It’s easy to forget just how bad things used to be — and how quickly they can return. In this episode, we take a closer look at what labor protections were built to prevent: the heat, the blades, the blood. From children on kill floors to men collapsing in the sun, this isn’t distant history — it’s a warning. Because while the language has changed, the rollback is already underway. And when memory is lost, so is leverage.
Further Reading :
National Employment Law Project, Tracking Deregulation in the Trump and Post-Trump Era
A detailed record of federal rollbacks to worker protections, including OSHA enforcement, wage theft accountability, and classification laws.
Economic Policy Institute, The erosion of worker power
Explores long-term trends behind declining union density, stagnant wages, and weakened safety standards.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Data and Statistics Page
Useful for tracking inspection rates, citations, and enforcement trends by year and sector.
ProPublica, “They Know the Heat Is Killing Workers. If Only the Government Would Listen.”
Investigative reporting on how heat-related workplace deaths are rising — and how policy has failed to keep up.
American Journal of Public Health, “Child Labor in the United States: Hidden in Plain Sight”
A look at how minors are still legally employed in dangerous sectors like agriculture and meat processing.
