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. HLF is produced by a diverse group of working people. We have been agitating for the rights of working people on the KKFI airwaves since 1989.
Find out about labor struggles and strikes, organizing in Kansas City, global sweatshops, and how the economy is working from the point of view of working people. Listen to our monthly features: Know Your Rights, Safety First, Remember Our Struggle, and Washington Window on Workers. Heartland Labor Forum has won the International Labor Communications Association first prize for radio several times. We are members of the Labor Radio Podcast Network #laborradiopod. Other media have plenty of business news of, by, and for the 1%; HLF is for the rest of us.
Find our schedule of upcoming shows and our archive at www.heartlandlaborforum.org.
Feature Editors
- Michael Amash does Know Your Rights once a month. He is with the Blake & Uhlig labor law firm.
- Mark Gruenberg is on once a month with Washington Window on Workers. He is a full-time labor journalist with PAI-Press Associates Inc. which provides news to unions and labor publications.
- Mark Galus does Labor Song of the Month when there is a fifth Thursday.
- Ariana Eakle does Remember Our Struggle about labor history.
October 31, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
Two Books Perfect for Halloween: Not All Fun and Games and Building Power, Breaking Power
This Halloween, we explore two chilling books: "Not All Fun and Games," revealing the exploitative North American video game industry, and "Building Power, Breaking Power," detailing how disaster capitalists reshaped New Orleans' education post-Katrina, dismantling a strong union. Join us for a dose of Halloween horror!
ListenOctober 24, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
News Guild Leader John Schleuss Challenging Lords of a Dying Industry and Union Leader Series: Firefighters 781’s Mike Veit
Do you still read the paper? Is it even made of paper? Is the newspaper industry changing or dying? We’ll see what Jon Schluess, President of the CWA News Guild has to say about that and how the Guild protects its journalist members. Then, kids dream of being firefighters. They watch passing firetrucks in awe. We’ll find out what firefighters and their unions do with Michael Veit, President of IAFF 781 in Independence.
ListenOctober 17, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
Three Hot Missouri House Races
We’ll explore the race for control of the Missouri legislature, potentially marking a shift away from a super-majority party. We’ve invited candidates from House districts 16, 17, and 34 to discuss their plans for Missouri upon election.
ListenOctober 10, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
Two Hot State Senate Races and Is Biden the Most Pro-Labor Prez?
We’ll look at a couple of Missouri Senate races that are up for grabs. They’re the 11th District in Independence and the 17th in Clay County. Candidates will get the HLF litmus test on labor issues. Then politicians and pundits alike have called Joe Biden the most pro-labor president in American history, but is that fact or fiction? We’ll explore the subject with Les Leopold, author, labor educator, and executive director of The Labor Institute. Our feature is Remember Our Struggle with Ariana Eakle.
ListenOctober 3, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
Stephanie L. Canizales, Without Parents Or Papers: Unaccompanied Migrant Youth Coming of Age in the United States and Hot Kansas Legislative Races
Coming of age is challenging for undocumented youth seeking work. Dr. Stephanie Canizales, author of "Sin Padres, Ni Papeles," will discuss unaccompanied minors' experiences. Additionally, our first election show covers the Kansas 10th Senate district, where Andrew Mall opposes Sen. Mike Thompson, and Eli Woody challenges Rep. Mike Thompson for the 33rd House District.
ListenSeptember 26, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
On The Clock; What Low-Wage Work Did to Me and How It Drives America Insane and Leadville Colorado: Labor History at 10,000 Feet
Does work make you feel productive? For many in the working class, jobs can feel frustrating and alienating. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum, we’ll discuss these issues with Emily Guendelsberger, author of On the Clock. Plus, we’ll explore Leadville, Colorado's labor history with Dr. James Walsh.
ListenSeptember 19, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
What Do You Know About the Fair Labor Standards Act? and IBEW 124 Wins Paid Family Leave
It’s all about rights. First, we’ll talk to Trini Murguia from the US Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division about the many laws they enforce from child labor to overtime to FMLA and breastfeeding at work. Then members of IBEW Local 124 have won paid family leave in their new contract. Will this set a precedent for union workers in the trades? We’ll also have our monthly Know Your Rights with union attorney Michael Amash.
ListenSeptember 12, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
The Problems with Nursing Home Jobs and Disconnected Call Center Workers II
Many candidates call for less government regulation, but nursing homes need more. Workers face unsafe staffing and low wages, with owners prioritizing profits. This week on the Heartland Labor Forum, we'll discuss solutions with David Kingsley and continue our interview with Debby Goldman about call center workers’ rights.
ListenSeptember 5, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
Si Kahn at 80: Honoring a Life of Song and Activism
We celebrate the 80th birthday of Si Kahn, singer, songwriter, author, organizer, and activist. We’ll hear a few tracks from his new album, Labor Day: A Tribute to Hardworking People Everywhere, and talk with Si and his collaborator/producer George Mann. Our feature is Safety First with Mary Erio.
ListenAugust 29, 2024 Local, News & Public Affairs, Podcast
Two Books: Debbie Goldman’s Disconnected: Call Center Workers Fight for Good Jobs in the Digital Age and Jake Friedman’s The Disney Revolt: The Great Labor War of Animation’s Golden Age
We'll feature two books: Disconnected by Debbie Goldman, exploring call center workers' fight for good jobs, and The Disney Revolt by Jake Friedman, detailing a worker uprising at Disney. Plus, our Labor Song of the Month.
Listen