The Majority Report with Sam Seder

Episode 3554 (Jan 7, 2026): ICE Murders Observer, Labor Fights to Expect in 2026
Guest: Keith Brower Brown (Labor/Climate Organizer, Labor Notes)

Overview

This episode centers around two major themes: the state-sponsored violence by ICE agents in Minneapolis—including the murder of a legal observer—and a deep dive into the most consequential labor contract fights expected across the U.S. in 2026. Sam Seder and Emma Vigeland dissect the political climate, the ongoing revisionism about January 6th, and host a detailed interview with labor organizer Keith Brower Brown, previewing upcoming union contract struggles amid increasingly hostile government and corporate environments.

Main Segments & Key Topics

1. Reaction to ICE Killing of a Legal Observer (00:00–22:00, 59:33–70:48)

• Context & Reports from Minneapolis:
  Sam and Emma open with urgent breaking news: ICE agents shot and killed a legal observer during a protest against federal law enforcement actions in South Minneapolis.
  • Eyewitness Account:
    • “She was trying to turn around and the ICE agent was in front of her car and he pulled out a gun...and he reached across the hood of the car and shot her in the face like three, four times.” (Emma Vigeland, reading from NPR, 62:04)
  • Violent ICE Expansion:
    • 2,000 ICE agents deployed—more than triple the police in Minneapolis (Sam, 61:14).
    • “ICE is holding over 68,000 people in detention in mid December, and nearly 75% of them have no criminal convictions. And that same month, six people died in ICE custody. It’s the deadliest month so far, and the deadliest year, of course, for ICE in custody.” (Emma, 67:43)
  • Political Analysis:
    • Trump’s focus on demonizing Somali communities for political gain.
    • “Not one single story, not one single story of these ICE thugs apprehending a supposed criminal element... All the violence has gone in exactly one direction, and it has emanated from these fascist thugs.” (Sam, 65:31)
  • First Amendment Concerns:
    • Emma: “This legal observer was killed for practicing her First Amendment rights. The First Amendment isn’t just getting to say racial and ethnic slurs on the internet... It’s actually about protest and standing up to the government.” (69:40)
  • Reframing the Stakes:
    • “These are fascist death squads. And the idea that there’s deaths in ICE custody, of course, because that’s... it’s too uneconomical to make sure that nobody actually dies when you start concentrating people in camps.” (Guest/Contributor, 67:31)
    • Host skepticism over ICE excuses: “If you don’t want to be afraid for your life, don’t be in a death squad.” (Guest/Contributor, 70:32)

2. Right-Wing Revisionism: January 6 and Political Lies (06:21–22:00)

• Revisionist Narratives:
  Sam and Emma focus on GOP attempts to trivialize January 6th as “grandmothers on a tour.”
  • “Thousands of peaceful grandmothers and others gathered in Washington D.C. to take a self guided, albeit unauthorized tour of the Capitol building.” (Mike Collins, quoted by Sam, 08:12)
• Gaslighting as Base Mobilization:
  • Emma: “What the lie about January 6 provides them is the thrill that they get from feeling superior... It’s about wanting to be on top.” (17:06)
• Media Collusion:
  • Clips and references to Greg Gutfeld and others performing ritualistic outrage, positioning Republicans as “consistent” and more righteous than opposition.
  • “We must remain consistent. That's what makes us different from the rest... We don’t play favorites with mobs.” (Greg Gutfeld clip, 15:52)
• The Power of Revisionism:
  • Sam: “They are so committed to this revisionist history that that’s what the history is going to be.” (06:21)
  • Comparison to “myth of the lost cause of the Confederacy.”

3. Preview: The Biggest Labor Fights of 2026 (25:18–58:58)

Guest: Keith Brower Brown (Labor Notes)

• General Context:

  • Year marked by numerous major union contracts expiring.
  • Battles occur as the National Labor Relations Board is non-functional, pushing unions to flex muscle outside formal legal channels.

• Key Sectors Facing Showdowns:

  a. Telco ("Fiber and Wires"): Verizon, AT&T (26:27–31:17)

  • 20K Verizon workers (Northeast) contract up—first fresh bargaining in a decade, with potential for strike.
  • Management’s tech upgrades as union-busting: “Anytime you see a lot of management hype around new technology, you can bet the reason they're excited is getting the union out of the business as much they can.” (Keith, 28:02)
  • Healthcare for retiring workers is the central fight.

  b. Teamsters: DHL and School Bus Drivers (31:17–32:52)

  • Teamsters’ budget for strike funds is significant.
  • 17,000 school bus drivers nationwide in one contract, with the potential to “raise the floor across its sector.”

  c. Lining Up for May 1, 2028: Coordinated Strikes (32:52–34:51)

  • “Something like 800,000 different workers who are lined up three months either side of May 1 [2028]... could be a real season of worker power flexing itself this year.” (Keith, 34:13)

  d. Healthcare: Nurses' Unions & Hospital Closures (34:54–37:41)

  • Looming strike by 20K New York State Nurses Association members across 12 NYC hospitals (strike deadline: Jan 12).
  • Massive layoffs, hospital closures due to Medicaid cuts and ACA subsidy rollbacks.
  • Fight for “safe staffing ratios” and funding restoration.

  e. Manufacturing: Steelworkers, Oil, Aluminum, Rubber (37:41–45:01)

  • Pattern agreements explained: “You pick your target to set the pattern... then you go to all the other companies and say, hey, Chevron gave us 12% raise... If Chevron can do it, why can't you?” (Keith, 38:11)
  • Upcoming contracts: Oil (Chevron et al), Aluminum, Tires, Steel.

  f. USPS/Letter Carriers: NALC (43:21–45:01)

  • 200K letter carriers up for contract.
  • Ongoing pressure from privatization and Trump-appointed Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy.

  g. Grocery/Retail: UFCW at Fry’s, Stop & Shop (45:01–46:26)

  • 75K workers’ contracts up; some regional strike momentum but broader coordination needed.
  • Arizona, Ohio, Michigan, New England all with major deals expiring.

  h. Higher Education: TAs, GAs, University Staff (46:26–50:25)

  • UC system (California), University of Illinois, Oregon State, Brown, and many more.
  • Fight extends beyond wages: “Fights over free speech are really huge on campus... and this huge crackdown on research funding.” (Keith, 48:14)

  i. WGA and AI Limits in Contracts (50:25–53:12)

  • Writers' Guild (WGA) to negotiate around AI—protecting creative work from automation.
  • AI and automation a cross-sector issue: "This is an important moment in labor history to have a union that fights and says we're not letting AI take more of our work." (Keith, 53:12)

Overall Labor Movement Analysis:

• Post–Labor Law America:
  • NLRB is “basically... on ice.”
  • “This sort of lineup of contract fights is like the playoff schedule for working-class power this year.” (Keith, 58:34)
• Union Strategy and Coordination:
  • Movement to push contracts to line up for big, coordinated action (May 1, 2028 strategy).
  • Strike activity is when “most members pay attention and get active."
• UAW and Internal Struggles:
  • Internal discipline and reform movements ongoing, with hope to revive militant unionism despite federal interference.
  • Focus on auto parts contracts for UAW rank-and-file after the successful 2023 “big three” strike.

Notable Quotes & Time Stamps

• On ICE Killing:
  • “She was trying to turn around and the ICE agent... reached across the hood... and shot her in the face like three, four times.” (Emma reading eyewitness, 62:04)
  • “Not one single story... of these ICE thugs apprehending a supposed criminal element... All the violence has gone in exactly one direction, and it has emanated from these fascist thugs.” (Sam, 65:31)
• On Jan 6 Revisionism:
  • “What the lie about January 6 provides them is the thrill that they get from feeling superior... But it’s about wanting to be on top.” (Emma, 17:06)
  • “We must remain consistent. That's what makes us different from the rest... We don’t play favorites with mobs.” (Greg Gutfeld, 15:52)
• On Labor, Upcoming Fights:
  • “Anytime you see a lot of management hype around new technology, you can bet the reason they're excited is getting the union out of the business.” (Keith, 28:02)
  • “800,000 different workers... lined up three months either side of May 1, [2028]... could be a real season of worker power flexing itself.” (Keith, 34:13)
  • “This sort of lineup of contract fights is like the playoff schedule for working-class power this year.” (Keith, 58:34)

Episode Structure & Timestamps

| Time (MM:SS) | Segment / Topic | |--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–04:36 | Cold Open, Light Banter & Headlines | | 04:36–22:00 | Reflection on Jan 6, GOP Revisionism, Media Lies | | 22:00–25:18 | Transition, Announcements, Introduction of Keith Brower Brown | | 25:18–58:58 | Keith Brower Brown Interview: Major Labor Fights in 2026 | | 59:33–70:48 | ICE Killing in Minneapolis: Details, Reactions, Political Stakes| | 70:48–End | End-of-show Banter, Fun Half Teasers, Membership Promos |

Tone & Style

The episode is characterized by a mix of sharp, irreverent political analysis and occasional humor. Sam and Emma’s tone is skeptical, direct, and passionate, especially regarding state violence and labor rights. The guest segment is thorough, educational, and strategic in orientation, with Keith providing complex context in accessible terms.

For Further Exploration

• Full Labor Notes Article (to be linked in show notes) for detailed contract timelines and union strategies.
• Majority Report Archives for ongoing updates on labor actions and ICE state violence.
• Local news and advocacy orgs (Minneapolis, ICE accountability, Labor Notes network).

Summary Prepared for Listeners Who Missed the Episode
This episode delivers a sobering look at authoritarian violence under ICE while offering a detailed roadmap for the year’s biggest labor struggles. For activists, union members, and concerned citizens, it’s both a call to vigilance against state violence and an urgent canvas of where collective action could turn the tide in 2026.