Work Stoppage

Workers Against Ice Petition: <https://form.jotform.com/251684939561066> Oakland Children's Hospital Strike Fund: <https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-nuhw-members-at-childrens-hospital-oakland> After a brief detour discussing the necessity for labor to unite against the US-Israeli war on Iran, we dive into our regular labor headlines. This week we've got followups with striking grocery workers, beverage distribution workers, tabletop game store employees, teachers, and farmworkers. Our first story returns to one of the more horrific forms of labor in this country, prison slavery, as incarcerated workers in Alabama fight to just have the state follow its own laws. Next, gig workers in India are facing dystopian new conditions of ten minute worker deliveries. Research assistants at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are on the verge of forming one of the largest single campus grad unions in the country. Finally, healthcare workers at Oakland Children's Hospital are on strike after their employers in the UC system are proposing to slash their benefits. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

If you're not a patron, subscribe at patreon.com/workstoppage to get full access to the episode. As migrant workers across the US face an onslaught of racist state terrorism from ICE and other federal agencies, solidarity from the labor movement is more critical than ever. One of the most powerful tools of repression that the bosses have is using racist dehumanization to split workers against each other across national lines. So now more than ever, it's critical that American workers understand that these migrant workers are our brothers and sisters, and that only by uniting with them can we advance our class interests. For as long as there has been a border between the US and Mexico, workers on both sides have only ever won their struggles against oppression through unity, rather than division. In this series, using the incredible book Radicals in the Barrio by Professor Justin Akers Chacon as our core guide, we will discuss the history of shared working class struggles by Mexican and Mexican American workers on both sides of the border from the Mexican-American War to the Cold War.  In this first episode, we will begin by laying the groundwork for the politics of the Mexican Revolution, looking back through the history of colonization, independence, war with the United States, and relations with US Imperialism. In future episodes, we'll discuss the role of the working class in the Mexican Revolution, how these revolutionaries brought their ideas north across the border and influenced struggles in the US, and how multi-national unity has been critical to any labor victories won in the Southwest for over 150 years. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

This week's headlines include stories from workers at Safeway, Fenway Park, the Louvre, Johns Hopkins, Butler Hospital, and the video game industry. For our first story, we discuss a recent report in Truthout on the massive wins made by mental health workers at Kaiser Permanente after their epic strike. Panamanian workers have continued to fight against attacks on their rights and social security, as their government turns to legal repression. Universities across the country have gone to extreme lengths to suppress Palestine protests, this week we discuss an expose of dystopian (and sloppy) surveillance at the University of Michigan. Canada Post workers are once again at a crossroads between an intransigent government and the possibility of another strike. Finally, we check in on the growing coalition in the labor movement and the broader working class to organize against ICE terrorism. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

Big episode this week as Trump's war on workers has taken an extremely literal turn. First we've got headlines from Providence, Western Washington, Genoa, Argentina, and Ecuador. Doctors continue to unionize in record numbers, and this week we cover two recent victories. The Washington DC City Council jettisoned democracy to attack tipped workers this week, halting an already approved wage increase at the behest of restaurant owners. Over 150,000 grocery workers with the UFCW and Teamsters are gearing up for what could be the biggest grocery strikes in years. Finally, we discuss the powerful uprising by the working people of Los Angeles in response to raids by the ICE terrorist organization against migrant workers, the false imprisonment of SEIU California's president, and the necessity for unified action to end these brutal attacks on our communities. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

We start with some check-ins Starbucks' war on workers, the fight by workers at Butler Hospital, and the continuing cruel attacks on workers by the Trump Administration. We've also got headlines this week from Duke, Western Washington University, Sutphen Corp, Golden Gate Nursing Home, and UPMC. Canadian port workers in British Columbia are fighting attempts to replace their jobs with robots. Farm workers in New York are fighting the brazen refusal of farm owners to abide by their legal contract. A recent piece in Labor Notes reports on efforts by both the SEIU and the Machinists to return their union siblings home after being abducted by ICE. Finally, video game workers have been organizing in bigger numbers every year, and this week saw workers at Zenimax reach a new milestone with a first contract. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

We start this week with headlines on organizing in healthcare, logistics, airlines, construction, software development, video games, and trading cards. We did a deeper dive on a set of stories from Canada last week, this week we have three big stories from workers and farmers in India fighting against neoliberal exploitation. The next major step forward for Mexico's young independent labor movement may be coming up, as Labor Notes reports on efforts to bring new union SINTTIA to a second major plant from GM. The Supreme Court took a major step towards dismantling the NLRA and the entire post-Depression regime of contractual collective bargaining this week, and unions will need to shift tactics to respond. Finally, we discuss how the 4 day workweek is going in Iceland. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

The podcast dives into recent labor movements across Canada, including the potential revival of the Canada Post strike and the return of port workers after a long lockout. Warehouse workers in Manhattan are standing up against challenging conditions, while a report reveals the exploitation faced by Cambodian shoe laborers. Starbucks employees are striking against restrictive dress codes, and a significant rail strike brings attention to the power of industrial action. The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for solidarity and change in labor rights.

This episode dives into the vibrant labor movement in Panama, celebrating a significant general strike for workers' rights. It shines a light on Amazon workers' tenacious fight for better conditions in Italy, illustrating the power of global solidarity. The grassroots activism of teachers at Paul Cuffee Charter School in Rhode Island is highlighted, showcasing their struggle for fair pay and adequate staffing. Additionally, the recent victorious end of a lengthy strike at Kaiser Permanente underscores the importance of union efforts in securing better working conditions.

On the Line Jimmy Williams Interview: https://www.laborontheline.org/p/episode-25-jimmy-williams-jr-labors Happy May Day everyone! We start with headlines from Starbucks, Amazon, UPS, Duolingo, and the NHS. Next we discuss the sudden dissolution of the UAW's long standing reform caucus, the UAWD. A report from the American Prospect this week details the attacks on workers at the VA from inside testimony. Hotel workers in Buffalo are fighting back against illegal firings and racist retaliation in their struggle for a union. This week also saw May Day, and we discuss the history of International Workers Day and some of the many events held to commemorate it and continue the struggle around the world. Finally, public workers in LA organized with the SEIU held a massive two day strike this week in their fight to afford the soaring cost of living. Join the discord: discord.gg/tDvmNzX  Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee More info on the show at http://workstoppagepod.com/

This discussion delves into the alarming conditions faced by immigrant workers in the dairy industry, emphasizing recent arrests in Vermont. Attention is drawn to successful unionization efforts at PetSmart, highlighting the importance of worker rights. The talk shifts to the challenges and intimidation grocery workers face during negotiations at Kroger and Albertsons. Additionally, solidarity actions by Starbucks workers are showcased, as they demand fair contracts after years of struggle. Finally, the podcast underscores the critical need for unity against systemic exploitation in various labor sectors.