Labor Express Radio

This is the full 8-9-2020 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this episode of Labor Express Radio, we bring you audio excerpts from one of the Chicago Teachers Union’s recent Car Caravan protests demanding that Chicago Public Schools start the 2020 school year fully remote. The CTU has claimed another victory at Mayor Lightfoot has backed down and agreed to a fully remote start to the school year.  Also in the program, audio excerpts from Haymarket Books recent webinar “Racism is a Public Health Crisis”. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio Labor Express is a member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network, Working People's Voices – Broadcasting Worldwide 24 Hours A Day. laborradionetwork.org  #laborradionetwork

This is the full 7-26-2020 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this episode of Labor Express Radio, Jorge Mujica of Arise Chicago workers center talks about the new coalition called Illinois Unidos, formed to address the health care problems of the Latinx community associated with COVID-19, especially in the workplace. Also in the episode, Black Youth Project 100 and Black Lives Matter activists demand a CBA for displaced Southeast siders because of the Obama Presidential Library. And 200,000 seafarers trapped at sea, for months after the expiration of their employment contracts, because of the pandemic. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8 PM or Monday at 11 AM central on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio

This is the full 7-12-2020 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this episode of Labor Express Radio we look at the impact of COVID-19 on workers in the meatpacking industry and the relationship between unions, Black Lives Matter and the police. But we are doing it in a unique way because this episode of Labor Express Radio is also a coast to coast tour of labor radio programs in celebration of our new membership in the Labor Radio/Podcast Network. The Network offers us wonderful opportunities to expand our reach and resources so that we can better bring you the labor movement stories that you need to hear and that mainstream media is unlikely to cover. In this tour we focus on programs and producers that are old friends of Labor Express Radio - Steve Zeltzer of the Work Week podcast in the Bay Area of California, Judy Ancel of the Heartland Labor Forum in Kansas City, and Mimi Rosenberg and Ken Nash from Building Bridges in NYC. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8 PM or Monday at 11 AM central on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio

This is the full 6-28-2020 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this episode of Labor Express Radio, Universal Basic Income (UBI), great solution to help alleviate some of the worst problems of our economy whose time has come or distraction from real solutions to the crisis we face? And what is up with the proposed Chicago UBI pilot project? A conversation with Ameya Pawar, former Chicago alderman and Fellow at the Open Society Foundations & Economic Security Project. Pawar also discusses public banking and its potential to revolutionize the marketplace.  Also on the program, Chicago Teacher’s Union (CTU) VP Stacy Davis Gates gives an impassioned statement to the press after CPS Board’s vote to keep cops in the schools. Thanks to Labor Express Radio reporter Dale Lehman for capturing the audio of Stacy Davis Gates. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio Labor Express is a member of the Labor Radio / Podcast Network, Working People's Voices – Broadcasting Worldwide 24 Hours A Day. laborradionetwork.org  #laborradionetwork

This is the full 6-14-2020 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this episode of Labor Express Radio, REBELLION 2020!: Uprisings against racism and police brutality erupt across the nation in response to the murder of yet another Black man, George Floyd at the hands of yet another White cop, Derek Chauvin.  But this time the African-American community and its allies have come out into the streets day after day, week after week, across the nation to say enough is enough.  And this time, at least one union, the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), is doing more than just issuing a statement of support for the protesters.  They are making their solidarity real and concrete by telling their members that the union has their backs if the drivers refuse to be conscripted by the police into shuttling them to protest locations and taking arrested protesters to detention facilities.  But as CTA bus driver and elected Executive Board member of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 241 Erek Slater will tell you, at least in Chicago, the ATU International presidents statement means little to CTA management who is willing to punish bus drivers who refuse to cooperate with police in regards to the demonstrations.  Drivers have faced harassment and intimidation, and in the case of Slater, suspension, for simply discussing the issue with his co-workers. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio

Labor Express Radio Audio Extra: Chicago bus driver and elected ATU Local 241 board member denounces CTA management’s suspension for discussing solidarity with anti-police brutality protesters. CTA Bus Driver and elected executive board member of ATU Local 241 Erek Slater is fighting an unlawful suspension by CTA management who have repeatedly harassed him and his fellow bus drivers, denying them their 1st amendment rights as well as violating labor law and union contract protections.  It appears that at the heart of the harassment is the bus drivers' discussions of how they should respond to the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) International's position that bus drivers have a right not to cooperate with police in their operations against anti-police brutality protesters.  Around the country, especially in NYC and in Minneapolis, bus drivers, in solidarity with the protesters, have refused to cooperate with the police.  A unknown number of Chicago bus drivers have done the same but have faced varying levels of disciplining or threats from CTA management.  It appears that CTA management is uncomfortable with employees even discussing the issue on their own time and in spaces designated for union discussions.  At a press conference at Federal Plaza on Monday, Erek Slater spoke along with his lawyer and other assembled supporters about the situation.  Erek covers a lot of ground in his speech speaking to not only the ATU's position on the anti-police brutality protesters, but also the ongoing concerns over COVID-19 which has claimed the lives of an inordinate number of transit workers around the country. Erek Slater speaks here in his own capacity and not representing the CTA or ATU. Thanks to Labor Express Radio reporter Michelle Burke for capturing the audio of the press conference. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio

This is the full 5-31-2020 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this episode of Labor Express Radio, we continue our ongoing examination of how unions and social movements are responding to the COVID-19 crisis and how the working class has responded to this crisis with an historic level of self-activity, militancy and creativity.  Labor Journalist Mike Elk discusses his Payday Report website which hosts the COVID-19 Strike Wave Tracker and Interactive Map, which has so far documented over 230 strikes related to the COVID-19 crisis since early March.  We also take a look at how teachers are responding to the crisis.  Randi Weingarten discusses the situation in the U.S. and Fatima da Silva, the General Secretary of CNTE discusses the situation in Brazil.  The CTU sues Betsy DeVos over Special Education policy and Elijah Edwards, President AFSCME Local 2858, talks about what's in the ''HEROES Act'' passed by the House and now being considered in the U.S. Senate. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio

This is the full 5-17-2020 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this episode of Labor Express Radio, we highlight the work of Immigrant Solidarity DuPage and their Workers Center, especially their mutual aid efforts during the COVID-19 crisis.  Cristobal Cavazos explains the history of the organization, the unique role of workers centers in the labor movement, and how they can organize to support workers during this crisis.  He describes several recent victories including the two week shutdown of the Smithfield meatpacking plant in St. Charles, IL.  Also in the program, does Amazonians United demonstrate the complex interaction between organizing and spontaneity in this recent explosion of worker self-activity? Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio

This is the full 5-5-2020 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this episode of Labor Express Radio, nurses at Stroger hospital, members of NNU, protest hospital administrators refusal to follow CDC guidelines, putting employees and patients at risk.* Moises Zavala and Eric Basir are back. This time Moises is talking about organizing in the cannabis industry and Eric is discussing his own battle with COVID-19 and with his employer, the CTA, over testing and sick leave. And Marianela D'Aprile, member of the National Political Committee of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), discusses the “Bernie bump”. The Bernie Sanders for president campaign may be over but just like in 2016, that campaign has swelled the ranks of the DSA which is full steam ahead on its work for Medicare4All, a Green New Deal and now has launched new partnerships with several unions. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio *Thank you to Dale Lehman for providing the audio of the nurses at Stroger Hospital.

Labor Express Radio Audio Extra: Nurses at Stroger Hospital in Chicago hold rally protesting lack of PPE are joined by transit workers with the same complaint against the CTA. Nurses, members of National Nurses United (NNU), held a rally outside Stroger hospital in Chicago on April 27, 2020.  They were protesting practices and policies of hospital management they say is preventing the nurses from accessing needed PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and do not observe CDC guidelines for how hospitals should operate in order to protect both staff and patients.  They were joined by transit workers who have similar complaints against the CTA.  Credit for this audio goes to Labor Express Radio reporter Dale Lehman who is also heard asking questions in the later half of this piece. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Sunday at 8:00 PM on WLPN in Chicago, 105.5 FM. For more information, see our Facebook page...   laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio