The third episode of New Yorkers at Work delves into the formation of the Committee for Industrial Organizations (CIO) out of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in the 1930s. Men and women who participated in unions during the era recall the appalling working conditions, the rampant unemployment, the lack of social safety nets, and the struggle to create a larger organization to help them achieve their goals, in the face of unsympathetic employers and an unresponsive AFL.
Narrators Martha Greenhouse and Frederick O'Neal provide historical context and bridge gaps in the story, while Oscar Brand and others perform folk songs between the spoken word portions of the episode.
Audio courtesy of the NYC Municipal Archives WNYC Collection
WNYC archives id: 92584