Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen

Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen


After Rich Trumka: Now What for Labor?

August 12, 2021

You may not have heard of Rich Trumka who passed away suddenly August 5th. From working in the mines of Pennsylvania he served as president of the AFL-CIO from 2009 to 2021. Our guest today is once and future president of the Writers  Guild of America East (AFL-CIO), Michael Winship who knew Trumka personally. Winship talks about Trumka’s personal style, his significance in the labor movement, how he took on anti-union propaganda and intimidation, and connected with and inspired working class Americans, making a difference in millions of lives. On his death, Obama said of Trumka: “He never failed to remind us of who we can be.” With challenges and opportunities ahead, his work on behalf of working Americans continues.