Unemployment benefits just got a significant boost in New York State. This long-awaited increase, championed by the union movement, raises important questions: How much did the benefit go up? Who qualifies? How long can you collect?

New York State Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon joins us to break down what’s changed, why it matters, and what workers need to know.

Resources:

Visit https://dol.ny.gov/

Women’s professional basketball has been on a roll, enjoying record growth, and it keeps getting better.

The WNBA recently signed a massive television contract, merchandise sales have increased, and attendance has reached historic levels, including right here in New York at the New York Liberty games.

Yet the players responsible for that growth don’t get a single share of all that revenue – and that’s at the center of a contract fight that has the attention of the entire union movement in New York.

On the latest Union Strong podcast, Terri Carmichael Jackson, the Executive Director of the Women's National Basketball Players Association, discusses what is at the center of this fight.

Resources:

Follow @TheWNBPA on Instagram, Twitter and Threads

WNBPA Letter Campaign: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/wnba-players-deserve-a-higher-salary-and-better-working-conditions?source=union-hall&referrer=group-new-york-state-afl-cio

See the NYS AFL-CIO letter to Commissioner Engelbert: https://nysaflcio.org/press-releases/20251025-wnbpa

Watch “Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story”: https://tubitv.com/movies/100014374/shattered-glass-a-wnbpa-story

We are now in the second week of a government shutdown, one that has been described as calculated, cruel, and chaotic, and, unfortunately, there’s still no end in sight. On the latest episode of the Union Strong podcast, we are joined by the President of the New York State AFL-CIO, who sheds light on how this shutdown will affect working people, the services we rely on, and what we can do moving forward.

Resources:

Make a Call: Stop the Shutdown and the Cuts to Working Families

Statement from NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento on the shutdown