Description: “THE GREAT ESCAPE: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America” tells the story of one of the largest human trafficking schemes in modern American history and how the traffickers were finally held to account. Saket Soni was the co-founder of The New Orleans Workers Center for Racial Justice in the post-Katrina years. Today he’s the founder and director of Resilience Force, a project that comes directly out of his experience working with the men in this book. The U.S. is experiencing a labor shortage, and climate catastrophe will increase the need for disaster recovery workers. How can we build the resilient workforce we need, with the rights and equity workers deserve? Join Laura and Saket for this urgent conversation on the future of labor.

Guest:  Saket Soni, Author, THE GREAT ESCAPE: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America; Founder & Director, Resilience Force
Full research and reading list to further delve into the conversation is available here on at https://Patreon.com/theLFShow

The Laura Flanders Show

Saket Soni: How Trafficked Workers Pulled Off “The Great Escape”

In this episode of Reinventing Solidarity, we feature a keynote address from National Education Association president Becky Pringle from a conference titled "Labor and the Crisis of Democracy," hosted by the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies and co-sponsored with the Cornell University Worker Institute. Pringle takes stock of the attacks on workers, free speech, and basic democratic rights, but argues, “Unions were built for this moment” of fighting back.

Episode 61 - Labor Against Authoritarianism

The House Committee on Education and Workforce holds a markup on H.R.1723, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act.

H.R.1723 puts tribal governments on the same footing as state and local governments when it comes to federal labor law. The bill clarifies that tribes and their entities are not subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Board.

The bill can now be sent to the U.S. House of Representatives for further consideration.

The markup took place on September 17, 2025, in Room 2175 of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Michigan): Opening Remarks on H.R.1723, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act

The House Committee on Education and Workforce holds a markup on H.R.1723, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act.

H.R.1723 puts tribal governments on the same footing as state and local governments when it comes to federal labor law. The bill clarifies that tribes and their entities are not subject to the jurisdiction of the National Labor Relations Board.

The bill can now be sent to the U.S. House of Representatives for further consideration.

The markup took place on September 17, 2025, in Room 2175 of theRayburn House Office Building inWashington, D.C.

Committee Consideration of H.R.1723, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act

Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Virginia): Opening Remarks on H.R.1723, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act

Committee Roll Call on H.R.1723, the Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act

On this Podcast Steven hosts new guests to the show Chris Lopez & Juan Perez.
They are the hosts of the "Labor or Bust" Podcast based out of San Diego, CA.  They talk about labor, solidarity, & what it means to be a Union Member.

Episode#252 with the "Union or Bust" Podcast

The One Big, Beautiful Bill Act pumped billions of dollars into farm programs. 

US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins is calling on those involved in agriculture to bring Congressional attention to the farm labor problem.

The sugar industry may be making a comeback in South Texas.



09/29/25 - How the One Big Beautiful Bill benefits ag; Rollins discusses farm labor; Texas sugar industry updatev

The Manufacturing sector has been in contraction due to weaker global demand following the pandemic. What additional impact are the new tariffs having? What can manufacturers do to navigate the current volatile conditions? Nationwide's Senior Economist Ben Ayers and Manufacturing Lead and Nationwide AVP Erika Melander answer these questions and provide their insight. For more information on this topic, see our Manufacturing Resources https://www.nationwide.com/business/risk-management/industries/manufacturing/    [NFM-22911AO]

Can manufacturing reverse its post-pandemic slowdown?

On this Podcast Steven talks about his early day of being a UPS Driver, Teamsters Local 952 upcoming elections, the Government shutdown & UFC 320 predictions. 

Episode #253

At a live event at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies, New Labor Forum Editor-at-Large Micah Uetricht interviews the journal's new Editor Chris Maisano, who introduces himself, offers some thoughts about the current state of the labor movement, and discusses his article "Does 'Left-Conservatism' Have a Future?" from the Fall 2025 issue of New Labor Forum. 

Episode 62 - Introducing New Labor Forum Editor Chris Maisano

THE ELK AND THE WOLVES: CRUISE CONTROL

Remember... remember...

The Elk had antlers strong and wide
They cleared the forest, side by side
They built the roads, they dug the wells
They raised the walls and tower bells

The Wolves, who owned the land by law
Paid Elk in grain for what they saw
"Work hard, build straight, and you'll be fed—
We'll share the plenty that you've spread"

So Elk bent low and built for years
Through summer heat and winter's tears
They taught their young to lift and haul
To build the Wolves' great hunting hall

But WOLVES LEARNED SECRETS in the night
How to make machines that worked despite
The need for Elk with tired backs
For iron hands don't tire or slack
(don't tire or slack...)

One morning came without a sound
The Elk found notices on the ground
"Your service helped us reach this day
But machines now build—you cannot stay"

The grain stores? Owned by Wolves alone
The wells they dug? Wolf-mortgaged stone
The roads they paved with bleeding hooves
Led only where the Wolf approves

Young Elk asked his father, gray and bent
"We built this world—where did it went?"
The father's answer, heavy, true
"We built their wealth, not what we're due"


"We should have claimed the land we cleared
The tools we made, the wells we engineered
Building wealth for others' gain
Just forges your own future's CHAIN"

"The ones who own, not those who toil
Inherit everything—the spoil"


Some Elk had learned the machine's code
Had bought small plots along the road
They weren't spared the coming frost
But they survived—the others? LOST

Now scattered through the outer wood
The builder-Elk, misunderstood
Still believing if they tried once more
The Wolves would open up the door


But DOORS ARE ONLY OPENED WIDE
For those who OWN what's kept inside
The truth the forest tries to hide:
LABOR BUILDS, but OWNERSHIP DECIDES

--

A dystopian fable wrapped in festival-grade bass and yacht club aesthetics. This track dissects the brutal economics of labor vs. ownership through the story of the Elk—who built everything—and the Wolves—who owned everything.

"Labor builds, but ownership decides."

When the machines arrive, the builders are rendered obsolete. The wells they dug, the roads they paved, the walls they raised—all owned by others. This is prophetic rap meets dark-trap meditation on automation, displacement, and the cruel mathematics of capital.

The moral isn't subtle: Learn the systems. Claim your ground. Or watch machines take what you found.
🏭⚙️🌲

THE ELK and THE WOLVES

Ryan, Noah, and Lou discuss the ongoing federal government shutdown

Episode 240 - Shutdown

Originally uploaded September 17th, reloaded October 4th.

Monday September 8th, MBN was on the road to Kalamazoo for the Michigan Works! Association Annual Conference. The team took a break from interviews down in the exhibit hall and attended the luncheon where remarks were shared and awards were handed out. Here are the first eight minutes of a keynote delivered by Dr. Christopher Laney "Michigan’s Labor Market: The Good, the Bad and the Possibilities". 

His research in recent years can be found at https://www.nceda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Laney-Christopher.pdf

This video shares highlights from the Monday September 8th luncheon presentation. Before we returned to the exhibit hall for more interviews.

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MBN On The Road | Dr. Christopher Laney - Michigan Works! Association Conference 9/8/2025  Keynoter

I just post my own original music for me, but glad to share it here with you.

Laura Flanders is a best-selling author and the host of Laura Flanders and Friends (formerly The Laura Flanders Show), a syndicated weekly program airing on Public TV in which she talks to creative thinkers and change-makers from the worlds of politics, arts and the new economy. In her weekly commentary, The "F" Word,  she tells you what she thinks. The "F" Word is heard on the Progressive Voices Channel on Tune-In and is made available free to radio stations who appreciate an upbeat, radical perspective.  lauraflanders.org

The Home of Business in Michigan. Get on-demand access to audio programs, articles and resources presented by savvy business leaders and industry experts.

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Punching Out is a show about work that airs each week on WAYO 104.3 in Rochester, NY

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On a journey to discover who I am and what I want to leave behind.

New tracks tagged #LABOR