On the final installment of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast Best of 2025 series, we highlight the Sept. 5 discussion with Fred Redmond, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, who discussed the AFL-CIO’s nationwide "Freedom, Fairness and Security" bus tour, Labor Day activism and the historical significance of the 1892 Homestead Strike.
Redmond spoke about the AFL-CIO's recent bus tour, which included more than 1,000 Labor Day events across 900 cities. The campaign aimed to reclaim Labor Day for working people and express dissatisfaction with current White House policies. Redmond noted increased worker frustration with threats to collective bargaining rights, potential military interventions in cities and policies favoring the wealthy. He emphasized the tour's success in mobilizing workers and attracting media attention to labor issues.
Media coverage of labor activism has notably increased, according to Redmond. He highlighted growing mainstream media interest in worker discontent and union activities, citing extensive coverage of Labor Day events and the bus tour. Redmond connected this shift to declining approval ratings for the current administration and rising public support for unions, citing recent Gallup polls that show 68 percent of Americans favor unions – a significant increase from 2009.
Reflecting on labor history, Redmond discussed the 1892 Homestead Strike, which occurred two years before Labor Day was established as a national holiday. He described the violent confrontation between striking workers and Pinkerton guards at Carnegie Steel Company, resulting in multiple fatalities. Redmond emphasized the strike's significance as a watershed moment for the labor movement, setting a precedent for workers' collective action in pursuit of fair wages and union recognition.
To hear more about the AFL-CIO's activism and labor history insights, listen to the full episode of the America's Work Force Union Podcast.