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By Bob Hennelly

The Stuck Nation Labor Radio Hour is in Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention where Donald Trump has picked Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, a key labor state, as his vice-presidential pick.

Joshua Freeman, noted labor historian, author and professor emeritus at CUNY's Queens College traces the long history of the American labor movement’s relationship with the two major parties.

In the second half of the show, we catch up with Chali Pitman, the news director at WORT, the Pacifica affiliate based in Madison Wisconsin who is co-anchoring the Pacifica Radio Network’s RNC coverage. Pittman recounts Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker’s attack on public sector unions and describes how the state’s labor and progressive forces successfully organized to counter Walker. 

Pittman also discusses some of the major life and death issues in Wisconsin that don’t get enough attention—like the deepening crisis facing rural communities that lack basic Emergency Medical Services.

“In rural Wisconsin, if you call 911 you can’t be sure anybody will show up,” Pittman says.

Listen to the entire show below: