Work Stoppage

EP 78 - Mass Struggle Gets The Goods

The holidays are right around the corner but the class struggle never stops.  We start this weeks episode checking in with the Amazon Labor Union in New York, where issues with turnover and vicious union busting have forced the union to temporarily withdraw their NLRB election petition.  14,000 Kroger workers in Houston have voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike, which could start as soon as this week.  We finally got the results of the Teamsters election this week and it’s a landslide victory for Teamsters United and the TDU, with big implications for the struggle against UPS and Amazon in the coming years.  OSHA continues to serve its function running cover for corporations this week after they issued an insultingly small fine to Smithfield for inadequate safety measures during the pandemic.  Our big story this week, in one of the most inspiring victories of the year the Indian Farmers’ Movement has succeeded in forcing Modi and the BJP to announce the repeal of the three neoliberal farm laws that they’ve been fighting against for well over a year.  Finally, UPMC workers in Pittsburgh staged a one day strike last week demanding living wages, safe staffing, and health care that doesn’t leave them with mountains of medical debt.

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Ep 77 - HelloUnion

There are new contracts all over the place on this week’s episode of Work Stoppage.  We start with Kaiser Permanente, where a tentative agreement has been reached to prevent the planned implementation of a two tiered contract.  Then we discuss the end of the month long John Deere strike, after workers ratified a new deal which contains hard fought gains but maintains their two tiered system.  Also this week, IATSE has ratified a new contract against the wishes of a majority of union members due to the use of an undemocratic delegate system.  HelloFresh workers have faced sub-poverty wages, racist abuse from management, dangerous working conditions, and now a vicious union busting campaign as they fight for their right to collectively bargain.  Finally, Burgerville workers have fought hard for three years, making admirable gains for workers across the company, and now finally have a historic tentative contract agreement to become the first recognized fast food union in the country.

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Ep 76 - S Is For Strike

We start this week’s episode of Work Stoppage catching up with some of the bigger strikes in the country.  First, Starbucks has pulled out all the stops in its union busting efforts, even bringing in former CEO and failed presidential candidate Howard Schultz to try and convince workers to vote against their union as ballots go out this week. Then we check in on the Kellogg’s strike, where the company has refused to budge on its two-tiered contract system and workers have dug in for the long haul.  Mercy Hospital workers have ended their 5 week long strike after ratifying a new contract that met all their key demands. 3000 student workers at Columbia University have gone on strike again over poverty wages, insufficient healthcare, and unfair grievance procedures. In Germany, 2500 Amazon workers with the Verdi union federation have struck over the company’s refusal to accept the industry standard collective bargaining agreement, while at the same time Amazon has been found to have illegally stolen $60M in tips from Flex drivers.  Finally, 800 teachers in Scranton, PA have struck after four years without a contract after suffering years of austerity budgets and rising class sizes.

Support the striking Kellogg’s workers who have had their healthcare cut off:  https://bctgm.org/2021/10/08/5-ways-to-support-the-kelloggstrike/

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Ep 75 - Masterfully Malicious

A lot has happened on the John Deere picket lines since we last talked about the strike, so we start there this week.  One UAW worker was tragically killed after being struck by a vehicle walking to their car from the picket line, and the union has turned down Deere’s most recent contract offer after it failed to remove the current two-tiered system.  We also follow up with the organized Netflix workers, who have filed unfair labor practice charges against the company, and Amazon workers in Staten Island have officially filed with the NLRB for a union election.  Also in New York, taxi drivers have been protesting for months, including a recent two week hunger strike and have finally won relief from predatory medallion debts often running well over half a million dollars for many drivers.  UFCW workers recently ended a six week strike at Heaven Hill bourbon distillery but their new contract was actually approved with only a minority of yes votes.  Finally, we’ve got a great example of malicious compliance as UPS drivers in Columbus show up en masse to screw with the company’s exploitative weekend scheduling practices.

Relief fund for the family of the recently killed UAW striker: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ebzuse

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Overtime Episode 7 - Lenin on the Trade Union Question PREVIEW

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As a Labor News show, we talk about unions constantly and how vital they are to building any sort of socialist project. But the labor movement has been around a long time without prompting a revolution, so what should our organizing tactics be if our ultimate goal isn't just slightly better wages and working conditions, but a revolutionary transformation of society? On this patrons-only episode, Dan dives into Lenin's work to dig into the Marxist perspective on union organizing and its relationship to socialist politics. Contrasting the Bolsheviks' orientation on the trade union movement to revolutionary syndicalism and social democratic reformism, Lenin aimed for a dialectical approach to the process of raising working class consciousness both within and without the trade union movement. While acknowledging the different material conditions 100 years later, there's still a lot we can learn as organizers about the difficult balance of agitating within often reformist institutions in order to meet the masses where they are. This review of Lenin's theoretical work on the subject centers on the lessons learned from the long struggle for a unified workers movement and how we can apply them today.

Ep 74 - Mai Più Fascismi

John is on the mend so the gang’s back together for this week’s episode of Work Stoppage, which starts with a follow up on the United Paizo Workers, whose union was voluntarily recognized by the company! Then we discuss the tragic death of Halyna Hutchins and how everything that led to it demonstrates why the IATSE workers voted so overwhelmingly to strike. Also this week, workers in Italy have rallied to defend the country’s major trade unions after attacks from neo-fascists. Hundreds of thousands of South Koreans staged a one day general strike this week to protest the country’s massive inequality and exploitation of workers. Finally, 36,000 Kaiser Permanente workers have voted to authorize what could be the largest US strike of the year so far.

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Ep 73 - Deere Season

John’s under the weather this week, and Lina and Dan start off with a follow up on the IATSE strike, where a tentative agreement was reached by the bargaining committee over the weekend but may not be ratified when the membership gets to vote. We also check in with Starbucks Workers United as the company has closed two of the stores that had been attempting to unionize, while insisting that it has nothing to do with the union drive. Also this week, Netflix employees plan a walkout after an organizer with the company’s Trans Employee Resource Group was fired in the wake of worker complaints about the handling of the recent Dave Chappelle special. Over 160,000 workers in South Africa’s biggest union are on strike for fairer wages, and threaten to completely shut down the country’s lucrative auto parts industry. The biggest US strike of the year so far is underway as 10,000 UAW workers at John Deere are on the picket lines in three states, and the company is struggling to find enough scabs to keep plants open. Finally, we discuss the announcement of the first union in the tabletop gaming industry, Paizo Workers United.

John Deere Strike Fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-john-deere-strike

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Ep 72 - Striketober

Major strikes are popping up all over and Striketober is in full swing. This week we start with our friends at Doughnut Workers United, where the NLRB recently ruled in their favor that Voodoo Doughnuts illegally fired several of their workers for striking and must rehire them and pay back pay.  Then we discuss the recent car attack on protesting farmers in Lakhimpur, Uttar Pradesh, where four farmers were killed.  One of the biggest strikes in recent memory looms across the US as IATSE voted overwhelmingly to strike after decades of understaffing and an enforced culture of overwork.  Kellogg’s workers are also on strike nationwide facing many of the same issues as Nabisco workers, with the company pushing a two tiered employment system and threatening to cut jobs.  Finally this week, 2000 nurses and hospital workers are on strike in Buffalo, and a factory in Argentina celebrates 20 years of worker control and self-management.

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Ep 71 - AI: Algorithmic Imperialism

Our first story this week is following up with Automobile Mechanics Local 701 in Chicago, where hundreds of mechanics have narrowly agreed to end their 8 week long strike and accept a new contract. Then we discuss a package of reforms passed in New York City to address some of the most egregious aspects of gig work for delivery drivers. We also cover harsh working conditions and intimidation at the El Milagro tortilla company in Chicago, where workers faced a lockout after demanding better treatment. While some listeners may be aware of the often exaggerated claims made by companies about their use of “AI” in the products, this week we cover how often times the work is actually being done by refugees for extremely low wages. This week also saw a huge action by the Indian Farmers’ movement, which shut down transit and commerce across the country in a 10 hour general strike. Finally, in an example of the power of the threat of the strike even on a smaller scale, concessions workers at Oracle Park in San Francisco have been able to force their employer to grant them the fair wages and benefits they deserve.

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Ep 70 - Google Wage Theft

We’re back to the news on this week’s episode and we start with some follow ups. First we discuss the victory of the Nabisco workers in their 5 week strike and break down the specific wins in their new contract. Then we check in with the workers at Activision Blizzard King who have filed an unfair labor practice charge alleging the company is intimidating workers organizing in the wake of the recent lawsuit and revelations about ABK’s toxic culture. We discuss Verso Books UK dragging out their negotiations with their workers’ union, and also cover a push by developers and contractors to eliminate a needed safety regulation in the NYC construction industry. Also this week, revelations from leaked emails show Google has been underpaying thousands of temporary workers around the world in violation of Pay Parity laws. Finally, the Teamsters have started the process of making good on their pledge to organize Amazon, launching union drives at 9 warehouses in Canada.

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Ep 69 - Hudson Workers United Interview

On this week’s episode of Work Stoppage we were lucky enough to be joined by a couple guests from Hudson Workers United (@HWUnited) to tell us about their drive to organize workers in the legal industry. They tell us about the difficult conditions they’ve face during the pandemic, the strategies that have worked for them in their struggle to build collective power, and the backlash they’ve faced as a result.

Disclaimer: By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that Work Stoppage makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, Work Stoppage does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The views expressed by guests are their own and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Work Stoppage assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. WORK STOPPAGE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.

Overtime Episode 6 PREVIEW - Saul Alinsky & The Fall of Effective Organizing

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In this Overtime Episode Lina goes over some of the legacy of Saul Alinsky, who is often credited with creating the organizing model that is still used by many people and unions today. All quotes from this episode are from the book No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age by Jane McAlevey. We encourage anyone who wants to get a better understanding of how to do labor organizing to read this book. Look out for the sequel to this episode were we will go over the effective alternative to this organizing model.

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Ep 68 - Sweatshop Shutdown

Every week’s a busy week in the world of Labor, and this one’s no different.  First we follow up with Starbucks Workers’ United (@SBWorkersUnited) and their quest for recognition of their union, as Starbucks management has pulled out all the stops to fight them.  Then we cover several Amazon related stories, from California passing a bill to regulate algorithmic work quotas, to the company’s fake offer of “Free College”, to investigations of discrimination against pregnant workers.  Then we check in on a big recent conference of farmers organizations in India to coordinate the movement against the neoliberal farm laws.  Finally, we discuss a California bill aimed at stopping some of the most egregious labor exploitation in the US, garment workers forced to work in sweatshop conditions in Los Angeles.

More Perfect Union’s Video on the sweatshop conditions:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEid6y3wP0M

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Ep 67 - Investigate Labor Day

The regular gang is back together this week and we start out discussing the cruel irony of the government allowing unemployment benefits to run out for millions of workers on Labor Day. Also this week, major hotel chains like Marriott and Hilton are using the crisis of the pandemic to consolidate their market position and attacked unionized workforces. We also cover the harsh conditions faced by tobacco pickers here on H2-A visas, as well rampant union busting at a couple of the biggest logistics companies you’ve probably never heard of. Finally, teachers at Oakland University (Michigan not California) responded to demands that they take benefit cuts with a 2 day strike that successfully forced the University back to the bargaining table.

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Ep 66 - Collectivize Colectivo feat. Ethan (Invent the Future/Red Game Table)

Our rotating cast continues this week as Lina is back but John is out and we have our first recurring guest, Ethan from Invent the Future and Red Game Table, back on the show. We start out covering the NLRB dismissing complaints from striking Warrior Met coal miners about vehicles striking their picket lines for “lack of evidence” despite numerous videos. Then, we cover a couple international stories with workers in Colombia returning to the streets to protest proposed austerity measures as well as sugarcane farmers in India blocking highways and railroads to win higher purchase prices for their crops from the government. Also this week, after a nearly 5 month delay workers at Colectivo Coffee have won their election to become the largest café workers union in the country, and a new union drive at Starbucks has started with Starbucks Workers United aiming to organized over 20 stores in the Buffalo area. Finally, window washers in Minneapolis have successfully struck for higher wages and state certified safety training for their vital, dangerous jobs.

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Ep 65 - No Contracts No Snacks!

It’s just John and Dan as Lina is off this week, and we start with a dire warning to never trust a man in a cravat after Nathan J Robinson responded to the staff of Current Affairs’ desire to form a co-op by firing everyone. Then, after a brief check-in with the Teamsters in Indiana who have reached an agreement with Pepsi to end their strike, we hit some of the big news this week as a judge in California has ruled Prop 22 unconstitutional. However, this hasn’t stopped gig companies trying to expand their misclassification schemes across the country as a Prop 22 clone is being pushed in Massachusetts. We also cover a strike by nurses in Worcester, MA that has stretched into its sixth month, as Tenet Healthcare brings in scabs rather than hiring more nurses. Also this week, Nabisco workers across the country are on strike after their parent company Mondelez, enemies of the show, have recently closed two facilities in the US and attempted to force remaining workers to work 12 hours shift or up to 70 consecutive days without paying overtime.

Portland Nabisco workers’ strike fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bctgm-local-364-strike-support

Richmond Nabisco workers’ strike fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/bctgm-local-358-strike-support

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Ep 64 - Robo-Union Trojan Horse

On this week’s episode of Work Stoppage we start by checking in on the Teamsters strike at a Pepsi plant in Indiana, where workers have gotten a surprising show of support from the local government of the nearby town of Hammond.  Then we take a look at how a Wisconsin healthcare company is giving bonuses only to non-union workers, and discuss a new app called Unit which claims it can help workers unionize without any of the resources of an actual union.  We also cover a walkout by tech workers at the New York Times and the revelations of the Times’ anti-union strategy to try and force as small a bargaining unit as possible.  Finally, we talk about a weeklong strike by contract sanitation workers in India demanding equal pay for equal work, and the inspiring success of workers in Venezuela who seized a Kellogg cereal factory when the company abandoned it.

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Overtime Episode 5 - The Nature of The State Pt 3 PREVIEW

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On the third and final part of our series on the nature of the state, we examine the work of two theorists of the modern capitalist state, Antonio Gramsci and Louis Althusser.  Starting with Gramsci’s understanding of the concept of hegemony, we look at the arms of the state that extend beyond the traditional public sphere, how state ideology influences and is reproduced by “civil society”.  We then go over Althusser’s development of Gramsci’s concepts into his formulation of the arms of the state into two distinct groups, the repressive state apparatuses and the ideological state apparatuses.  Both of these theorists help expand our understanding of how state ideology works even with the “private” sphere to reproduce and reify the ideological superstructure on top of the economic relations of exploitation fundamental to capitalism.  We discuss Gramsci’s imperative for revolutionaries to work to build a counter-hegemony, a new proletarian understanding of how society can be restructured away from capitalist relations of exploitation.  We wrap up with some examples of how this all affects workers organizing on the shop floor, and how a solid understanding of the state reproduces its own ideology can help us build competing models for society, and fight back against capitalist hegemony in all its manifestations.

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Overtime Episode 4 - The Nature Of The State Pt 2 PREVIEW

On the second part of our Overtime series on The Nature of the State, John brings us through some of the core aspects of the Anarchist theory of the state.  Taking a look at the analysis of Kropotkin and Malatesta, we examine how the early Anarchist conception of the state is similar to the Marxist definition, and also where it differs.  With a bit of a looser structure than the first episode of the series, perhaps befitting the subject matter, we wrestle with some of the complexities of power structures, hierarchies, and the difficulties of trying to build radical new societies within the harsh material realities of the world.  We also touch on how the broader definition of the state from the early Anarchist perspective anticipates later developments in the Marxist theory under thinkers like Gramsci, which we will discuss in Part 3.

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Ep 63 - No More Overdraft Fees

This week’s episode starts by following up with the striking UMWA workers at the Warrior Met coal mine in Alabama who have recently picketed in NYC in front of Blackrock and also held a large solidarity rally drawing union workers from across the country.  We also cover the declaration of one NLRB official that Amazon made a fair election in Bessemer “impossible” and therefore the election should be rerun.  We discuss an excellent piece by friend of the show Sam Knight on Walmart and its associated banks’ predatory practices targeting poor workers, illegal anti-union actions taken by both Elon and Kimbal Musk, and how agricultural workers are bearing the brunt of the burden of dealing with climate change.  Finally, over 800 auto mechanics are on strike in Chicago, where dealerships are attempting to slash contributions to healthcare funds and cut pay.  

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