By working people. For working people. Welcome to The Rick Smith Show. Working Americans are tired of listening to think tank approved corporate news and commentary. They want a direct, honest approach to the issues that matter, so this is what The Rick Smith Show provides. No puppets. No focus groups. No talking points.
Episodes
Wednesday May 18, 2016
Wednesday May 18, 2016
Marc Stier, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center joins Rick to discuss today’s rally and the new report PBPC is putting out on the effects of painful GOP austerity cuts to the state’s public universities and colleges. What have these cuts meant to working families and what are they doing to the competitiveness of the commonwealth?
Wednesday May 18, 2016
Wednesday May 18, 2016
Doug Cunningham, Reporter for Workers Independent News joins Rick to talk about the big labor stories of the day from around the nation. From the Obama Administration movement on Overtime regulation to a potential split in Labor over environmental policy, and much more.
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Keith Rouda, Progressive Change Campaign Committee's Online Member Engagement Director joins Rick on the ground from Kentucky as voters head to the polls to talk about what voters are saying and what issues are resonating. Is it Hillary? Bernie? Or The Donald?
Heather Slavkin Corzo, Director of Office of Investment with the AFL-CIO joins Rick to talk about their new report on CEO pay in America and discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of having a massive 335 times CEO to worker pay gap.
Ed Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO joins Rick to talk presidential positions on transportation issues ahead of the KY and OR primaries as well as recap last week’s rally in DC against Norwegian Air being allowed to violate the law.
Brendan Duke, Associate Director of Economic Policy joins Rick to discuss the Obama administration’s new overtime regulations and how these changes will help workers across the nation.
Celeste Drake, Trade & Globalization Policy Specialist with the AFL-CIO joins Rick to explain conditions in Colombia since the passage of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement and why the AFL-CIO filed a Labor Rights Petition against Colombia.
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Keith Rouda, Progressive Change Campaign Committee's Online Member Engagement Director joins Rick on the ground from Kentucky as voters head to the polls to talk about what voters are saying and what issues are resonating. Is it Hillary? Bernie? Or The Donald?
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Heather Slavkin Corzo, Director of Office of Investment with the AFL-CIO joins Rick to talk about their new report on CEO pay in America and discuss the good, the bad, and the ugly of having a massive 335 times CEO to worker pay gap.
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Ed Wytkind, President of the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO joins Rick to talk presidential positions on transportation issues ahead of the KY and OR primaries as well as recap last week’s rally in DC against Norwegian Air being allowed to violate the law.
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Brendan Duke, Associate Director of Economic Policy joins Rick to discuss the Obama administration’s new overtime regulations and how these changes will help workers across the nation.
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Tuesday May 17, 2016
Celeste Drake, Trade & Globalization Policy Specialist with the AFL-CIO joins Rick to explain conditions in Colombia since the passage of the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement and why the AFL-CIO filed a Labor Rights Petition against Colombia.
Monday May 16, 2016
Monday May 16, 2016
Edward F Mooney, Vice President of CWA District 2-13 joins Rick to discuss the latest news and information from the Verizon picket lines as CWA members enter their second month standing up for good local jobs, job security, and respect.
David Dayen, journalist and author joins Rick to talk about his recently released book, “CHAIN OF TITLE: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street’s Great Foreclosure Fraud.” David answers the who, what, and why of the 2008 bailout and exposes the real reason behind the bubble popping.
Kevin MaHoney, Editor Zero at the Raging Chicken Press joins Rick to talk about the potential of a strike at Pennsylvania’s state owned universities due to a failure the failure of the chancellor and his bargaining team to actually bargain.
Bob George, project director for the The SOS Coalition for Action joins Rick to talk about the march and gathering to be held in Washington D.C this summer and why teachers, parents, and students need to get involved in saving public education.
Troy LaRaviere, suspended Chicago Public School Elementary School Principal and public education activist joins Rick to talk about what is going on is Chicago’s schools and why educators across the nation should be taking notice, and action.
Monday May 16, 2016
Monday May 16, 2016
Edward F Mooney, Vice President of CWA District 2-13 joins Rick to discuss the latest news and information from the Verizon picket lines as CWA members enter their second month standing up for good local jobs, job security, and respect.
Monday May 16, 2016
Monday May 16, 2016
David Dayen, journalist and author joins Rick to talk about his recently released book, “CHAIN OF TITLE: How Three Ordinary Americans Uncovered Wall Street’s Great Foreclosure Fraud.” David answers the who, what, and why of the 2008 bailout and exposes the real reason behind the bubble popping.
Monday May 16, 2016
Monday May 16, 2016
Kevin MaHoney, Editor Zero at the Raging Chicken Press joins Rick to talk about the potential of a strike at Pennsylvania’s state owned universities due to a failure the failure of the chancellor and his bargaining team to actually bargain.
Monday May 16, 2016
Monday May 16, 2016
Bob George, project director for the The SOS Coalition for Action joins Rick to talk about the march and gathering to be held in Washington D.C this summer and why teachers, parents, and students need to get involved in saving public education.
Monday May 16, 2016
Monday May 16, 2016
Troy LaRaviere, suspended Chicago Public School Elementary School Principal and public education activist joins Rick to talk about what is going on is Chicago’s schools and why educators across the nation should be taking notice, and action.
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Irwin Aronson, Labor Attorney and Rick Smith Show regular commentator joins Rick to share his wit and wisdom.
Jerry Jordan, President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers joins Rick to talk about today’s state Supreme Court case involving his members to answer the question of whether or not the School Reform Commission can unilaterally change terms of the union’s contract.
Marc Stier, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center joins Rick to talk about today’s press conference to reform Pennsylvania’s tax system to make it fairer for lower and middle income taxpayers.
Larry Cohen, former CWA International President joins Rick to talk about Senator Bernie Sanders big win in the West Virginia primary, where the Sanders camp is heading, and discuss his thoughts on the ongoing Verizon strike.
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Irwin Aronson, Labor Attorney and Rick Smith Show regular commentator joins Rick to share his wit and wisdom.
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Jerry Jordan, President of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers joins Rick to talk about today’s state Supreme Court case involving his members to answer the question of whether or not the School Reform Commission can unilaterally change terms of the union’s contract.
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Marc Stier, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center joins Rick to talk about today’s press conference to reform Pennsylvania’s tax system to make it fairer for lower and middle income taxpayers.
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Wednesday May 11, 2016
Larry Cohen, former CWA International President joins Rick to talk about Senator Bernie Sanders big win in the West Virginia primary, where the Sanders camp is heading, and discuss his thoughts on the ongoing Verizon strike.
Tuesday May 10, 2016
Tuesday May 10, 2016
James Gardler, President CWA Local 13000 joins Rick to give and update from the picket line as striking CWA members enter the fourth week of their job action. Stories of needless injuries, customer dissatisfaction, and mounting tensions seem to be everywhere.
Robert Weiner, President of Robert Weiner & Associates joins Rick to talk West Virginia Primary and answer the question, how does Hillary attract and get out the youth vote?
Christian E. Weller, Senior Fellow at American Progress and a professor of public policy at the University of Massachusetts, Boston joins Rick to discuss the new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on retirement security, or the lack thereof for working people in the US and what needs to be done to stave off the impending crisis.
Paul Krishnamurty, UK Political Odds maker joins Rick to lay out the betting line in the UK on the US Presidential election and to talk about how this election season is being viewed people in the UK.