LWV-Downeast hosts a monthly radio program on democracy in cooperation with WERU FM.
For the Labor Day weekend, we'll rebroadcast our May show, talking about the historical and contemporary link between labor organizing and expanding political rights like voting. Is union organizing an important, if not essential, tool in building a vibrant democracy? Has the diminution of labor unions contributed to the politics of resentment? Has it provided fertile ground for the current moment of populist anger and stridently divided politics? What led to the demise of unions over the last half century? How could they come back?
Special Guests:
- David Madland, a senior fellow and the senior adviser to the American Worker Project at American Progress, author of the new book, Re-Union: How Bold Labor Reforms Can Repair, Revitalize, and Reunite the United States
- Cynthia Phinney, President of Maine AFL-CIO since 2015.
Read our op-ed in the Lewiston Sun Journal recapping important ideas from this show.
WMPG 90.9 Portland, streaming at wmpg.org.