
Phil Valley Ben Barwick and Local 122
From Milwaukee Mafia by Gavin Schmitt
February 17, 2026 · 38 min · Season 3 · Episode 146
About this episode
The episode explores John Balistreri's involvement with the Local Restaurant Bar Union and his personal reflections on the experience.
Learn the story of John Balistreri became a part of the Local Restaurant Bar Union and hear John reflect on his experiences -- Join the Milwaukee Mafia Newsletter and get updates about the Mafia and Gavin https://milwaukeemafia.com/join-the-mailing-list/ Got a question about this episode? Email Gavin and Eric at milwaukeemafia@gmail.com Explore the Milwaukee Mafia Wiki: https://milwaukeemafia.com/ Become part of the Family: https://www.patreon.com/Milwaukeemafia -- Gavin Schmitt is the leading historical expert on the mafia in Wisconsin. He has written several books on the subject and regularly speaks across the country. Get Gavin’s Books: https://www.amazon.com/Gavin-Schmitt/e/B00E749XFS Book Gavin for a Presentation: https://gavinschmitt.com/
People in this episode
Hosts: Gavin Schmitt, Eric
Guest: John Balistreri
Topics covered
- Mafia history
- Local unions
- True crime
- Wisconsin history
- Personal experiences
Keywords
- Milwaukee Mafia
- John Balistreri
- Local Restaurant Bar Union
- Gavin Schmitt
- Mafia history
- true crime
- Wisconsin
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Local Restaurant Bar Union, Milwaukee Mafia, Milwaukee Mafia Newsletter, Milwaukee Mafia Wiki, Patreon
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