About this episode
This episode explores the impact of the weapons industry on St. Louis and the struggles of workers amidst a significant labor strike.
For a century, the weapons industry has helped shape St. Louis — from the McDonnell Douglas fighters that once symbolized American air power to Boeing’s sprawling factories today. But when thousands of machinists walked off the job this year, something cracked in “Fighterland, USA.” In this episode, we head to the picket line to hear from the workers who build America’s bombs and jets — those struggling to afford rent, groceries, and daycare while assembling weapons worth more than their annual salaries. Reporter Sophie Hurwitz takes us inside a city reckoning with its identity: Can St. Louis really become the “Silicon Valley of defense” when the jobs it’s banking on are shrinking? What happens when an economy built on war no longer guarantees stability? And what does labor power look like in an industry whose products help shape conflicts worldwide? While some in town are fighting to keep defense dollars flowing, others want St. Louis to imagine a different future. This is the story of a strike, a city, and a century-long relationship with the military-industrial complex now reaching its breaking point. Guests: Sophie Hurwitz, Reporting Fellow, Inkstick Media; Breanna Donnell…
People in this episode
Guests: Sophie Hurwitz, Breanna Donnell, Rick Perdue, Mason, Stephen Quackenbush, Maxi Glamour
Topics covered
- labor strikes
- military-industrial complex
- defense industry
- economic stability
- workers' rights
- St. Louis history
Keywords
- weapons industry
- machinists strike
- Boeing
- economic challenges
- defense jobs
- St. Louis
- labor power
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Inkstick Media, University of Missouri
Places: St. Louis, Silicon Valley
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