--- title: Maryland State Sen. Cory McCray’s journey as a union politician description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Senator Cory McCray joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/unnamed%20(3).jpg --- 1 min read Season 4, Episode 157 # Maryland State Sen. Cory McCray’s journey as a union politician [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) August 9, 2023 [Labor Issues](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/labor-issues) [IBEW](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/ibew) [Building Trades](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/building-trades) [International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/international-brotherhood-of-electrical-workers) [America's Work Force Union Podcast](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/americas-work-force-union-podcast) [Government](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/government) [Jobs](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/jobs) [Health, Welfare, and Safety](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/health-welfare-and-safety) [AWF](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/awf) [Labor-Management](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/labor-management) [Government Affairs and Policy](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/government-affairs-and-policy) [Community Involvement](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/community-involvement) [Economic Impact](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/economic-impact) [Union Responsibilities](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/union-responsibilities) [Union Issues](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/union-issues) [Congress](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/congress)   ![unnamed (2)](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/unnamed%20(2).jpg?width=400&height=400&name=unnamed%20(2).jpg)   Guest Name: --- Senator Cory McCray Guest Website: --- [https://electcorymccray.com/](https://electcorymccray.com/)  Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ElectCoryMccray/) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/SenatorMcCray) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZQbZLFofmR5v40DgcGtlpA) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) Supportive Documents: --- Maryland State Sen. and Executive Board member of [IBEW Local 24](https://ibewlocal24.org/), [Cory McCray](https://electcorymccray.com/), joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his journey from making bad decisions on the streets of Baltimore, to becoming a union man and now a member of the Maryland State Senate. McCray talked about the importance of engaging in politics as a union member and what he’s been able to do as a union man and politician. Growing up in Baltimore, McCray talked about some of his bad decisions from his younger days that eventually led to his mother introducing him to the building trades. McCray describes it as an opportunity to experience new interests outside of his neighborhood and away from the same people that helped get him in trouble. Originally, he sought out the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Apprenticeship program because of its starting wages. Little did he know then that the pay he hoped to receive would only be a small part of his journey with IBEW Local 24.  At the age of 25, McCray owned his own home and seven rental units while succeeding in graduating from the IBEW apprenticeship program. He’d not only learned a trade in the program, but found a way to make a living and provide a service to his city. He spent the next couple of years working with Local 24 to lead their organizing efforts before being approached by IBEW International to lead their organizing efforts in the region. After seeing the impact his efforts had and the new members he helped join the union, he wanted to give back to his community. This is where he found politics and the importance of union-made legislators.  During his journey, the main takeaway McCray had was that every member of the union is responsible for engaging in local policy. It is the responsibility of those that cross the finish line to help more people find the success they seek. McCray believes he wouldn’t be where he is today without unions and the joint efforts of their engagement in local politics. He left one message for listeners about engaging in politics, “If not you, then who?”  For more information on state Sen, Cory McCray, please visit [electcorymccray.com](https://electcorymccray.com/). --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/brotherhood-of-railroad-signalmen-on-the-union-pacific-merger-threat) : July 6, 2026 # Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat Brandon Elvey, Secretary-Treasurer of the [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen](https://www.brs.org/),... 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