Working Class History

Following our double-episode on the Florence Working-Class Literature Festival back in February, our co-host Matt was invited to this year’s festival, recording this episode on-site at the ex-GKN factory in Florence. Featuring the various writers, researchers, organisers, and activists in attendance, this episode captures the atmosphere of the festival at this critical time for the GKN struggle.Our podcast is brought to you by patreon supporters of both Working Class Literature and Working Class History. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryTaking place on 4-6 April 2025, the opending day of the festival marked the 1367th day since the 400+ workforce at the GKN car parts factory in Florence was first made redundant. They subsequently seized the factory and remain in control of it to this day, despite receiving their third – and now final – redundancy notice in the days leading up to this year’s festival.Recorded on-site at the occupied GKN factory on the outskirts of Florence, this episode features the voices of various writers, researchers, organisers, and activists that we spoke to while at the festival. These conversations took place against a frenzy of activity, both for the festival but also the GKN struggle itself.AcknowledgementsThanks to all our patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Fernando Lopez Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old NormOur theme tune for these episodes is ‘Occupiamola’ (or ‘Let’s Occupy It’) as sung on a GKN workers’ demonstration in 2024. Many thanks to Reel News London for letting us use their recording. Watch the documentary it’s taken from hereThis episode was edited by Jesse FrenchBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

Concluding part of our double episode about the crucial role played by women in the great miners’ strike in Britain, 1984-5, in conversation with Heather Wood, chair of the Easington women’s strike support group. Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryPart 2 is about the formation of a national organisation and national protest, the media, the end of the strike, the effect on the women, and possibilities for the future.These are re-edited and improved versions of our original episode 13. More information, sources, and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e108-women-in-the-miners-strike/AcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Fernando López Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old Norm.Episode graphic: Courtesy Heather WoodMusic courtesy of the Easington Colliery Brass BandSpeech recording courtesy of Amber Films and Can’t Beat it Alone. The full film in multiple parts can be seen at www.amber-online.comThis version edited by Tyler Hill. Original editing by Jesse French.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

Double episode about the crucial role played by women in the great miners’ strike in Britain, 1984-5, in conversation with Heather Wood, chair of the Easington women’s strike support group. Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryPart 1 is about the background, how women’s organising began, and what forms it took.Part 2 is about the formation of a national organisation and national protest, the media, the end of the strike, the effect on the women, and possibilities for the future – Currently available for early listening for our supporters here on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e109-women-in-2-134227615These are re-edited and improved versions of our original episode 13. More information, sources, and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e13-women-in-the-miners-strike/AcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Fernando López Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old Norm.Episode graphic: Courtesy Heather WoodMusic courtesy of the Easington Colliery Brass BandSpeech recording courtesy of Amber Films and Can’t Beat it Alone. The full film in multiple parts can be seen at www.amber-online.comThis version edited by Tyler Hill. Original editing by Jesse French.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

Teaser of our latest Fireside Chat, available in full exclusively for our supporters on Patreon. A couple of years ago, John from WCH and Ade from our Farsi-language sister project, Daily Worker History Farsi, were interviewed for the Hope Dies Last podcast by musician and journalist Ryan Harvey. Ryan didn't end up having the time to finish the episode, so we thought we would turn it into a Fireside Chat, for people to learn a bit more about WCH and Daily Worker History Farsi. John and Ade talk about their respective projects in Iran, and in English, what inspires them, how they organise, and more.Listen to the full episode here on PatreonMore informationDaily Worker History TwitterDaily Worker History TelegramDaily Worker History InstagramRyan Harvey WebsiteArchive of the Hope Dies Last podcastAcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Jamison D. Saltsman, Fernando López Ojeda and Old Norm.Final editing by Tyler Hill. Some initial editing by Ryan Harvey.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

This is a teaser preview of one of our Radical Reads episodes, made exclusively for our supporters on patreon. You can listen to the full 122-minute episode without ads and support our work at https://www.patreon.com/posts/e106-radical-in-129688227In this episode, we speak to Eli Friedman and Kevin Lin about their new book, China in Global Capitalism: Building International Solidarity Against Imperial Rivalry. The book (co-written with Rosa Liu and Ashley Smith) does an excellent job of looking at the actions of the Chinese state from the perspective of workers and marginalised groups to produce a picture of a capitalist nation that is not simply 'the same' as other nations, but not all that different either.The full episode is out longest Radical Read yet, and covers a range of topics from the conditions and struggles of China's working class both inside the workplace and out, to women's and LGBT+ rights. We also talk about China's relationship to its "internal peripheries" of Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as its international relationships in Africa, Israel and, of course, with the US. We also discuss what building international solidarity from below might look like in the current context.Listen to the full episode here:E106: Radical Reads - China in Global CapitalismMore informationBuy China in Global Capitalism from an independent bookshopYou can also buy Eli’s previous book, China on Strike: Narratives of Workers’ RefusalCheck out our excellent collection of books about Chinese history and politics in our online storeListen to a three-part series about Chinese migrant worker poetry by our sister-podcast, Working Class LiteratureFull show notes for this episode, including further reading and listening, as well as sources, are available on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e106-radical-reads-china-in-global-capitalism/AcknowledgementsThanks to our patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Fernando Lopez Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old Norm.The episode image is of the G.Tech Technology Factory in Zhuhai, China. Credit: Chris (with additional design by WCH). CC BY-SA 2.0.Edited by Tyler HillOur theme tune is Montaigne’s version of the classic labour movement anthem, ‘Bread and Roses’, performed by Montaigne and Nick Harriott, and mixed by Wave Racer. Download the song here, with all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians. More from Montaigne: website, Instagram, YouTubeBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

Part 2 of our double episode on working-class author Jack Hilton, with Jack Chadwick whose literary detective work rescued Hilton from almost total obscurity. This part covers his novel Caliban Shrieks in more detail and how it compares to other working-class novels from the same period; his later writing and life, and how his writing career would come to an end (despite George Orwell’s efforts); and, finally, the amazing series of events that led to the rediscovery and republication of Caliban Shrieks.Our podcast is brought to you by patreon supporters of both Working Class Literature and Working Class History. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryMore informationBuy Caliban Shrieks from an independent bookshopListen to the bonus episode to this double episode, exclusively for our supporters on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/wcl-13-1-jack-129501458Full show notes including sources, photos, and eventually a full transcript are available on our website: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/wcl12-13-jack-hilton-rochdale-caliban/AcknowledgementsImage: Jack Hilton. Credit: Jack Chadwick.Thanks to all our patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Fernando Lopez Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old Norm.Our theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here or stream it here.This episode was edited by Jesse French.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

Part 1 of our double episode about Jack Hilton, a working-class author, World War I veteran, unemployed movement organiser, and trade union activist from Rochdale, north-west England.For this episode, we spoke to Jack Chadwick whose literary detective work rescued Hilton from almost total obscurity. We discussed Hilton's life growing up in Rochdale's slums, starting work at nine years old, and his activism in the National Unemployed Workers' Movement. We also talked about how he began writing, how Caliban Shrieks was celebrated within the London literary scene, and his long-term (and complex) relationship to George Orwell.More informationBuy Caliban Shrieks from an independent bookshopFull show notes including sources, photos, and eventually a full transcript are available on our website: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/wcl12-13-jack-hilton-rochdale-caliban/AcknowledgementsImage: Jack Hilton. Credit: Jack Chadwick.Thanks to all our patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Fernando Lopez Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old Norm.Our theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here or stream it here.This episode was edited by Jesse French.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

This is a teaser preview of one of our Fireside Chat episodes, made exclusively for our supporters on Patreon. You can listen to the full 104-minute episode without ads and support our work at https://www.patreon.com/posts/e105-fireside-in-127749416 In this episode, we spoke to one of our hosts, John, about his experiences organising at work in the public sector, first as an agency worker, then a permanent employee, and as a member and representative of Unison, the UK’s largest public sector union. In the full episode, we go into detail about some small local disputes and victories, and how these connected with the dynamics of large, national disputes – in particular, the public sector pensions dispute of 2011. We also talk about the relationship between union officialdom and struggles on the shopfloor.While these experiences are specific to John, we do think many of the dynamics are pretty common, with similarities with many workplaces – especially office-based ones.Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryAcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Fernando López Ojeda and Old Norm.Edited by Jesse FrenchOur theme tune is Montaigne’s version of the classic labour movement anthem, ‘Bread and Roses’, performed by Montaigne and Nick Harriott, and mixed by Wave Racer. Download the song here, with all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians. More from Montaigne: website, Instagram, YouTube.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

Second of a double podcast about the Golden Age of Piracy, with historian Marcus Rediker. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryPart 2 covers the extent of piracy, how pirates organise themselves, how colonial powers fought them, the decline of pirates, and their legacy today.More information, and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e103-pirates/Get Marcus's Books:Marcus Rediker, Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden AgeMarcus Rediker and David Lester, Under the Banner of King Death: Pirates of the Atlantic, a Graphic NovelAcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Jamison D. Saltsman, Fernando López Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old Norm.Written by Audrey Kemp and Tyler HillProduced by Tyler HillEpisode graphic: Contemporary illustration of the execution of two pirates. Courtesy Wikimedia CommonsOur theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here or stream it here.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.

First in a double podcast about the Golden Age of Piracy, with historian Marcus Rediker. The legendary pirates of this era weren’t just thieves—they were daring rebels challenging the very systems of power and authority of their time. Fighting every colonial empire, and creating their own ways of living free from authority, pirates became symbols of liberty and resistance to working-class and poor people everywhere.  Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryPart 1 covers the historical and economic background, the different eras of piracy in the golden age, about life at sea, how people became pirates.Our patreon supporters can listen to part 2 now early, covering the extent of piracy, how pirates organise themselves, how colonial powers fought them, the decline of pirates, and their legacy today: available here for early listening for our patreon supporters.More information, and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e103-pirates/Get Marcus's Books:Marcus Rediker, Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden AgeMarcus Rediker and David Lester, Under the Banner of King Death: Pirates of the Atlantic, a Graphic NovelAcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Jamison D. Saltsman, Fernando López Ojeda, Nick Williams and Old Norm.Written by Audrey Kemp and Tyler HillProduced by Tyler HillEpisode graphic: Painting depicting the capture of Blackbeard, by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, 1920. Courtesy Wikimedia CommonsOur theme tune is Bella Ciao, thanks for permission to use it from Dischi del Sole. You can purchase it here or stream it here.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/working-class-history--5711490/support.