This episode of the Folk Labor Desk is a special episode made while JP laid over at his away-from-home terminal in Nashville, TN. It features poetry about contemporary life on the railroad from a fellow locomotive engineer, Cary Depew, as well as the classic union song “Which Side Are You

By Mike Elk Last week, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a landmark citation against a Pilgrim’s Pride chicken slaughterhouse and processing facility in Live Oaks, Florida. Among other serious violations, OSHA cited the company for failing to promptly refer injured workers to medical attention. Instead, the

By Mike Elk It’s Payday, Folks! Greetings from the Heart of the South: Chattanooga, Tennessee! This week’s Lunch Pail is dedicated to the non-union ironworkers at the Cambria Hotel construction site in Nashville, Tennessee, who went on strike this week over the refusal of their employer, K&

By Mike Elk CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE – Khristy Wilkinson, a 36-year-old, tattoo-adorned, stay-at-home mom, doesn’t look like your typical Eastern Tennessee politician. Before this year, she had never even considered running for public office, but says that she was inspired to run by the success of Bernie Sanders. Until recently, Wilkinson