The Leslie Marshall Show

Teamsters President Talks Anheuser-Busch Contract, Molson-Coors Strike, UPS & DHL Organzing and Presidential Roundtables

Leslie is joined by Sean O'Brien, General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

The two discuss the Teamsters' recently ratified contract with Anheuser-Busch, their striking brothers and sisters at Molson-Coors, organizing at UPS and DHL, as well as their Presidential roundtables.

Sean is a 4th-generation Teamster from Boston, and is committed to winning and defending strong national contracts, organizing new members, and aggressively taking on employers. He is focused on mobilizing rank-and-file Teamsters through education and increased engagement—traveling extensively to visit with members at worksites throughout the country.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow them on X and Instagram, where their handle is @Teamsters, and “like” them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Teamsters.
Sean's handle on X is @TeamsterSOB.

Women's History Month: The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for Education

Leslie is joined by two young women, Afghan refugee Sola Mahfouz and Malaina Kapoor (Stanford ‘25), who are raising awareness about the untold story of millions of Afghan women brimming with potential and longing for freedom in their acclaimed book, “Defiant Dreams: The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for Education."

Sola Mahfouz was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 1996, the year the Taliban took over her country for the first time. They banned television and photographs, presided over brutal public executions, and turned the clock backward on women’s rights, practically imprisoning women within their own homes and forcing them to wear all-concealing burqas. At age eleven, Sola was forced to stop attending school after a group of men threatened to throw acid in her face if she continued. After that she was confined to her home, required to cook and clean and prepare for an arranged marriage. She saw the outside world only a handful of times each year.

As time passed, Sola began to understand that she was condemned to the same existence as millions of women in Afghanistan. Her future was empty. The rest of her life would be controlled entirely by men: fathers and husbands and sons who would never allow her to study, to earn money, or even to dream.

Driven by this devastating realization, Sola began a years-long fight to change the trajectory of her life, deciding that education would be her way out. At age sixteen, without even the basic ability to add or subtract, she began to teach herself math and English in secret. She progressed rapidly., Within just two years she was already studying subjects such as philosophy and physics. Faced with obstacles at every turn, Sola still managed to sneak into Pakistan to take the SAT. In 2016, she escaped to the United States, where she is now a quantum-computing researcher at Tufts University.

An engrossing, dramatic memoir, co-written with young Indian American human rights activist Malaina Kapour, 'Defiant Dreams' is the story of one girl, but it’s also the untold story of a generation of women brimming with potential and longing for freedom. This story inspires us to unleash the potential that lies within us and all the women across the globe. It is a universal story of striving for greatness, reaching for the stars, and transcending the boundaries of our birth.

In alignment with this year’s International Women’s Day theme "Invest in women: Accelerate progress," Sola and Malaina want to shed light on the need to invest in women’s rights and access to education. Sola's story aligns perfectly with the values and goals of Women's History Month and the United Nations' commitment to #InvestInWomen.
 
The book is available for purchase at www.DefiantDreams.com.

Analyzing President Biden's SOTU; American Incomes Are Better Under Biden Than Trump

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET.

First, Brad will be joined by Sarah Jones, Editor in Chief of PoliticusUSA, as they react to President Biden’s State of the Union address.
Then, Sarah breaks down what is causing the decline in quality news coverage, including the shuttering of multiple news agencies.

Then, Brad is joined by the Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm, and former U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs, Dr. Rob Shapiro.

The two discuss Rob's latest blog, titled, "Based on Incomes, Americans Are a Lot Better Off Under Biden Than They Were with Trump."
 
The website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com and their X handle is @PoliticusUSA. Sarah's handle is @PoliticusSarah.
The website for Sonecon is www.Sonecon.com and Dr. Shapiro's handle on X is @RobShapiro.

Brad is on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on X is @BradBannon.

You can watch a livestream of this broadcast at the following links:

X: https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1vAxRvXQgPVxl

Facebook: https://fb.watch/qMsF0ZcuX_/

YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/hnlV65CmIGQ?feature=share

Building Unity In the Paper Industry and Beyond

Leslie is joined by Luis Mendoza, International Vice President of the United Steelworkers (USW). As International Vice President, Mendoza has responsibility for all facets of the USW paper sector, including bargaining, safety, trade, legislative issues, global solidarity and organizing initiatives.
Leslie and Luis talk about building unity in the paper industry and beyond.

Of the many industries where USW members work, one of the biggest is the paper sector, representing approximately 90,000 workers.
Since the onset of the pandemic, these workers have made groundbreaking advances in promoting workplace health and safety, advocating for economic security, and building unity through eliminating dangerously divisive two-tiered systems.

The website for the United Steelworkers is www.USW.org and their handle on X and Instagram is @steelworkers.
You can find them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Steelworkers.

Temu and Tariffs, Chinese Auto Industry, How to Make It in America, Biden Industrial Policy

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union.

The two discuss why Chinese-based e-commerce company Temu, who's spending billions on ads, and has already reshaped how many American shop, isn't paying the United States any tariffs.
Here's a brief explanation from AAM's latest blog on the subject:
"The “de minimis” exemption in U.S. trade law allows anything valued under $800 to enter the United States duty-free. It was originally intended for one-off type things, like making it easier for tourists traveling abroad to bring souvenirs back from vacations abroad. But Temu and fellow Chinese e-commerce brand SHEIN have exploited de minimis because they send their merchandise direct-to-consumer, avoiding tariffs because their stuff is so darn cheap (remember, Temu’s average transaction is $25!)."

If you want to help protect American jobs, then please sign and share this petition telling your members of Congress to stop companies like SHEIN, Temu and Amazon from dodging U.S. trade enforcement, by visiting TinyURL.com/CloseLoophole.

Scott and Leslie then chat about the grave danger being posed to the U.S. Auto industry from China, thanks to the communist nation's intentional industrial overcapacity.

Next, Scott shares some moments from his great interview with Rachel M. Slace, Author of, "Making It in America."

Finally, Leslie and Scott talk about a new study that "underscores how the embrace of a more muscular industrial policy under Democratic President Joe Biden could spread investments into regions left behind by decades of offshoring."

For over 16 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy.

Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their handle on X is @KeepItMadeInUSA.
Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

Biden vs Trump on the Economy; Teamsters Organizing FedEx Express and Delta Airlines

Leslie is first joined by the Chairman of Sonecon, and former U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs, Dr. Rob Shapiro.

The two delve into his latest piece for Washington Monthly, titled, "Data Don’t Lie: Biden’s Economic Record is Much Better than Trump’s."
(Link here: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024/01/26/data-dont-lie-bidens-economic-record-is-much-better-than-trumps/)

Then, Leslie interviews Deputy Director of the Teamsters' Airline Division, Bob Fisher.

They discuss why and how workers at FedEx Express and Delta are organizing in an effort to unionize, and why that's so significant nationally.

The website for Sonecon is www.Sonecon.com and Dr. Shapiro's handle on X is @RobShapiro.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow them on X and Instagram, where their handle is @Teamsters, and “like” them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Teamsters.

How Unions Help Communities

Leslie is joined by Director of District 4 for the United Steelworkers (USW), Dave Wasiura.

The two have an in-depth discussion detailing how Unions help communities.

This includes:

- Nurses in New Jersey who were on an unfair labor practice strike for nearly five months last year
- Energy workers in Puerto Rico, where the issue of their electric grid is quite literally life and death
- Military veterans around the United States, including where the USW drafted legislation requiring employers to post official notices of the health, social and other services available to support veterans as they build new lives on the home front

Dave Wasiura represents members across the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the territory of Puerto Rico.
Dave began his career as a fourth-generation metalworker in Buffalo, N.Y., when he followed in his father’s footsteps and took a job at the American Brass facility. Since then, he’s led political and organizing efforts in addition to bargaining contracts across a wide variety of industries.

The website for the USW is www.USW.org.
Their handle on X, Instagram and Facebook is @steelworkers.

Manufacturing Jobs, Two New Books Following Companies that Keep it Made in USA, Rise in Chinese Auto Production

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union.

Scott first shares his thoughts on 2023's weak manufacturing numbers in the U.S., why there's more to the data than meets the eye, and reasons that the future looks bright.

He and Leslie then chat about not one but two(!!) new books on companies that have started up making apparel in the U.S. over the past decade. Both of these books--'Making It in America,' available now--and 'American Flannel'—available in March—are worth a read.

Finally, Scott shares why he's more than a little worried by China’s rise in automobile production, and why he believes it’s an existential threat to American manufacturing jobs.

For over 16 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy.

Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their Twitter handle is @KeepItMadeInUSA.
Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

AFL-CIO President Talks New Tech-Labor Partnership with Microsoft

Leslie is joined by Liz Shuler,  president of the 60 unions and 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO, and the first woman leader of America’s labor movement.

The two discuss the Union's new tech-labor agreement with Microsoft, including the rules regarding use of artificial intelligence (AI).
They also talk about the upcoming 2024 elections and what the AFL-CIO is planning to do this cycle to elect 'pro-worker' candidates, all of the high-profile strikes that happened in 2023, organizing efforts, and child labor laws.

A visionary leader and longtime trade unionist, Shuler believes the labor movement is the single most powerful vehicle for progress and that unions are a central force in leading lasting societal transformations. She is committed to busting myths about labor, leveraging the labor movement’s diversity for innovative approaches to social justice and making the benefits of a union voice on the job available to working people everywhere.

The website for the AFL-CIO is AFLCIO.org and their Twitter handle is @AFLCIO.  Liz's handle is @LizShuler.

Teamsters President Talks Successful Agreement with DHL, Strike Authorization by Members at Anheuser-Busch & Presidential Roundtables

Leslie is first joined by Sean O'Brien, General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

The two discuss today's successful negotiating breakthrough on behalf of their members at DHL, who had been forced to strike in response to unfair labor conditions.
They also talk about contract negotiations for their members who work at Anheuser-Busch, and review the Presidential roundtables that the Teamsters hosted last week.

Second, Princeton Professor Julian Zelizer, a NYT best-selling Author and CNN Political Analyst, joins Leslie to talk about his most recent CNN opinion piece, which is titled, "Seven Reasons a 2nd Trump Term Would Be Dangerous." (https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/07/opinions/trump-second-term-dangerous-zelizer/index.html)

Teamsters President Sean O'Brien is focused on mobilizing rank-and-file members through education and increased engagement—traveling extensively to visit with them at worksites throughout the country.
In addition to fighting for workers, Sean has helped raise millions of dollars for charitable causes, including Local 25’s signature event, “Light Up the Night,” an annual gala to raise money for children with autism.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow them on Twitter and Instagram, where their handle is @Teamsters, and “like” them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Teamsters. Sean's Twitter handle is @TeamsterSOB.

New York Times best-selling author Julian Zelizer, who has been among the pioneers in the revival of American political history, is the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University.
He is also a CNN Political Analyst and a regular guest on NPR’s "Here and Now." He is the award-winning author and editor of 25 books including, The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the Battle for the Great Society, the winner of the D.B. Hardeman Prize for the Best Book on Congress and Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974, co-authored and Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, The Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party. The New York Times named the book as an Editor's Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books in 2020. His most recent books are Abraham Joshua Heschel: A Life of Radical Amazement and The Presidency of Donald J. Trump: A First Historical Assessment, which he edited, and Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Lies and Legends About Our Past which he co-edited with Kevin Kruse. He is currently working on a new book about the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and the 1964 Democratic Convention entitled ‘Is this America?’: Reckoning With Racism at the 1964 Atlantic City Democratic Convention. In the summer of 2023, NYU Press will publish his new co-edited book, Our Nation At Risk: Election Security as a National Security Issue. In January 2024, Columbia Global Reports will publish his book, In Defense of Partisanship. Zelizer, who has published over 1200 op-eds, has received fellowships from the Brookings Institution, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, the New York Historical Society, and New America.
You can follow him on Twitter, where his handle is @JulianZelizer.