By Bob Hennelly

Even as the nation finds itself in a tridemic, with COVID, the flu and pediatric respiratory viruses all surging, the nation is facing a critical shortfall of hundreds of thousands of nurses. In Part 1, I talk with New York State Nurses AssociationPresident Nancy Hagans, RN, about this deepening staffing crisis and her union's battle with a dozen private New York City hospitals for a fair contract.  Haggan says the top issues are wages, staffing levels and healthcare coverage, even as  NYSNA nurses continue to face the risks from COVID.

Part 2. I catch up with UAW Local 2110 President Olga Brudastova about her union’s almost month-long strike against publisher HarperCollins, which is part of the Murdoch media empire. Local 2110 got a huge PR boost when more than 150 literary agents, whose clients include Danielle Jackson, V.E. Schwab and L.A. Chandlar, signed a letter to HarperCollins pledging  to exclude the publisher from upcoming book submissions from their clients until the publisher  settles with the union that represents 250 editorial workers.

Part 3.  Making the case for non-corporate-community based bookstores with 20 shopping days until Christmas. I talk with Liza Minno, founder and general manager of the Asbury Park Cooperative Book Storyand  Carl Dix with Revolution Books, the Harlem-based all volunteer-not-for-profit bookstore.