Working People

America's toxic future looks like East Palestine, OH, today

Feb. 3, 2026 marked the three-year anniversary of the Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical disaster in East Palestine, OH—one of the worst industrial disasters in US history. Over the last three years, residents have been exploited and abandoned by Norfolk Southern, the government, opportunistic politicians, sensationalist media outlets, and self-serving attorneys, but we have not forgotten them. On the three-year anniversary of the day that changed their small-town lives forever, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez was on the ground in East Palestine speaking with residents about their lives and needs today. Here is what they said... Additional links/info: Ohio Valley Derailment Mutual Aid Facebook page and fundraiser Chemically Impacted Communities Coalition (CICC) website Golomb Research Group (UCSD) website and East Palestine Health Effects Study website Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, "America's toxic future looks like East Palestine, Ohio, today" (click for a full list of all of Max's East Palestine reporting for TRNN over the last three years) Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor

"A hero": Nurses, federal workers honor Alex Pretti

Hundreds of union nurses, federal workers, and local residents gathered outside the Veterans Affairs central office building in Washington, DC, on Jan. 28, to hold a vigil for Alex Pretti and all who have been killed by ICE. The vigil was one of many events organized or co-sponsored by National Nurses United, the nation's largest union and professional association of registered nurses, which has forcefully called for ICE to be abolished in the wake of Pretti's killing. We speak with attendees of the vigil in this on-the-ground edition of Working People.   Additional links/info:  Maximillian Alvarez, The Real News Network, "'A hero': Nurses, federal workers honor Alex Pretti (Documentary Report)" Maximillian Alvarez Working People / The Real News Network, "Largest nurses union calls to abolish ICE after Alex Pretti killing: 'They messed with the wrong profession'" National Nurses United: "Week of action in honor of Alex Pretti, RN and all others killed by ICE" National Nurses United press release (1/24/26): "National Nurses United outraged by murder of VA registered nurse by immigration agents, demand abolition of ICE" National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United website, Facebook page, Twitter/X page, and Instagram Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor

Largest nurses union calls to abolish ICE after Alex Pretti killing

On Friday, Jan. 23, around 50,000 people in Minneapolis, MN, engaged in a historic mass strike and day of protest to demand an end to ICE terror and President Trump's federal siege of Minnesota. Then, on Saturday, Jan. 24, an ICE agent shot and killed Alex Pretti, volunteer ICE observer and a registered union nurse who worked for the Veterans Health Administration. In this episode, we speak with Mary C. Turner, a registered nurse inn Minnesota and a member of the Council of Presidents of National Nurses United, the largest nurses union in the US, which is now forcefully calling for the abolition of ICE.  Additional links/info:  National Nurses United: "Week of action in honor of Alex Pretti, RN and all others killed by ICE" National Nurses United press release (1/24/26): "National Nurses United outraged by murder of VA registered nurse by immigration agents, demand abolition of ICE" National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United website, Facebook page, Twitter/X page, and Instagram Devon Lum & Haley Willis, The New York Times, "Videos show moments in which agents killed a man in Minneapolis" Thomas Birmingham & Ari Bloomekatz, In These Times, "A staggering number of Minnesotans took to the streets Friday to demand ICE leave. The next day, ICE responded by killing another resident" Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / TRNN, "Trump plans massive military parade while cutting veteran jobs, benefits, & healthcare" Maximillian Alvarez, Working People / TRNN, "Trump cuts leave VA hospital nurses and veteran patients in a crisis" Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor

"Shut everything down": Minnesota calls for mass strike on Jan. 23

The state of Minnesota is under siege by our own federal government, and residents—immigrant and US-born alike—are living in fear. With the deployment of over 3,000 federal agents to Minnesota in recent weeks,  this is the Trump administration's largest and most violent so-called "immigration enforcement" operation yet—and with President Trump threatening to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota in response to protests over ICE's terror campaign, the situation on the ground is extremely volatile. Amid this federal invasion, unions, community organizations, faith leaders, and small businesses in Minnesota are calling for a statewide day of "no work (except for emergency services), no school, and no shopping" on January 23. In this urgent episode, we speak with three union members and organizers in the Twin Cities—Daniel Troccoli, Douglas Williams, and Janette Corcelius—about the situation on the ground in Minnesota, and about the proposed mass strike this Friday. Additional links/info: 1/23: ICE OUT OF MN call to action and Facebook event page 1/23 ICE OUT OF MN Org Sign Up Sarah Lazare & Amie Stager, In These Times, "'We are facing a tsunami of hate': Amid ICE crackdown, unions and community groups call for Minnesota shutdown in 10 Days" Luis Feliz Leon, Labor Notes, "Will ICE ignite a mass strike in Minnesota?" Suzanne Gamboa, Shaquille Brewster, & Colin Sheeley, NBC News, "Immigration officers around Minneapolis are approaching people and demanding proof that they're U.S. citizens" Rachel Leingang & Maanvi Singh, The Guardian, "'Make no mistake, this is an occupation': ICE's deadly presence casts long shadow over Minneapolis" Joseph Cox, 404 Media, "Inside ICE's tool to monitor phones in entire neighborhoods" John Hamilton, Democracy Now!, "ICE vs. People of Minnesota: A special report on community resistance to Trump's militarized crackdown" Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor

The longest-running strike in the US is over—and the workers won

On Monday, Nov. 24, after more than 1,100 days on strike, Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh members were cheered on by supporters at a rally in downtown Pittsburgh before returning to work at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Even though strikers have returned to work, however, many issues at the center of the strike are still in legal limbo—and their fight for a fair contract is not over. In this episode of Working People, we speak with three Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh members—Bob Batz. Jr, Natalie Duleba, and Steve Mellon—about where things stand now, how their lives have changed since returning to work, and what it takes to hold the picket line for over three years.  Additional links/info:  Pittsburgh Union Progress website  Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh website, Facebook page, and Instagram Bob Batz Jr. & Steve Mellon, Pittsburgh Union Progress, "Pittsburgh journalists vote to end country's longest strike and notify the PG they are returning to work" Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh, "Post-Gazette strikers send company return to work offer" Sara Scire, Nieman Lab, "What newsroom organizers learned from the years-long strike at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" Featured Music:  Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song Credits:  Audio Post-Production: Alina Nehlich