Welcome to Grit Nation, the Building Trades Podcast.

I’m Joe Cadwell, the writer, producer, and host of the show and today I have the pleasure of speaking with Ken Rusk.

Ken is a blue-collar career choice advocate, construction industry entrepreneur and the author of Blue-Collar Cash which details how you can…. Love Your Work, Secure Your Future and Find Happiness for Life.

We’ll start today’s conversation by learning about Ken’s background and how his passion for hard work and construction earned him the nickname “The Million Dollar Ditch Digger”.

We’ll then unpack the lessons Ken learned from a lifetime in the trades that enabled him to write his book, and how these lessons have been useful in his current role as a life coach and mentor to those interested in pursuing a career as a blue-collar tradesperson.

Next, we’ll discuss the downside of buying into the oversold notion that the only pathway to professional pride and financial security is through a college degree and why now more than ever blue-collar jobs and the people who can do the work are in such great demand.

Later, Ken will explain the importance of detailed visualization in helping you map out a future that will bring you Comfort, Peace and Freedom.

And we’ll end our conversation by leaning what Ken’s definition of success is and why he is so passionate about helping people achieve their dreams regardless of their educational background or past.

The Show Notes

Ken Rusk
https://www.kenrusk.com/

On today’s episode I discuss organized labor movements in America and why it is so important for UBC carpenters to develop and appreciate the storied history of our organization.

Without knowing how we got to where we are, many may find it easy to undervalue the vast amount of blood, sweat and tears that were spilled in achieving the benefits we all enjoy as union members today.

Countless hours devoted to organizing and negotiating campaigns often go unseen and unappreciated by the vary members whose lives they mean to better.

Worse yet, many union members see it as someone else’s responsibility to do the heavy lifting necessary to protect our organization from the endless onslaught of attacks from big monied interest determined to destroy our way of life.

Sadly, they do not understand the true strength of our organization, is its members.

Our ability to command livable wages, healthcare benefits for ourselves and our families, access to training, safer working conditions, representation and the prospect of retirement with dignity, fall upon our collective shoulders to protect for future generations of carpenters to come.

Today’s guest will share insight on the many hardships and successes, labor unions have endured over the decades, while paving the way towards a strong middle-class America, and how quickly our way of life can be disastrously altered if we don’t keep our eyes on the future.

Mark McDermott is a lifelong supporter of organized labor and public presenter who has given over 450 talks on the history of organized labor movements and the long struggle for economic and social justice in our country.

We’ll start our conversation by delving into why, now more than ever, we need strong labor unions.

Next, we’ll look into what attacks are being made on unions and who is responsible for these attacks.

Mark will later explain the importance of member involvement in politics and how vital it is in maintaining the balance of wealth in America.

And we will end our conversation by giving you the information needed to join the fight in protecting your future as a professional craftsperson.

Show Notes

Mark McDermott
http://www.markmmcdermott.com/

Welcome to Grit Nation. I’m Joe Cadwell the writer, producer, and host of the show and on today’s episode I have the pleasure of speaking with author Kathleen McLaughlin, about her new book titled; Blood Money – The Story of Life, Death and Profit Inside America’s Blood Industry.

In her book Kathleen turns the lights on a healthcare crisis hidden in plain sight and reveals a stunning example of economic inequality in action.

Intertwined with her own story as a working-class American managing a chronic illness, she finds an industry that targets and exploits America’s most marginalized communities to feed the hunger for human blood plasma.

Over 20 million pay-for-extractions occur each year of American blood, which is then processed, and packaged for sale as part of a $30 billion-dollar global industry.

Blood Money reveals the controversial and unbalanced power structures behind the blood industry.

From China’s blood black market to Silicon Valley tech startups, this electrifying expose demonstrates the shadowy overlap between big medicine and big business while painting a searing portrait of the extent to which American industry is eager to feed on the country’s most vulnerable.

The Show Notes

Kathleen McLaughlin
https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Kathleen-McLaughlin/179283499

Blood Money
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Blood-Money/Kathleen-McLaughlin/9781982171964

On todays episode I have the pleasure of speaking with authors Ali Winston and Darwin BondGraham about their new book titled, The Riders Come Out at Night: Brutality, Corruption and Cover-up in Oakland.

Their book is a meticulously researched and engaging account of a police force rotten to its core and serves as a poignant reminder that the problem with policing in America isn’t just about crooked cops. The problem is a broken system that lacks the will to reform.

During our conversation we’ll be introduced to a group of sadistic cops known as “The Riders” whose disregard for the oath they took to protect and serve is on full, tragic, and infuriating display.

We’ll also meet the wide-eyed rookie, turned whistleblower who was unwittingly partnered with the leader of the Riders.

The Riders Come Out at Night is the story of one city and the explosive scandals, and systematic corruption and brutality in its police department, but it’s also the story of American policing - and where it is headed in 2023.

The Show Notes

The Riders Come Out at Night
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Riders-Come-Out-at-Night/Ali-Winston/9781982168599

Ali Winston is an independent reporter covering criminal justice, privacy, and surveillance. His work has been rewarded with several awards, including the George Polk Award for local reporting in 2017. Ali is a graduate of the University of Chicago and the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in New York.

Darwin BondGraham has reported on gun violence for The Guardian and was an enterprise reporter for the East Bay Express. BondGraham’s work has also appeared with ProPublica and other leading national and local outlets. He holds a doctorate in sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and was the co-recipient of the George Polk Award for local reporting in 2017. He lives in Oakland, California.

Use the link below to see the NBC Nightly News Story.

https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/hidden-scourge-wage-theft-when-higher-profits-come-out-workers-n1272238

This episode of Stolen begins in the early morning of August 2020, when a storm system develops on the barren plains of the Nebraska and South Dakota border.

Known as a Derecho, Spanish for straight, these type’s of storms are powerful, fast-moving systems that can generate hurricane force winds, and create tornados, heavy rains, and flash flooding.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa was one of the hardest hit areas.

There the storm caused power outages, gas leaks and extensive wind and water damage to residences, buildings, and schools.

Among the many businesses that suffered significant damage was a senior living community just a few miles from downtown called Cottage Grove Place.

Pablo Ramirez was subcontracted by Blusky, a restoration and repair company based out of Denver, Colorado to supply the manpower to do the repairs.

Pablo hired out of state workers agreed to be paid a flat wage that depended on their experience.

Additionally, Pablo promised to pay his workers weekly, reimburse their travel expenses and arrange for their lodging while working in Iowa.

It sounded like a sweet deal and as the crew headed north, their spirits were high.

Steady work and a place to stay. What could be better?

Little did they know as they began their long drive north they were headed into a Derecho all their own.

Today we investigate just what went wrong in Cedar Rapids

and how the 6 Blusky employees from Texas found themselves without food, lodging or even the money to get home.

To help me tell this story I spoke with Royce Peterson the carpenter’s union, lead business representative in Eastern Iowa.

Joining us on the call were Public Affairs Director Richard Kajayski and Burt Johnson, General Counsel from the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters.

On today’s episode we will meet labor attorney, member of Teamster’s Local 810 in New York City and author, Mark Torres.

Mark’s latest book, Long Island Migrant Labor Camps: Dust for Blood, chronicles the plight of thousands of poverty stricken migrant workers lured to the agricultural fields of New York State for decades with the promise of good wages and decent housing. Once there, they were preyed upon by corrupt camp operators who often cheated them out of pay and housed them in deadly slum like conditions.

Dust for Blood, shines a harsh light onto what atrocities greed, a failure of government oversight, and the blatant disrespect for the working class can produce.

Marks in-depth investigation into the sordid history of these camps begins in the 1940’s during the massive labor shortage created in America by the 2nd world war.

It then follows the arc of human tragedy and suffering for those who worked in these dour camps, providing the food for our nation. The book focuses in on the peak years of the 50’s and 60’s and then tracks their steady decline in the decades that followed.

Packed with personal accounts of the hardships faced by the un-represented, his book serves as a cautionary tale for those who feel the need for organized labor unions have passed.

Dust for Blood is published by The History Press and is available in paperback now for purchase.

Show Notes

Mark Torres Website
http://www.marktorresauthor.com/about-the-author.html

On this episode I have the pleasure of speaking with management professor, leadership expert and author of, The Seismic Shift in Leadership.

Her name is Michelle Johnston and on today’s show we discuss her book to learn more about how to be a better, more connected leader in today’s world whether in the boardroom or on the jobsite.

We’ll open our conversation by learning what the seismic shift is and why the transition from an old-school style of command-and-control leadership to one of collaboration and teamwork is beneficial to a company’s bottom line and moral.

Next, we’ll unpack a few of the themes from Michelle’s book that contribute to this shift, beginning with self-connection, and why being authentic and true to your brand is so important to your role as a leader.

Later, we’ll discuss the significance of having values that are in alignment with your organization and how owning your calendar can be so empowering to your career.

And we’ll wrap up our conversation by discussing influences in Michelle’s journey to being an executive coach and why surrounding herself with positive role models was so crucial to building the future that she wanted to achieve.

The Show Notes

https://michellekjohnston.com/book/

Welcome to Grit Nation. I'm Joe Cadwell, the host of the show, and on today's episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with urban law expert and author
Michelle Wilde Anderson about her book, The Fight to Save the Town - Reimagining Discarded America.

The San Francisco Chronicle writes that her book is "a sweeping and eye opening study of wealth inequality and the dismantling of local governments of working class US cities, and passionately argues for a reinvestment in people centered leadership, and offers a welcome reminder of what government can accomplish".

To learn more about Michelle and her work visit https://law.stanford.edu/directory/michelle-wilde-anderson/