Today on South Coast Working we have something a little different for you.

The UMass Dartmouth Dubin Labor Education Center recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, where AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler received the Dubin award.

As the proud and aggressive leader of fifteen million workers, she has worked to unite their unions, advance the organizing of new unions and pursue justice for them and the majority of Americans. She’s also shown that every union member can aspire to leadership in America’s labor movement.

Today we’re sharing her speech from the banquet honoring her work.

For more information on the Labor Education Center, check out our website. You can also follow us on Instagram for updates on our work or subscribe to our YouTube channel.

On today’s episode of South Coast Working, we’re talking with Lisa Lemieux. Lemieux is president of the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The labor council serves a coalition of over 40 affiliated unions and 40,000 affiliated members across Southeastern Massachusetts. She is part of an all-female team that includes Chrissy Lynch, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and Liz Shuler, president of the National AFL-CIO.

For more information about the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, check out their website: gsmlaborcouncil.org/.

It’s the 50th anniversary of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth. To learn more about the work of the center head to their website: umassd.edu/labored/

And if you’re interested in attending upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations, reach out to Labor Ed Center director Kim Wilson at kwilson@umassd.edu.

On this episode of South Coast Working, we’re joined by Chrissy Lynch, the President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Lynch has been at the helm of the Mass AFL-CIO since October of 2023. She sat down to talk about her time in the position so far, challenges she’s faced, victories in her work and what the future holds for labor in the state during the current political administration.

On this episode we’re looking at a special collaboration last year between the College of Visual Performing Arts and the Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth. The Labor Ed Center serves as a bridge between students and communities, it thrives most when faculty are hungry to connect students and to collaborate. This episode focuses on just one example of such a collaboration between the Labor Ed Center and a faculty member.

Gabo Camnitzer was formerly an assistant professor of art and community based practices at the College of Visual Performing Arts at UMass Dartmouth. He taught a class called Art as Action.

In the spring of 2023, the cohort learned about the rich history of labor on the South Coast in collaboration with the Labor Education Center. They then were tasked with using their skills and talents to create something for the community. I spoke with Gabo and a group of his former students about this type of collaboration and learning, and how many of them went from knowing very little about the labor movement, to wanting to start a union of their own.

On today’s episode of the South Coast Working podcast, we have a special episode featuring Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell.

For the past nine years, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has released an annual Labor Day Report. AG Campbell was sworn into the job in January of 2023, so this is the second Labor Day Report her office has produced. According to the latest report, in fiscal year 2024, the AG’s Office helped over 40,000 workers and assessed more than $31.5 million in unpaid wages and penalties.

We sat down with AG Campbell to discuss the highlights of the report, and dig into some specific examples of labor action and enforcement here in Southeastern Mass.

For more information about the work of the AG’s office head to Mass.gov. And to learn more about the Labor Education Center and to get involved, reach out. We’d love to hear from you.

This podcast is Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II's Keynote address given at the 48th Annual Arnold M. Dubin Award Banquet November 16th, 2023.

Rev. Dr. William Jospeh Barber II, is Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, Founding Director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School, Political Action Committee Chair of the NAACP, and the Architect of the Forward Together Moral Movement.

Today’s podcast we chat with the outgoing president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Steven Tolman.

Tolman is a leader in labor and has been for many years. He got his start at the railroads in the 1970’s, has served in the legislature, and was elected as president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO in 2011.

We spoke to him in late September 2023 as he reflected on his storied career, achievements and what he has planned for retirement.

Tolman’s last day in office was Oct. 13. He’s succeeded by Chrissy Lynch, former chief of staff and secretary-treasurer for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.

On this episode of South Coast Working, we take a look at the impact of an education in labor and how Gen Z is engaging with the labor movement. We ask questions like, why is Gen Z the most pro-union generation? What moments did young people feel they were making a difference in their communities? We’ll hear from current and former students of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Center at UMass Dartmouth. Voices in this episode: Gabriel Johnson is a third year health and society major at UMass Dartmouth. He is currently a paid intern at the Labor Ed Center and previously was a part of their Summer of Solidarity program. Siggy Meilus is a longtime community and labor organizer who grew up in Massachusetts and attended UMass Dartmouth. She has worked on issues regarding public transportation, fighting evictions, and organizing restaurant workers. She now works as the national co-director of organizing for Repairs of the Breach and the Poor People's Campaign. Aaron Wazlavek is the contract coordinator and a business agent for general Teamsters local 251. The Labor Center was where he reconnected with the labor movement after moving to the Northeast and starting law school. He worked as an intern for the UMass Labor Education Center. Brian Pastori is the deputy director at the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts in New Bedford. He is from the Boston area, but has lived on the South Coast for 17-18 years now. Often overlooked, The South Coast of Massachusetts — the southeastern part of the state between Cape Cod and Rhode Island — is a fascinating region with a vibrant working class and immigrant heritage. On South Coast Working, you'll hear the stories of scallop fishermen, seafood processors, textile workers, union leaders, and more. Topics include the decades-long struggle for commuter rail, and the effort to recruit a diverse construction workforce to build the nation's first offshore wind farm. South Coast Working is a project of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Center at UMass Dartmouth. For more information head to https://www.umassd.edu/labored/.