About this episode

Maximillian Alvarez interviews Chris Smalls about his journey and the formation of the Amazon Labor Union.

At a live event hosted at Red Emma's Cooperative Bookstore and Coffeehouse in Baltimore, Maryland, TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez got to sit down for a deep and wide-ranging conversation with Chris Smalls, co-founder and former president of the Amazon Labor Union. Alvarez and Smalls discuss Smalls' new book, When the Revolution Comes: A Fight for the Future of the Working Class ; they recount the incredible story of the formation of the Amazon Labor Union and the unionization of the first Amazon warehouse in the US; and they talk about Smalls' journey from warehouse worker and labor organizer to becoming an internationally recognized public figure and a human rights activist who has sailed with humanitarian flotilla missions to Gaza and Cuba. Additional links/info: Chris Smalls X page and Instagram Chris Smalls, Penguin Random House, When the Revolution Comes: A Fight for the Future of the Working Class Maximillian Alvarez, TRNN, " Chris Smalls: Sabotage attempts and death threats won't stop Gaza Freedom Flotilla " Featured Music: Jules Taylor, Working People Theme Song Credits: Audio Post-Production: Jules Taylor

People in this episode

Host: Maximillian Alvarez

Guest: Chris Smalls

Topics covered

• labor movement
• unionization
• worker rights
• activism
• Amazon
• human rights

Keywords

• Chris Smalls
• Amazon Labor Union
• unionization
• labor rights
• activism
• human rights
• When the Revolution Comes

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Amazon Labor Union, Red Emma's Cooperative Bookstore and Coffeehouse, Penguin Random House

Books & works: When the Revolution Comes: A Fight for the Future of the Working Class

Places: Baltimore, Maryland

More episodes of Working People

• Data centers are not a "red state" or "blue state" problem; they're a working-class problem · July 15, 2026 · 1h 16m
• Train crashes destroyed their towns. Will yours be next? · July 6, 2026 · 1h 12m
• Toxic Avengers: America's poisoned and abandoned communities must stand together or die · July 1, 2026 · 1h 8m
• UAW becomes first major union to divest from Israel · June 26, 2026 · 1h 5m
• FBI raids homes of Michigan students and workers for Palestine activism · June 23, 2026 · 25 min
• LIVE SHOW w/ Kim Kelly, Alex Press, and Hamilton Nolan · June 18, 2026 · 1h 12m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Working People podcast page.