LaborForce Media launches new labor podcast with Rick Smith

LaborForce Media has launched Partners in Labor with Rick Smith, a podcast focused on the people and partnerships behind unions and working families. The show is now available on major podcast platforms and will connect with the company’s broader radio and podcast lineup.

Why it matters: - LaborForce Media is expanding its labor-focused audio lineup with a show designed to highlight the people and organizations that support unions and working families. - The launch adds another channel for labor audiences to hear about wages, benefits, workplace safety, organizing and workers’ rights. - The podcast is also meant to deepen LaborForce Media’s broader platform across radio, podcasts, digital journalism and social media.

What happened: - LaborForce Media launched Partners in Labor with Rick Smith, a new podcast centered on conversations about labor unions and the relationships behind them. - The show is now available on major podcast listening platforms. - The initial collection of interviews is available now, with additional conversations planned. - LaborForce Media is inviting suggestions for future guests from union leaders, members, family members, employers, service partners, public officials and other supporters of labor. - Listeners can find the series at the show page.

The details: - Partners in Labor will feature union leaders, union members, their families, vendor partners, union employer groups, elected officials, advocates and others who support labor unions. - The podcast will explore how guests connect to labor and how that commitment shows up in action. - Topics include healthcare, benefits, financial security, organizing, workforce development, workplace safety and workers’ rights. - Kerri O’Brien, LaborForce Media co-founder and CEO, said the show is meant to examine what labor commitment looks like and how people put that understanding to work. - Rick Smith, host of Partners in Labor, said the conversations are meant to go beyond introductions and focus on work, responsibility and the difference guests hope to make. - LaborForce Media says the word “partner” can mean an employer investing in a skilled union workforce, a family member advocating for protections or a service provider helping make benefits more accessible.

Between the lines: - The launch ties into LaborForce Media’s effort to build a connected ecosystem around working America, with each program serving a different purpose. - The Daily Jolt with Rick Smith, launched on Labor Day 2026, covers the day’s issues through news, commentary and interviews. - Selected Partners in Labor clips will appear on The Daily Jolt, helping drive audiences between the two formats. - The Rick Smith Show gives the new podcast another audience entry point through Smith’s longer-running labor commentary. - Labor’s 9/11 Legacy, hosted by Arthur Aidala, adds a historical layer by preserving stories tied to labor’s role in the response and recovery after September 11. - LaborForce Media co-founder and CRO Darren Yelin said the company wants to connect current labor issues with the history behind them and preserve why that history matters.

What’s next: - More Partners in Labor interviews are on the way. - LaborForce Media wants listeners to suggest future guests and topics. - The company plans to use the show to feed select interviews and clips into The Daily Jolt, extending the reach of both programs.

The bottom line: - Partners in Labor is both a new podcast and a distribution strategy, giving LaborForce Media another way to grow its labor audience while reinforcing its broader media network.