PODCAST · history
Labor Jawn
by Gabe Christy and Young Sam James
Philly's working class history. Historian Gabe Christy and musician Young Sam James explore the working class history of Philadelphia and the surrounding world. www.laborjawn.com
Episodes
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Who Moves America - Interview with Director Yael Bridge
In this special interview, Sam and Gabe talk with Director/Producer Yael Bridge about her documentary Who Moves America, which chronicles the 2023 UPS contract fight. "In an era of deepening inequality, The Teamsters stand on the brink of a historic strike. UPS is the world’s largest package...
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1963 Racial Justice Sit-Ins
When the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter was adopted in 1951, it established a new governmental body specifically tasked with ending race discrimination in hiring. But a decade later, little had changed. The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) took on the fight to change this. Support the show...
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1930 H.C. Aberle Strike and the Murder of Carl Mackley
In 1930, the unionized hosiery workers at the H.C. Aberle Mills in Kensington struck against wage cuts, demanding arbitration from the bosses. As tensions rose in the midst of the depression, violence broke out between strike supporters and scabs. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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UNITE HERE Local 274 - Interview with Rosslyn Wuchinich
Sam and Gabe chat with Rosslyn Wuchinich, president of UNITE HERE Local 274, representing Hotel and Food workers in Philadelphia, from Center City to the stadiums. They discuss the fight for fair wages, invisible labor, and plans for a potential general strike in May 2028. Support the show...
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Striking at Kings - Interview with Mindy Murray
Sam and Gabe sit down with singer-songwriter Mindy Murray to talk about "Striking at Kings," her new song about the 1938 farmworkers' strike at King’s Farm in Morrisville PA, which was released to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the January 6th insurrection. www.mindymurray.com Support the...
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State of the Podcast (January 2026)
Our second "annual" address to the world detailing updates to the show and more exciting news! Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1962-63 Longshoremen Strike
Philadelphia has always been a city dominated by its waterfront commerce. But the workers who make that commerce possible have always had to fight hard for their fair share. In the midst of a strike covering the whole of the East Coast, Philly's dockworkers became a key player fighting against…
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Museum Unions Enact Workplace Justice Zine - Interview with the Authors
Sam and Gabe took a moment from the holidays to talk with Jessi Jones from the Academy Foundation, Emma Rose Rainville from the Esplanade Association, Adam Rizzo from the Penn Museum, and independent researcher Amanda Tobin Ripley about their recent work with Museums Moving Forward and the zine...
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State of the Podcast (May 16, 2024)
Our first address to the world detailing updates to the show and some exciting news! Ben Fletcher Mural Unveiling and Celebration Saturday May 18, 2024 2pm-4pm 301 S. Columbus Blvd. Philadelphia PA SEIU - Philadelphia Labor History Map (produced by Labor Jawn)…
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Labor Jawn: In Story & Song
On November 18, 2022, Labor Jawn hosted their first live show In Story and Song at the Philadelphia Folksong Society. Join the hosts of the Labor Jawn podcast in celebrating the labor movement through song and story. Relive the struggles and victories of the working class with historian Gabe...
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Greater Philadelphia Volumes - Interview with Dr. Francis Ryan
Sam and Gabe sit down to chat with Dr. Francis Ryan, Associate Teaching Professor & Director of Master of Labor and Employment Relations Program, Labor Studies and Employment Relations (LSER) at Rutgers University, to discuss Philadelphia's importance in labor history, and his contributions to…
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Feeding the Army of Labor - Interview with the Starbucks Strike Kitchen
Sam and Gabe sit down to chat with Megan and Claudia of Starbucks Workers United and Sophie of the Philadelphia Democratic Socialists of America who established a strike kitchen to feed and support Starbucks workers as they fight for a first contract. Sign the pledge:...
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1936 Berkshire Knitting Mill Strike
By 1936, Berkshire Knitting Mills was one of the largest hosiery manufacturers in the world, and the American Federation of Hosiery Workers knew that if they could organize it, they could apply pressure to the entire industry and secure safety, wages, and the 40 hour week for thousands of…
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du Pont Family - Interview with Lucas Clawson
We sit down with historian Lucas R. Clawson to discuss the du Pont family's history of labor relations. https://lucasrclawson.com/ Originally aired: August 8, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Hazleton General Textile Strike
When the United Textile Workers of America declared a general textile strike in 1934, the people of Hazleton, Pennsylvania had a choice: would they stand with the textile workers, or the bosses? Originally aired: November 30, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1981 Philadelphia Teachers Strike
In the midst of Reaganomics, a budget crisis, and a school board imposing layoffs and school closures, Philadelphia's teachers fight for "the integrity of [their] contract, the contracts of all people, and, in general, honor among people." Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1903 Carpenters Strike
In 1903, all building construction in Philadelphia was brought to a grinding halt when just a few thousand carpenters showed the power of their union. Originally aired: February 6, 2023. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1946 Electrical Workers Strike
After World War 2, American soldiers came home to low wages and strict bosses. In 1946, 200,000 electrical appliance workers struck in cities across the country with 20,000 in Philadelphia alone. They had just beaten Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, next up was General Electric and Westinghouse....
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General Textile Strike of 1921
The General Textile Strike in Philadelphia helped set the stage for the very radical hosiery workers who continued to fight throughout the 1920s and into the Great Depression. Originally aired: March 8, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1916 Stetson Strike
In 1916, workers at the John B. Stetson hat company in Philadelphia went on strike for better wages and conditions. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1902 Horseshoers Strike
Horseshoeing was a booming industry in Philadelphia back when horses were the primary means of transportation. In 1902, the men and children who did most of the work struck for better wages, hours, and conditions, effectively shutting down the city’s transport network until their demands were…
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Max Staller and the 1890 Cloakmakers Strike
When cloakmakers in New York struck for union recognition, their comrades in Philly joined in, bolstered by local Jewish anarchists. Originally aired: January 9, 2023. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Voices of Labor - Kenneth Wilson
At Philadelphia's 2025 May Day Rally and March, Gabe and Sam ran around with a microphone to get recordings from union members, organizers, and workers. Each person was asked 4 questions: -Who was the worst boss you've ever had and why? -Are you part of a union? -What does being a union member…
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1986 Philadelphia Municipal Strike
Philadelphia's municipal workers have had to fight hard for a decent wage and basic benefits. After 3 years of setbacks and wage freezes, in 1986 their struggle pitted thousands of city workers, led by Earl Stout, the larger than life president of AFSCME District Council 33, against Wilson Goode,...
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King's Farm Strike
Farm workers have always been mistreated, but in 1938 the CIO fought to change that at a farm in Morrisville, PA. Originally aired: January 23, 2023. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1933 Lansdale Hosiery Strike
As the Great Depression raged, 1700 hosiery workers in Lansdale, PA fought for union recognition, standing up to their bosses and the county sheriff. Originally aired: October 2, 2023. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1938 Warehouse and Department Store Strike
Despite the lingering Great Depression, retail stores in 1938 were starting to bounce back. But when the wealth was not shared with the workers, they decided to go on strike during one of the busiest shopping seasons of the year. Originally aired: July 27, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1885-86 Wilmington Morocco Strikes
As the fine leather industry in Wilmington, Delaware expanded, their workers started organizing with a radical new organization. Originally aired: March 1, 2024. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1903 Textile General Strike
In 1903, Philadelphia was one of the textile manufacturing centers of the United States, but conditions in the mills were abysmal, with men, women, and children all facing long hours, low wages, and dangerous machinery. With the help of Mother Jones and other labor leaders they marched out in a...
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1941 Bethlehem Steel Strike
By 1941, the Steel Workers Organizing Committee had led successful union drives across most of the US Steel industry. But can they break into Bethlehem Steel when $1 billion in defense contracts are hanging in the balance? Originally aired: December 26, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Kensington: Industrial Struggle in Philly's Textile Mills
Kensington was once described as having "more textile mills within the range of vision than in any other city in the world," and likewise, was a hotbed of labor agitation for decades. In this presentation for the Philadelphia Liberation Center, we briefly covered the region's rich labor history,...
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Voices of Labor - Philip Belcastro
At Philadelphia's 2025 May Day Rally and March, Gabe and Sam ran around with a microphone to get recordings from union members, organizers, and workers. Each person was asked 4 questions: -Who was the worst boss you've ever had and why? -Are you part of a union? -What does being a union member…
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Voices of Labor - Emily Griest
At Philadelphia's 2025 May Day Rally and March, Gabe and Sam ran around with a microphone to get recordings from union members, organizers, and workers. Each person was asked 4 questions: -Who was the worst boss you've ever had and why? -Are you part of a union? -What does being a union member…
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Strike While the Needle is Hot - Interview with Josh MacPhee and Kennedy Block
In this special interview episode, Sam and Gabe sit down with Josh MacPhee and Kennedy Block to talk about their new book "Strike While the Needle Is Hot: A Discography of Worker’s Revolt," which documents 80 records that striking workers and their supporters have put out. Pick up a copy from...
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1969 Philadelphia Hotel Workers Strike
In a period when Philadelphia's tourism industry was starting to soar, hotel workers' wages were stagnant. They launched a strategically timed strike to fight for a raise, while a rank and file caucus pressured union leadership into action. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1977 SEPTA Strike
In 1977, SEPTA workers walked out into a bitter 44 day struggle, leading to a rank and file fight against both the bosses and their own union leadership. Originally aired: August 24, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Voices of Labor - Amanda Gilmore
At Philadelphia's 2025 May Day Rally and March, Gabe and Sam ran around with a microphone to get recordings from union members, organizers, and workers. Each person was asked 4 questions: -Who was the worst boss you've ever had and why? -Are you part of a union? -What does being a union member…
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1946 Price Control Protests
During WW2, to prevent the runaway inflation experienced in the 1st World War, the US Government established the Office of Price Administration to enforce price ceilings and regulate business. But after the war conservative forces started to push for their wholesale removal, the labor movement...
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Mariposa Food Co-op - Interview with Will Inglis and Mika Romano
In March 2021, workers at the Mariposa Food Co-Op in West Philly formed a union with UFCW Local 1776. Today, they're working to build more power in order to make Mariposa into an even better place to work. Originally aired: February 13, 2023. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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1933 Chester Ford Strike
Before the United Auto Workers formed in 1935, there had been multiple attempts to organize the industry. In 1933, Ford Workers in Chester, Pennsylvania went out for union recognition, triggering multiple other strikes and actions. Originally aired: November 29, 2023. Support the show...
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Garbage Collectors Strike of 1938
While private sector employees in Philadelphia had been seeing huge union wins throughout the 1930s, municipal workers were largely left out. This would all change in 1938 when garbage collectors brought the city to a standstill in a weeks long strike. Originally aired: September 5, 2022. Support...
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Sugar Strike/Food Riots of 1917
In early 1917, workers at sugar refineries in South Philly went on strike for better hours, conditions, and pay. But after weeks of stalemate, poverty, and staggering inflation, the strike turned into a violent clash between workers’ families and police. Episodes 28-29 originally aired: June 26,...
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1913 Hazleton Silk Strike
In Hazleton, Pennsylvania, radical silk workers fought an uphill battle against the bosses, scabs, and even the American Federation of Labor. Originally aired: January 29, 2024. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Hershey Chocolate Workers Strike
In the midst of the Great Depression, a group of workers at the Hershey Chocolate Company went on a sit down strike for better conditions, wages, and most importantly, union recognition. The ensuing battle pitted worker against worker as a massive riot broke out in what was once considered an…
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Philadelphia Museum of Art Strike - Interview with PMA Union
In 2020, workers at the Philadelphia Museum of Art voted to unionize, but it took 2 years and a 19 day strike for them to get a first contract. Gabe and Sam sit down with Tim Tiebout, Adam Mazieka, and Juliet Vinegra to discuss the history and future of the union. Originally aired: April 3, 2023....
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Apex Hosiery Strike
Workers from the largest non-union hosiery mill in 1930s Philadelphia go on strike. Originally aired: January 11, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Cafe, Bakery, and Roaster Organizing - Interview with Philadelphia Joint Board of Workers United
In this special interview episode, Sam and Gabe chat with Eli and Alex, organizers with Workers United, who have been building a militant union of cafe, bakery, and coffee roaster workers in Philly. Originally aired: September 18, 2023. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Knights of Labor
Originally founded as a secret society of tailors, the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor eventually grew to become a national labor force of 700,000 workers. Episodes 18-19 originally aired: March 21, 2022. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Antizionism and the Labor Movement - Interview with Alison Glick and Suzanne Adely
In this special interview episode, Sam and Gabe sit down to discuss the history of zionism, antizionism, and the American labor movement, with writer and activist Alison Glick and lawyer, organizer, and activist Suzanne Adely from Labor for Palestine. Originally aired: November 7, 2023. Donate to...
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1902 Anthracite Strike
After winning their first fight in 1900, Pennsylvania anthracite miners went on strike for the 8 hour day, higher wages, and union recognition. This would lead to one of the first federal mediation committees in US history. Support the show www.laborjawn.com
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Labor Jawn have?
Labor Jawn currently has 116 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Labor Jawn about?
Philly's working class history. Historian Gabe Christy and musician Young Sam James explore the working class history of Philadelphia and the surrounding world. www.laborjawn.com
How often does Labor Jawn release new episodes?
Labor Jawn publishes regularly with 116 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Labor Jawn?
You can listen to Labor Jawn on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Labor Jawn?
Labor Jawn is created and hosted by Gabe Christy and Young Sam James.
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