KU Professors Are Long Overdue for their First Contract and Can Labor and Management Really Cooperate?-An Interview with Bob Jacobi

KU Professors Are Long Overdue for their First Contract and Can Labor and Management Really Cooperate?-An Interview with Bob Jacobi

Author: KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio November 4, 2025 Duration: 59:53
Over a year and a half ago, faculty and academic staff at the University of Kansas overwhelmingly voted in favor of unionization as the United Academics of KU. So why don’t they have a union contract by now? We’ll find out this week on the Heartland Labor Forum. Then, with the inherent adversarial relationship between labor and management, can the two sides ever really cooperate? We'll ask Bob Jacobi, Executive Director of the Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City to make the case for it. Our feature is Safety First with Mary Erio.

Drawn from the archives of the long-running radio program, the Heartland Labor Forum podcast brings you direct, unfiltered conversations about work, power, and the fight for dignity on the job. Produced by KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio, this series stands as the city's sole dedicated program focusing entirely on the workplace. It’s a space where workers' voices take center stage, offering perspectives often missing from mainstream news. Each episode digs into the real stories shaping labor in the Heartland and beyond, from local organizing drives and contract battles to national policy debates that impact everyday lives. You’ll hear from union members, organizers, journalists, and workers in non-unionized settings, all sharing experiences that clarify, motivate, and sometimes rightly anger. This isn't theoretical commentary; it's grounded reporting and analysis that speaks directly to the challenges and triumphs of working people. Tune in for a podcast that cuts through the noise, providing essential listening for anyone who earns a paycheck and wants to understand the forces that shape it. The archive is rich with history and immediacy, ensuring every discussion-whether from last week or last year-remains urgently relevant.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

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