 30th and Susan Hoisington vs. Bill Allen in the 17th. All have been invited. Tune in to find out who shows up.

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.

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 3rd around Pittsburg and 6th 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.

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.

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 4th 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Did you learn any labor history in school? Probably not much. We’ll find out from Adam Sanchez of Rethinking Schools Magazine why it’s important for working class kids to learn their own history. Then, as investor capital flees the private equity sector over AI fears, the Trump administration wants to allow retirement accounts to include venture capital and hedge fund investments.  We'll ask Eileen Appelbaum from the Center for Economic Policy and Research if that is a good idea. Our feature is Safety First with Mary Erio.

In 2022 the Heartland Labor Forum interviewed author Natasha Iskander who investigated the massive worker rights violations at the Doha World Cup and asked if you have to be a skilled worker to be treated as a human. This week we’ll revisit that interview and then ask Stage Hands Union leader Jacob Hobbs if this summer’s World Cup has done any better for his members and other workers. Our feature is Voices from Labor History.

It’s not often that union members become politicians, but Kevin King, former labor leader is now mayor of Independence. We’ll get his story. Then KCUR’s Sam Zeff will run down two consequential constitutional amendments on the August 4th. Amendment 4 would make it almost impossible for citizens to pass a constitutional amendment, and 5 would phase out the state income tax and authorize the legislature to replace the lost funds with an increased sales tax.