
Labor Jawn
Philly's working class history podcast. Historian Gabe Christy and musician Young Sam James explore the who, what, when, where, and whys of the labor movement.
www.laborjawn.com
Episodes
92 episodes
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.
•
Episode 42
•
37:07
.png)
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.
•
Episode 55
•
54:00

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. Or...
•
Episode 42
•
30:53

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.
•
Episode 62
•
57:06

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 ...
•
Episode 49
•
59:30

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? Originall...
•
Episode 40
•
48:43

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,...
•
35:26
.png)
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 wh...
•
3:52

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 wh...
•
3:13

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 t...
•
59:32

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.
•
Episode 79
•
1:08:56

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.
•
Episode 32
•
1:02:54

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 wh...
•
2:17
.png)
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 pu...
•
Episode 78
•
59:07

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...
•
1:03:43
.png)
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. ...
•
Episode 57
•
54:36
.png)
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...
•
Episode 33
•
1:09:55

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 a...
•
Episode 28
•
1:07:09

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.
•
Episode 60
•
1:08:11

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 mass...
•
Episode 22
•
37:48
.png)
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 ...
•
45:31
.png)
Apex Hosiery Strike
Workers from the largest non-union hosiery mill in 1930s Philadelphia go on strike. Originally aired: January 11, 2022.
•
Episode 10
•
33:45

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, 2...
•
47:28
.png)
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.
•
Episode 18
•
1:04:22

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 Pal...
•
1:03:25
.png)