Who Really Runs the City? Socialism, Unions, and Power in 2026

This episode of The Labor Force Podcast takes on the question of power—who holds it, who doesn’t, and what it means for working people right now. We examine Zohran Mamdani’s election as mayor of New York City and what it would take for democratic socialist policies to succeed in a city shaped by entrenched wealth and political resistance. From there, we dig into the state of organized labor, the need for rank-and-file power, and the limits of relying on cautious union leadership. The episode also breaks down the confirmation of a corporate union-buster as General Counsel of the NLRB, the firing of board member Gwynne Wilcox, and what these moves mean for workers’ rights enforcement. We connect these developments to a tightening job market where workers are resorting to unconventional networking—including dating apps—just to get noticed. We close with strike action at Telluride Ski Resort, a critique of the myth of a Trump-era “golden age” for workers, and a reflection on how crisis, exposure, and organizing have driven real change throughout history.