Brian Lysell
@brianlysell.bsky.social
SAG-AFTRA, Ohio-Pittsburgh Local Executive Director
Reposted by Brian Lysell
Trump’s cronies have handed employers billions by refusing to defend a ban on noncompete clauses in worker contracts. These clauses suppress wages and undermine freedom for workers, so of course, Trump sides with Big Business. From @ddayen.bsky.social: trib.al/CNnl14j
Trump Lets Bosses Grab $400 Billion in Worker Pay
By refusing to defend a ban on noncompete agreements in court, the Federal Trade Commission enables employers to suppress wages.
trib.al
September 10, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Trump’s cronies have handed employers billions by refusing to defend a ban on noncompete clauses in worker contracts. These clauses suppress wages and undermine freedom for workers, so of course, Trump sides with Big Business. From @ddayen.bsky.social: trib.al/CNnl14j
Reposted by Brian Lysell
Happy Labor Day from my union newsroom. Being a part of the SAG-AFTRA producers union with my colleagues has been one of the best and most rewarding experiences of my career.
And I get paid way more than I used to. Unionize your newsroom!
And I get paid way more than I used to. Unionize your newsroom!
September 1, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Happy Labor Day from my union newsroom. Being a part of the SAG-AFTRA producers union with my colleagues has been one of the best and most rewarding experiences of my career.
And I get paid way more than I used to. Unionize your newsroom!
And I get paid way more than I used to. Unionize your newsroom!
Reposted by Brian Lysell
The largest TV broadcasters are so confident that Brendan Carr will trash FCC regulations that they've already started proposing mergers that are illegal under existing law.
The consequences are dire: https://www.freepress.net/blog/broadcasters-strike-devils-bargain-trump-regime
The consequences are dire: https://www.freepress.net/blog/broadcasters-strike-devils-bargain-trump-regime
Broadcasters Strike a Devil's Bargain with the Trump Regime
Thanks to Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, every merger is now an opening for extortion.
www.freepress.net
August 16, 2025 at 9:09 PM
The largest TV broadcasters are so confident that Brendan Carr will trash FCC regulations that they've already started proposing mergers that are illegal under existing law.
The consequences are dire: https://www.freepress.net/blog/broadcasters-strike-devils-bargain-trump-regime
The consequences are dire: https://www.freepress.net/blog/broadcasters-strike-devils-bargain-trump-regime
Reposted by Brian Lysell
They should try thinking about baseball
August 15, 2025 at 3:25 AM
They should try thinking about baseball
Reposted by Brian Lysell
This is awesome: a "WKRP in Cincinnati" fan created a three-hour Johnny Fever radio block, by using clips from the TV show and dropping in the full songs on his intros and outros, plus commercials and Les Nessman news breaks.
WKRP: Johnny Fever
www.awphooey.com
August 14, 2025 at 11:02 PM
This is awesome: a "WKRP in Cincinnati" fan created a three-hour Johnny Fever radio block, by using clips from the TV show and dropping in the full songs on his intros and outros, plus commercials and Les Nessman news breaks.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
The rich and powerful want nothing more than for you and your coworkers to remain unorganized and atomized from one another.
August 13, 2025 at 10:16 PM
The rich and powerful want nothing more than for you and your coworkers to remain unorganized and atomized from one another.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
TV Talk: More bad news out of @WQED which laid off an additional 19 employees today, via @triblive.bsky.social : triblive.com/aande/movies...
WQED lays off another 19 employees
Following the May elimination of five employees, WQED laid off 19 employees on Wednesday, primarily in marketing, membership and production. In a statement, WQED president Jason Jedlinski said the lay...
triblive.com
July 30, 2025 at 8:02 PM
TV Talk: More bad news out of @WQED which laid off an additional 19 employees today, via @triblive.bsky.social : triblive.com/aande/movies...
Reposted by Brian Lysell
Reposted by Brian Lysell
LL Cool J said that he will not perform at Wawa Welcome America in Philadelphia on July 4th because of union strike
“There is absolutely no way I can perform across a picket line”
“There is absolutely no way I can perform across a picket line”
LL COOL J drops out of Wawa Welcome America concert because of union strike
LL COOL J said that he is not going to perform at Wawa Welcome America on July 4th in light of the AFSCME District Council 33 strike in Philadelphia.
www.nbcphiladelphia.com
July 4, 2025 at 2:55 AM
LL Cool J said that he will not perform at Wawa Welcome America in Philadelphia on July 4th because of union strike
“There is absolutely no way I can perform across a picket line”
“There is absolutely no way I can perform across a picket line”
Reposted by Brian Lysell
Young workers at Starbucks, Amazon, Sesame Workshop, Hearst Magazines, and Action Network talk about how organizing changed their relationship with work.
Think It’s Impossible to Find Community at Work? Try Joining a Union
I went from “just thinking of myself to really caring so deeply about all of my colleagues.”
www.teenvogue.com
June 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Young workers at Starbucks, Amazon, Sesame Workshop, Hearst Magazines, and Action Network talk about how organizing changed their relationship with work.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
pittsburgh friends, a reminder: the writers and editors at the post-gazette are on strike. have been for well over 2 yrs. even if ~certain editors~ insist they're not part of the union, posting PG links is driving clicks / revenue to the paper, therefore undermining the strike. don't be a scab.
May 13, 2025 at 1:03 PM
pittsburgh friends, a reminder: the writers and editors at the post-gazette are on strike. have been for well over 2 yrs. even if ~certain editors~ insist they're not part of the union, posting PG links is driving clicks / revenue to the paper, therefore undermining the strike. don't be a scab.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
NEW: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has a big choice to make.
Sign the newly passed Worker Protection Act, which makes it easier to unionize
*or*
Commit "political suicide," as the state AFL-CIO leader put it to me.
"If he vetoes this, he's ‘Right to Work Polis’ from this point on. He's cooked."
Sign the newly passed Worker Protection Act, which makes it easier to unionize
*or*
Commit "political suicide," as the state AFL-CIO leader put it to me.
"If he vetoes this, he's ‘Right to Work Polis’ from this point on. He's cooked."
Democratic governor faces a choice: Siding with workers or "political suicide"
Inside the intensifying battle over workers' rights in Colorado
www.progressreport.news
May 7, 2025 at 10:47 PM
NEW: Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has a big choice to make.
Sign the newly passed Worker Protection Act, which makes it easier to unionize
*or*
Commit "political suicide," as the state AFL-CIO leader put it to me.
"If he vetoes this, he's ‘Right to Work Polis’ from this point on. He's cooked."
Sign the newly passed Worker Protection Act, which makes it easier to unionize
*or*
Commit "political suicide," as the state AFL-CIO leader put it to me.
"If he vetoes this, he's ‘Right to Work Polis’ from this point on. He's cooked."
Reposted by Brian Lysell
National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health researchers work to protect miners from black lung disease, firefighters from cancer, and workers everywhere from dangerous workplace hazards.
Trump is planning to fire 85% of them.
Make no mistake: this will cost workers their lives.
Trump is planning to fire 85% of them.
Make no mistake: this will cost workers their lives.
May 2, 2025 at 9:15 PM
National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health researchers work to protect miners from black lung disease, firefighters from cancer, and workers everywhere from dangerous workplace hazards.
Trump is planning to fire 85% of them.
Make no mistake: this will cost workers their lives.
Trump is planning to fire 85% of them.
Make no mistake: this will cost workers their lives.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
On Workers Memorial Day, America’s unions mourn the workers who have lost their lives or been injured or ill on the job.
Every worker should be able to go home at the end of the day safe and healthy, and we’ll keep fighting like hell to make that a reality for EVERY worker.
Every worker should be able to go home at the end of the day safe and healthy, and we’ll keep fighting like hell to make that a reality for EVERY worker.
April 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
On Workers Memorial Day, America’s unions mourn the workers who have lost their lives or been injured or ill on the job.
Every worker should be able to go home at the end of the day safe and healthy, and we’ll keep fighting like hell to make that a reality for EVERY worker.
Every worker should be able to go home at the end of the day safe and healthy, and we’ll keep fighting like hell to make that a reality for EVERY worker.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
The children's books that Sam Alito says convey "highly objectionable moral principles" are standard-issue storybooks with gay and trans characters. They don't teach anything about "gender and sexuality." Alito is just a homophobe who doesn't want to see it. ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/mahmo...
Let’s Take a Look at the Children’s Books Sam Alito Is So Afraid Of
Stories like "Uncle Bobby's Wedding" are only objectionable if you find the very existence of LGBTQ people to be objectionable.
ballsandstrikes.org
April 24, 2025 at 3:33 PM
The children's books that Sam Alito says convey "highly objectionable moral principles" are standard-issue storybooks with gay and trans characters. They don't teach anything about "gender and sexuality." Alito is just a homophobe who doesn't want to see it. ballsandstrikes.org/scotus/mahmo...
Reposted by Brian Lysell
Meritocracy is when you’re a Fox News host and then get to run the military. It’s when you have zero experience in museums and get to overhaul the Smithsonian for impure ideology. It’s when you’re the richest man on Earth & buy your way into govt - and staff a dept w/ your own interns. Etc.
🚨 the latest EO announces the admin wants to eliminate disparate impact liability www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...
Restoring Equality of Opportunity and Meritocracy
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose. A
www.whitehouse.gov
April 24, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Meritocracy is when you’re a Fox News host and then get to run the military. It’s when you have zero experience in museums and get to overhaul the Smithsonian for impure ideology. It’s when you’re the richest man on Earth & buy your way into govt - and staff a dept w/ your own interns. Etc.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
Congrats to TurboTax, which has worked for two decades to stop Americans from being able to file taxes for free.
www.propublica.org/article/insi...
www.propublica.org/article/insi...
April 16, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Congrats to TurboTax, which has worked for two decades to stop Americans from being able to file taxes for free.
www.propublica.org/article/insi...
www.propublica.org/article/insi...
Reposted by Brian Lysell
BREAKING: The United Mineworkers and United Steelworkers unions are suing the Trump admin over its decision to delay enforcement of a lifesaving new silica rule meant to curb the black lung epidemic in Appalachia.
My exclusive for @inthesetimesmag.bsky.social: inthesetimes.com/article/trum...
My exclusive for @inthesetimesmag.bsky.social: inthesetimes.com/article/trum...
Trump Just Escalated His War on Coal Miners. Their Unions Are Fighting Back.
The Trump administration’s feckless business-first, workers-last approach is leaving the nation’s coal miners to die—and now their unions are taking him to court.
inthesetimes.com
April 14, 2025 at 8:00 PM
BREAKING: The United Mineworkers and United Steelworkers unions are suing the Trump admin over its decision to delay enforcement of a lifesaving new silica rule meant to curb the black lung epidemic in Appalachia.
My exclusive for @inthesetimesmag.bsky.social: inthesetimes.com/article/trum...
My exclusive for @inthesetimesmag.bsky.social: inthesetimes.com/article/trum...
Reposted by Brian Lysell
RFK Jr Just eliminated #NIOSH.
So I guess environmental toxins don't count if they're just in the workplace.
And I guess RFK Jr doesn't consider workers to be Americans. Because he just left them all behind.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
So I guess environmental toxins don't count if they're just in the workplace.
And I guess RFK Jr doesn't consider workers to be Americans. Because he just left them all behind.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
April 2, 2025 at 4:54 PM
RFK Jr Just eliminated #NIOSH.
So I guess environmental toxins don't count if they're just in the workplace.
And I guess RFK Jr doesn't consider workers to be Americans. Because he just left them all behind.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
So I guess environmental toxins don't count if they're just in the workplace.
And I guess RFK Jr doesn't consider workers to be Americans. Because he just left them all behind.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...
Reposted by Brian Lysell
One of the lesser-known government agencies provides free mediation for collective bargaining. It has helped resolve some of the biggest labor disputes in recent history and saved the economy hundreds of millions of dollars.
Trump deleted it.
From our friends at @revolvingdoordc.bsky.social:
Trump deleted it.
From our friends at @revolvingdoordc.bsky.social:
Trump Quietly Decimates a Pivotal Labor Relations Agency
The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service has been destroyed. It provided free collective-bargaining mediation and saved hundreds of millions of dollars in labor costs.
prospect.org
April 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
One of the lesser-known government agencies provides free mediation for collective bargaining. It has helped resolve some of the biggest labor disputes in recent history and saved the economy hundreds of millions of dollars.
Trump deleted it.
From our friends at @revolvingdoordc.bsky.social:
Trump deleted it.
From our friends at @revolvingdoordc.bsky.social:
Reposted by Brian Lysell
This is a wildly dangerous sign — the idea that there are only five SCOTUS votes for paying congressionally mandated invoices for work *already* done!? This should be as basic a test of Article I as you can get. And that does not bode well for decisions to come.
BREAKING: On a 5-4 order, SCOTUS denies DOJ’s motion to vacate Judge Ali’s State/USAID order, but notes that his prior deadline passed, so Ali is going to have to go back to the drawing board and “clarify” what the gov’t needs to do, “with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines.”
![SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES
No. 24A831
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, ET AL. U. AIDS VACCINE ADVOCACY COALITION, ET AL.
ON APPLICATION TO VACATE THE ORDER ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
(March 5, 2025]
On February 13, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia entered a temporary restraining order enjoining the Government from enforcing directives pausing disbursements of foreign development assistance funds.
The present application does not challenge the Government's obligation to follow that order. On February 25, the District Court ordered the Government to issue payments for a portion of the paused disbursements-those owed for work already completed before the issuance of the District Court's temporary restraining order-by 11:59 p.m. on February 26. Several hours before that deadline, the Government filed this application to vacate the District Court's February 25 order and requested an immediate administrative stay. THE CHIEF JUSTICE entered an administrative stay shortly before the 11:59 p.m. deadline and subsequently referred the application to the Court. The application is denied. Given that the deadline in the challenged order has now passed, and in light of the ongoing preliminary injunction proceedings, the District Court should clarify what obligations the Government must fulfill to ensure compliance with the temporary restraining order, with due regard for the feasibility of any compliance timelines. The order heretofore entered by THE CHIEF JUSTICE is vacated.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:36eqtmzysqf7wsslczw4uxcd/bafkreiancyolrpahy5eevk7jckhjxanf3xodqpitrzmowz5o6ke7ukg7sq@jpeg)
March 5, 2025 at 2:44 PM
This is a wildly dangerous sign — the idea that there are only five SCOTUS votes for paying congressionally mandated invoices for work *already* done!? This should be as basic a test of Article I as you can get. And that does not bode well for decisions to come.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
New from me and @newsmanchris.bsky.social: a Pittsburgh IRS employee caught up in the federal layoffs says no one will be better off because of these cuts.
Pittsburgh based IRS agent speaks out after firing, "People are not going to benefit from these cuts."
The Pittsburgh-based IRS agent was let go just prior to his one-year work anniversary and was working with companies to ensure they filed correctly.
www.cbsnews.com
February 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM
New from me and @newsmanchris.bsky.social: a Pittsburgh IRS employee caught up in the federal layoffs says no one will be better off because of these cuts.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
Listen up nerds:
* DEI is when vagina. Or dark skin.
* Merit is when you're a shithammered TV personality who gets handpicked to become the head of the military.
Facts matter, as a matter of fact.
* DEI is when vagina. Or dark skin.
* Merit is when you're a shithammered TV personality who gets handpicked to become the head of the military.
Facts matter, as a matter of fact.
Admiral Franchetti became the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations on Nov. 2, 2023, making her the first woman to have a permanent seat as a member of the Joint Chiefs www.nytimes.com/2025/02/21/u...
Pete Hegseth Fires Adm. Lisa Franchetti, Navy’s Top Officer
Adm. Lisa Franchetti spent roughly half of her 40-year career at sea, commanding a destroyer, two carrier strike groups and the U.S. Sixth Fleet.
www.nytimes.com
February 22, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Listen up nerds:
* DEI is when vagina. Or dark skin.
* Merit is when you're a shithammered TV personality who gets handpicked to become the head of the military.
Facts matter, as a matter of fact.
* DEI is when vagina. Or dark skin.
* Merit is when you're a shithammered TV personality who gets handpicked to become the head of the military.
Facts matter, as a matter of fact.
Reposted by Brian Lysell
To my Pittsburgh friends: we lost a giant today. I will forever be grateful to have called Jon Burnett my colleague, my mentor, and my friend. www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/n...
Jon Burnett, beloved former KDKA-TV personality, dies at age 71
KDKA-TV is sad to report that Jon died of complications from suspected CTE. He leaves behind an incredible legacy.
www.cbsnews.com
February 20, 2025 at 6:34 PM
To my Pittsburgh friends: we lost a giant today. I will forever be grateful to have called Jon Burnett my colleague, my mentor, and my friend. www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/n...
Reposted by Brian Lysell
strongly agreed with Cara. some of y'all talk like you have hidden a spare population of unproblematic, unpropagandized people to build a mass movement out of under your couch cushions or something.
It reminds me of my first labor organizing job when my trainer said "The thing that's different about labor is that you just have to organize who's here" and to some extent, the older I get, the more I realize that's true everywhere.
February 17, 2025 at 3:21 PM
strongly agreed with Cara. some of y'all talk like you have hidden a spare population of unproblematic, unpropagandized people to build a mass movement out of under your couch cushions or something.