The Real News Podcast An essential workers' history of COVID-19
Apr 6, 2023
01:30:41
Read the transcript of this podcast: https://therealnews.com/an-essential-workers-history-of-the-pandemic
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic devastated the working class from the start. Those deemed "essential workers" in the service, medical, transportation, agriculture, and other sectors were hit particularly hard. While the sacrifices of workers were paid lip service in the early days of the pandemic, the rhetoric rapidly shifted towards denunciations of a "labor shortage" as worker resistance mounted with time. As the capitalist class continues to espouse a dominant narrative of the pandemic that insists that the worst is over and workers ought to accept diminished real wages and deteriorating conditions, the need for a counterhistory of COVID-19 becomes increasingly urgent. At a joint book event hosted by Red Emma's in Baltimore, sociologist Jamie K. McCallum and TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez sat down to discuss the effects of the pandemic on the working class as told through their respective books, Essential and The Work of Living.
Post-production: Jules Taylor
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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic devastated the working class from the start. Those deemed "essential workers" in the service, medical, transportation, agriculture, and other sectors were hit particularly hard. While the sacrifices of workers were paid lip service in the early days of the pandemic, the rhetoric rapidly shifted towards denunciations of a "labor shortage" as worker resistance mounted with time. As the capitalist class continues to espouse a dominant narrative of the pandemic that insists that the worst is over and workers ought to accept diminished real wages and deteriorating conditions, the need for a counterhistory of COVID-19 becomes increasingly urgent. At a joint book event hosted by Red Emma's in Baltimore, sociologist Jamie K. McCallum and TRNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez sat down to discuss the effects of the pandemic on the working class as told through their respective books, Essential and The Work of Living.
Post-production: Jules Taylor
Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer:
Donate: https://therealnews.com/donate-pod
Sign up for our newsletter: https://therealnews.com/newsletter-pod
Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/therealnews
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/therealnews
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.
Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.
Follow us on:
Bluesky: @therealnews.com
Facebook: The Real News Network
Twitter: @TheRealNews
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