From Orchards to End Zones: Worker Power in Unexpected Places

In this episode of The Labor Force Podcast, I travel from the apple orchards of upstate New York to a corporate warehouse in Syracuse to NFL stadium sidelines—uncovering the common threads in modern labor struggles. I begin with a landmark union win at Cahoon Farms, where both year-round and seasonal H-2A guest workers have secured New York’s first-ever farmworker contract under the United Farm Workers. Then I zoom out to examine the systemic roots of worker exploitation—from immigration policy to NAFTA to the myth of corporate “perks.” I break down the story of TCGplayer workers who used collective power to win real severance after eBay pulled the plug. And we hear from the women of America’s Sweethearts, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, as they push for better pay in the most profitable franchise in pro sports. Topics Covered: The historic union contract at Cahoon Farms H-2A guest workers and the immigration-labor connection The impact of NAFTA and U.S. immigration enforcement Corporate “perks” vs. real worker benefits TCGplayer workers' union win in the face of corporate closure The fight for fair pay by the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders The bigger picture: capitalism’s impact on working people across sectors Quote of the Episode: "At the end of the day, this whole economy runs on our backs... And if we don’t fight for each other, no one else will in this dog-eat-dog system in which we live."