South Coast Working

About South Coast Working

Often overlooked, The South Coast of Massachusetts -- the southeastern part of the state between Cape Cod and Rhode Island - is a fascinating region with a vibrant working class and immigrant heritage. On South Coast Working, you'll hear the stories of scallop fishermen, seafood processors, textile workers, union leaders, and more. Topics include the decades-long struggle for commuter rail, and the effort to recruit a diverse construction workforce to build the nation's first offshore windfarm. South Coast Working is a project of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Center at UMass Dartmouth.

Publisher

UMass Dartmouth Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

27 Apr 2022

Latest episode

20 Apr 2026

Latest episodes

14 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   20 Apr 2026

   Telling worker stories through theatre and the arts with Elise Bryant

   On this episode we’re joined by Elise Bryant. She’s an accomplished playwright who’s turned the experiences of women and workers into theater. Her autobiographical one-woman play “Queen of the Night” (https://www.youtube.com/live/ADuq06WZAd4?si=3AL0hufMRrS8o0Ij)recounts her experiences growing up in a working-class Black family during the civil rights movement and the Detroit rebellion. Elise is also a composer, and recording artist who lectures on Black spiritual music and freedom songs. She’s also served as the president of the Coalition of Labor Union Women and executive director of the Labor Heritage Foundation and former professor at the National Labor College. Thanks so much for sitting down with us today Elise. For more information about the work of Elise Bryant, head to the Labor Heritage Foundation's website (https://laborheritage.org/). And to learn more about the Labor Education Center's website (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/) and to get involved, reach out. We’d love to hear from you.

2. 

   21 Jan 2026

   AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler reflects on labor history, while looking to the future

   Today on South Coast Working we have something a little different for you. The UMass Dartmouth Dubin Labor Education Center recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, where AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler received the Dubin award. As the proud and aggressive leader of fifteen million workers, she has worked to unite their unions, advance the organizing of new unions and pursue justice for them and the majority of Americans. She’s also shown that every union member can aspire to leadership in America’s labor movement. Today we’re sharing her speech from the banquet honoring her work. For more information on the Labor Education Center, check out our website (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/⁠). You can also follow us on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/umassdlec/#) for updates on our work or subscribe to our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@umassdlaboredcenter2686).

3. 

   28 Aug 2025

   The power of labor councils with Lisa Lemieux

   On today’s episode of South Coast Working, we’re talking with Lisa Lemieux. Lemieux is president of the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The labor council serves a coalition of over 40 affiliated unions and 40,000 affiliated members across Southeastern Massachusetts. She is part of an all-female team that includes Chrissy Lynch, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and Liz Shuler, president of the National AFL-CIO. For more information about the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, check out their website: gsmlaborcouncil.org/ (https://gsmlaborcouncil.org/). It’s the 50th anniversary of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth. To learn more about the work of the center head to their website: umassd.edu/labored/ (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/) And if you’re interested in attending upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations, reach out to Labor Ed Center director Kim Wilson at kwilson@umassd.edu (mailto:kwilson@umassd.edu).

4. 

   21 Mar 2025

   An Interview With the New Leader of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Chrissy Lynch

   On this episode of South Coast Working, we’re joined by Chrissy Lynch, the President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Lynch has been at the helm of the Mass AFL-CIO since October of 2023. She sat down to talk about her time in the position so far, challenges she’s faced, victories in her work and what the future holds for labor in the state during the current political administration.

5. 

   12 Nov 2024

   WorkedUP! These students turned art into action by organizing

   On this episode we’re looking at a special collaboration last year between the College of Visual Performing Arts and the Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth. The Labor Ed Center serves as a bridge between students and communities, it thrives most when faculty are hungry to connect students and to collaborate. This episode focuses on just one example of such a collaboration between the Labor Ed Center and a faculty member. Gabo Camnitzer was formerly an assistant professor of art and community based practices at the College of Visual Performing Arts at UMass Dartmouth. He taught a class called Art as Action. In the spring of 2023, the cohort learned about the rich history of labor on the South Coast in collaboration with the Labor Education Center. They then were tasked with using their skills and talents to create something for the community. I spoke with Gabo and a group of his former students about this type of collaboration and learning, and how many of them went from knowing very little about the labor movement, to wanting to start a union of their own.

6. 

   5 Sept 2024

   Talking Workers' Rights with AG Campbell

   On today’s episode of the South Coast Working podcast, we have a special episode featuring Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell. For the past nine years, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office has released an annual Labor Day Report (https://www.mass.gov/news/ag-campbell-releases-annual-labor-day-report-highlighting-actions-to-protect-massachusetts-workers). AG Campbell was sworn into the job in January of 2023, so this is the second Labor Day Report her office has produced. According to the latest report, in fiscal year 2024, the AG’s Office helped over 40,000 workers and assessed more than $31.5 million in unpaid wages and penalties. We sat down with AG Campbell to discuss the highlights of the report, and dig into some specific examples of labor action and enforcement here in Southeastern Mass. For more information about the work of the AG’s office head to Mass.gov (https://www.mass.gov/orgs/office-of-the-attorney-general). And to learn more about the Labor Education Center and to get involved, reach out. We’d love to hear from you.

7. 

   22 Nov 2023

   Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II Keynote address at the 48th Annual Arnold M. Dubin Award Banquet November 16th, 2023

   This podcast is Bishop Dr. William J. Barber II's Keynote address given at the 48th Annual Arnold M. Dubin Award Banquet November 16th, 2023. Rev. Dr. William Jospeh Barber II, is Co-Chair of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, Founding Director of the Center for Public Theology and Public Policy at Yale Divinity School, Political Action Committee Chair of the NAACP, and the Architect of the Forward Together Moral Movement.

8. 

   7 Nov 2023

   Steven Tolman reflects on his career and the future of the labor movement

   Today’s podcast we chat with the outgoing president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Steven Tolman. Tolman is a leader in labor and has been for many years. He got his start at the railroads in the 1970’s, has served in the legislature, and was elected as president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO in 2011. We spoke to him in late September 2023 as he reflected on his storied career, achievements and what he has planned for retirement. Tolman’s last day in office was Oct. 13. He’s succeeded by Chrissy Lynch, former chief of staff and secretary-treasurer for the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.

9. 

   7 Nov 2023

   How an education in labor has created impact on the South Coast

   On this episode of South Coast Working, we take a look at the impact of an education in labor and how Gen Z is engaging with the labor movement. We ask questions like, why is Gen Z the most pro-union generation? What moments did young people feel they were making a difference in their communities? We’ll hear from current and former students of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Center at UMass Dartmouth. Voices in this episode: Gabriel Johnson is a third year health and society major at UMass Dartmouth. He is currently a paid intern at the Labor Ed Center and previously was a part of their Summer of Solidarity program. Siggy Meilus is a longtime community and labor organizer who grew up in Massachusetts and attended UMass Dartmouth. She has worked on issues regarding public transportation, fighting evictions, and organizing restaurant workers. She now works as the national co-director of organizing for Repairs of the Breach and the Poor People's Campaign. Aaron Wazlavek is the contract coordinator and a business agent for general Teamsters local 251. The Labor Center was where he reconnected with the labor movement after moving to the Northeast and starting law school. He worked as an intern for the UMass Labor Education Center. Brian Pastori is the deputy director at the Community Economic Development Center of Southeastern Massachusetts in New Bedford. He is from the Boston area, but has lived on the South Coast for 17-18 years now. Often overlooked, The South Coast of Massachusetts — the southeastern part of the state between Cape Cod and Rhode Island — is a fascinating region with a vibrant working class and immigrant heritage. On South Coast Working, you'll hear the stories of scallop fishermen, seafood processors, textile workers, union leaders, and more. Topics include the decades-long struggle for commuter rail, and the effort to recruit a diverse construction workforce to build the nation's first offshore wind farm. South Coast Working is a project of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Center at UMass Dartmouth. For more information head to https://www.umassd.edu/labored/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbjVkRUlOWnNwU2NobzZsSVk4YlZ0MUJmaGVUZ3xBQ3Jtc0tsamJKQmJYNTBubS1CbTF4dDBsMG8ybVJrODIyUklROHFXQTRPdjg5Y1kwUE0wMGdDQ3dfdHVsUjV0dHNPUFFIUVljdk05b2N6VUdnb0xuZnhLT2lXZE9qNlBmV0p3Mk5FdFJEdkVXMjRPY0U3Smh3SQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.umassd.edu%2Flabored%2F&v=qIWHZfY_hGo).

10. 

    13 Oct 2022

    Postal Workers: Keeping Communities Connected in a Changing Industry

    The technical term for the postal workers who deliver mail to our homes is “letter carriers.” Granted, you may not remember the last time you sent a letter. But the last time you received a mail-in ballot, got your prescription medications in your mailbox, or stooped down to pick up a package delivered by a USPS employee was probably quite recent. In this episode, we walk a mile in the shoes of mailmen and mailwomen from around New England. Postal workers keep our communities connected, even as digital communications, private competition, and political shifts threaten their livelihoods and add stress and hours to their days. Some see their job as more than just delivering mail, like Maggi Burns in Providence, Rhode Island. Maggi says when a customer sees her out in a snowstorm and tells her “you shouldn’t be out in this weather,” she replies “Oh, I'm not really out here to bring you your mail. I'm out here so that you see that everything's gonna be okay.” In April 2022, postal workers celebrated a major victory with the passage of the Postal Reform Act. The legislation requires the United States Postal Service to continue to operate Monday through Saturday. And it eliminated a retiree funding mandate that put an unsustainable burden on the agency. The Postal Reform Act was the result of a decade of efforts by the National Association of Letter Carriers and the American Postal Workers – unions that represent the majority of postal employees. But it’s just a start. For this episode, we spoke with postal workers and community members who want more from the USPS– things like basic banking services at post offices, and more competitive starting salaries. You’ll hear from veteran workers reflecting on a career of service, and a young manager working to bring more dignity to her employees' careers. South Coast Working is a project of the UMass Dartmouth Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center. Learn more at umassd.edu/labored (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/). Voices in this episode Maggi Burns, letter carrier in Providence, Rhode Island Erin Durkan, postmaster in Somerset, New Hampshire, and host of the podcast Postal Blues (https://postalblues.buzzsprout.com/) Peter Arsenault, retired letter carrier and former NALC president, Rochester and New Bedford, Massachusetts Corinn Williams, Executive Director, New Bedford Community Economic Development Center, New Bedford, Massachusetts Contributors to this episode Host and producer: Andrea Muraskin Writing and additional production: Susie Armitage Research and fact-checking: Johnny Handel Executive editor: Kim Wilson Special thanks: Camilo Vivieros, Jim Snow, and Music in this episode by One Man Book, Meavy Boy, Poddington Bear, Blue Dot Sessions, and Doctor Turtle

11. 

    4 May 2022

    Building Equity: Diversifying Construction on the South Coast

    Construction work is one of the few careers left in the United States where a person can make a good living without a college degree. However, it’s also one of the few fields available to high school graduates with a work force that’s still predominantly white and male. So what will it take for women and people of color to get a bigger piece of the pie, and to land the construction jobs that provide the best wages, benefits, and safety standards – union jobs—and benefit from Massachusetts’ building boom? In this episode you’ll meet Tara Williams, who brought herself and her children out of poverty through determination, and a brand-new career in the building trades. You’ll learn about the training program where Tara got her start, and the first-in-the-nation green energy project that’s bringing new union construction jobs to the South Coast. Also covered is the shadow side of the construction economy – the exploitation of undocumented workers – and efforts to bring their employers to justice. South Coast Working is a project of the UMass Dartmouth Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/). Learn more at (//umass.edu/labored)umass.edu/labored (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/). For more information about starting a career in the building trades in Massachusetts, visit buildalifema.org (http://buildalifema.org/). To learn more about the story behind Vineyard Wind, check out the series Windfall from the podcast Outside/In, at windfallpodcast.org (http://outsideinradio.org/windfall). Voices heard in this episode: Tara Williams, Apprentice, Laborers’ International Union of North America (taraluba@gmail.com (mailto:taraluba@gmail.com)) Jim Pimental, Vice President/Organizer, Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen Yvonne Tobey, Program Manager, Building Pathways South (https://www.buildingpathwayssouth.com/) Kim Wilson, Director, UMass Dartmouth Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/) Dave Araujo, President, Southeastern MA Building Trades Council Ernesto Belo, Organizer, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Derek Adamiec, Business Representative, North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters Recording of Jose Soler courtesy of New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center ( https://fishingheritagecenter.org). Contributors to this episode: Host/Producer: Andrea Muraskin (http://andreamuraskin.contently.com/), independent podcast producer Executive Producer: Kim Wilson, Director, UMass Dartmouth Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/) Production Assistant: Rachel Dufresne, Artist in Residence with the UMass Dartmouth Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education, and a UMass Dartmouth undergraduate Special thanks: Liz Skidmore, Laura Orleans, Avory Brookins, Camilo Viveiros, and Jim Snow.

12. 

    4 May 2022

    Union Strong in Nursing Homes in The Age of Covid

    In the early months of the pandemic, health care workers were lauded as heroes, especially those who worked with the most vulnerable – the elderly and people who couldn’t take care of themselves. From March to September 2020, nursing home residents made up 40% of COVID-19 deaths. Nursing home residents are at high risk because of their age, higher rates of pre-existing illness, and the close quarters they live in. However, a study (https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.01011) published in the journal Health Affairs found that nursing homes in New York State where the workers belonged to a union experienced a 30% lower mortality rate, compared to facilities in the state where the workers were not unionized. So why the difference? In this episode, journalist Kortni Smyers-Jones speaks with study co-author Adam Dean of George Washington University, healthcare workers, and union leadership to get answers. South Coast Working is a project of the UMass Dartmouth Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/). Learn more at umass.edu/labored (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/). Voices heard in this episode: Adam Dean, Assistant Professor of Political Science, George Washington University Terri Jarry, UMass Dartmouth intern and surgical technician at Rhode Island Hospital Herbert Jean Baptiste, Vice President, SEIU 1199 Contributors to this episode: Host/Producer: Kortni Smyers-Jones, independent journalist Executive Producer: Kim Wilson, Director, UMass Dartmouth Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center (https://www.umassd.edu/labored/)

13. 

    27 Apr 2022

    Waiting for the Train: Is Commuter Rail Finally Coming to The South Coast?

    This episode chronicles the long-awaited arrival of commuter rail line infrastructure that will connect New Bedford and Fall River with Boston - and all of the economic advantages it offers. Now-graduated student journalist, Liz Anusauskas speaks with prominent commuter leaders Siggy Meilus, founder of UMass Dartmouth's transportation advocacy organization, Bus Riders United, and Eric Camallo, president of Fall River's Amalgamated Transit Union Local 174. These conversations take listeners on a deep dive into the complexities of public transportation and the profound impact its presence, or lack therof, can have on a population.

14. 

    27 Apr 2022

    A Silenced Partner: The Truth About Your Favorite Rideshare Companies

    While individuals with white collar employment worked from home during the pandemic’s most dangerous days, ride and delivery share workers continued to risk their wellbeing while making tech companies millions. In this episode, journalist Kortni Smyers-Jones explores efforts to end the injustices gig workers across the nation are facing, through conversations with people in the industry. She speaks with Chicago Rideshare Advocates organizer the Lori Simmons, Boston Independent Drivers Guild members Felipe Martinez and Henry De Groot, Georgetown University’s Global Cities Initiative post-doctoral research fellow Dr. Katy J. Wells, and Lyft driver Chris Swanson.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

474,508

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 38 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

28

Social presence

0

YouTube

86

Engagement

32

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.