Labor Force Podcast

Mike Struchen
  • 2.0 (1)
  • News Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

Stories of the working class in a time of renewed labor militancy and awareness that capitalism is a rotten deal.

  1. 2d ago

    Household Debt Hits $18.8 Trillion: The Reality Behind the Headlines

    Americans are working, earning more on paper—and still falling further behind. In this segment, we examine the growing disconnect between the headline economy and the economic reality facing working people. Inflation is once again outpacing wage growth, real wages have fallen for four consecutive months, and millions of workers are still trying to recover purchasing power lost during the post-pandemic inflation surge. At the same time, household debt has climbed to roughly $18.8 trillion, credit-card balances have reached approximately $1.26 trillion, and more Americans are struggling to keep up with their payments. And then there's the wildcard: the war with Iran and the continuing crisis around the Strait of Hormuz, which threatens to keep pressure on energy prices—and potentially make an already difficult affordability problem even worse. The bigger question isn't simply whether the economy is growing. It's whether working people can still afford the economy that's supposedly doing so well. #LaborForcePodcast #WorkingClass #Inflation #Wages #Economy #Workers #LaborMovement #HouseholdDebt #CreditCardDebt #CostOfLiving #StraitOfHormuz #Iran #TrumpEconomy

  2. 3d ago

    Why Workers Would Take A Pay Cut To Keep Their Jobs

    In this segment, we connect several stories that reveal a growing contradiction in the American economy. At Cargill's meatpacking facility in Fort Morgan, Colorado, more than 1,700 workers remain locked out as employees fight over a contract and their future at the plant. Meanwhile, Cargill salt workers in Newark, California, have gone on strike over wages and soaring health-care costs. At the same time, a new survey finds that 54% of workers would accept a pay cut simply to keep their jobs — a striking indication of just how much economic insecurity is reshaping workers' priorities. And then there's AI. Mark Zuckerberg has promised that artificial intelligence will give people more free time, but Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth offered a rather different vision: if AI gives workers an extra hour, he said, he would use it to “do even more and cooler stuff for the users.” We also examine new research suggesting that AI-related layoffs can actually hurt worker productivity. When employees believe the technology being introduced could eventually eliminate their jobs, fear and distrust can undermine the very productivity gains companies are trying to achieve. And that raises a fundamental question about the future of work: If technology makes us dramatically more productive, why shouldn't working people get more of the benefits? #LaborForcePodcast #Labor #Unions #WorkingClass #Cargill #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Jobs #Economy #Workers #Automation #LaborMovement

  3. 5d ago

    Is The U.S. Economy Actually Broken? The New Era Debate

    The Trump administration says America has entered a “new kind of economy.” But what does that actually mean for working people? In this segment, we look beyond the political and economic headlines and examine what workers are actually experiencing in 2026. Housing remains painfully out of reach. Instability surrounding the U.S.-Iran conflict threatens to push energy and transportation costs higher. At the same time, millions of workers—especially Gen X—are struggling to balance full-time employment with caring for children and aging parents. And perhaps most revealingly, younger Americans are increasingly dipping into retirement savings to financially support their families. So, are we really living in a “new economy”? Or are we looking at an economy where the risks have simply been shifted increasingly onto workers and their families? Subscribe to the Labor Force Podcast for more conversations about work, wages, economic inequality, unions, and the changing American economy. #LaborForcePodcast #WorkingClass #Economy #HousingCrisis #Inflation #Workers #Labor #EconomicInequality #GenX #GenZ

  4. Aug 10

    Labor's New Playbook: From VA to Uber

    Workers are finding new ways to fight back—and the latest battles show just how much the American labor movement is changing. In this segment, we look at a federal judge blocking the VA for the third time from terminating its union contracts with AFGE, the growing push to unionize Uber and Lyft drivers in California and Illinois, and what these new forms of collective bargaining could mean for the future of gig work. We also examine the latest jobs data and the emerging “deportation economy”—and why removing immigrant workers isn't necessarily creating more opportunities for U.S.-born workers.  🎙️ Labor Force Podcast — stories of work, unions, economic power, and the fight for a better deal for working people. #LaborForcePodcast #Labor #Unions #WorkersRights #GigEconomy #Uber #Lyft #AFGE #CollectiveBargaining #WorkingClass

  5. Aug 8

    The Real Reason You Can't Save Money Anymore

    The economy may look strong on paper—but for millions of Americans, everyday life is getting harder to afford. From groceries and gas to housing, healthcare, and even dating, rising costs are forcing working people to make increasingly painful choices. Americans are cutting back, working more hours just to stay in place, and questioning whether they can afford the life they were promised. And the affordability crisis doesn’t stop at the checkout line. Nearly half a million New Yorkers have lost healthcare coverage following federal Medicaid changes, while the cost of replacing that coverage is out of reach for many working families. Meanwhile, corporate profits, stock markets, AI investment—and billionaire wealth—continue to surge. So what does it actually mean to say the economy is “doing well” when ordinary people can’t afford to breathe? The economy isn't an abstraction. It's the grocery receipt. The gas pump. The rent payment. The healthcare bill. And apparently now, the dinner date. This is the economy as working people actually experience it. #Economy #AffordabilityCrisis #WorkingClass #Inflation #Healthcare #LaborForce #EconomicInequality

  6. Aug 7

    The AI Paradox: Layoffs, Labor Shortages, and a Startup Boom

    AI is changing the workforce—but not in the way most people expected. In this segment, we examine the contradictions of the AI economy. While Silicon Valley celebrates a new "golden age of entrepreneurship," thousands of workers are experiencing a very different reality. AI is making it easier than ever to launch a business, but it's also eliminating traditional jobs, reshaping industries, and creating entirely new labor shortages. The biggest question isn't whether AI will create or destroy jobs. It's who benefits from the productivity gains—and whether workers will have the power to claim their share. If you enjoy thoughtful discussions on labor, unions, technology, and the future of work, subscribe and join the conversation. #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfWork #LaborForcePodcast #Unions #Workers #Jobs #Automation #Tech #Economy #Entrepreneurship #DataCenters #Construction #Electricians #LaborMovement

  7. Aug 5

    The Working Class Is Organizing Again—At Work and at the Ballot Box

    In this segment, the stories may seem unrelated—but together they point to something much bigger. We examine Abdul El-Sayed's upset victory in Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, growing signs of working-class politics gaining traction across the Midwest, and what those elections may signal about the future of economic populism. Then we turn to the labor movement, where 1,700 locked-out Cargill workers reject a contract they believe still falls short, Iowa nurses fight for recognition after voting to unionize, and nearly 10,000 Michigan nurses secure a landmark first union contract after more than a year of bargaining. From voting booths to picket lines, this episode explores how demands for better wages, affordable health care, workplace democracy, and greater worker power are reshaping both politics and the labor movement. If you'd like to support the show, please like, subscribe, and share the episode. #Labor #Union #WorkingClass #Politics #Teamsters #Nurses #EconomicPopulism #Michigan #OrganizedLabor #LaborNews

  8. Aug 4

    The Career Ladder Is Breaking. Here's What's Replacing It.

    The path to the middle class used to seem straightforward: earn a degree, land a stable job, and build a career. But for millions of young Americans, that formula is breaking down. From shrinking hiring opportunities to the rise of YouTube, TikTok, and Substack entrepreneurs, we examine why more workers are questioning whether the traditional career ladder still exists—and what that means for the future of the American Dream. If you enjoy in-depth discussions on labor, unions, AI, economics, and the changing world of work, subscribe and join the conversation. #LaborForcePodcast #Jobs #CollegeGraduates #AI #CreatorEconomy #FutureOfWork #Labor #Unions #Employment #Economy #MiddleClass #YouTubeCreators #TikTok #CareerAdvice

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About

Stories of the working class in a time of renewed labor militancy and awareness that capitalism is a rotten deal.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike Struchen
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Mike Struchen
  • Show Website
    Labor Force Podcast