Breaking Ground

Breaking Ground educates listeners about why union labor and solidarity is more important than ever! Operating Engineers Local 3 is the largest construction trades local in the U.S., representing over 38,000 members across a four-state jurisdiction of Northern California, Northern Nevada, Utah and Hawaii, including the mid-Pacific Islands. From heavy equipment operators, crane operators and mechanics, to surveyors, construction inspectors, highway maintenance workers, police officers and other public employees, Local 3 represents the men and women who drive this country’s economy. Stay informed as we tackle important topics for labor including trends in our digital world like the gig economy and automation, as well as organizing tactics, labor politics and interviews with union leaders and members.

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Breaking Ground

Halfway To Hell, The Workers And Unions That Built The Golden Gate Bridge

June 11, 2020 • IUOE3

In this episode, we listen to famed local actor Danny Glover, a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artist (SAG AFTRA). SAG AFTRA members are the faces and voices that entertain and inform America and the world. Both were born in the turmoil of the 1930s, around the same time the Golden Gate Bridge was being built. They have rich histories of fighting for and securing the strongest protections for media artists.

Glover narrates the short film, “Halfway To Hell, The Workers And Unions That Built The Golden Gate Bridge.” Workers tell their stories as we hear the construction taking place. This film was made in 1988 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the bridge and to honor the workers who built it. Permission was granted by the Labor Video Project. They can be found at www.laborvideo.org