Work Stoppage

Overtime Episode 56 PREVIEW - Military Unions Pt 5

If you're not a patron you can get the full episode by visiting patreon.com/workstoppage and support us with $5 a month.

On this week's installment of our series examining attempts to organize unions of soldiers, we move to Western Europe. In a whirlwind tour we discuss Germany, Italy, France, and Spain's various forms of military labor organizations. The refusal of the US to de-Nazify West Germany played a major role in the rebuilt Bundeswehr's conservatism, including on the issue of soldier unions. In France, the history of repeated military coups made government leaders extremely wary of any sort of parallel power structures. In Spain, the attempts at organizing in the military came at the same time the country began the transition from Franco's fascism to liberal democracy. And in Italy, soldiers who supported the powerful communist party and other left groups confronted a state deeply enmeshed in Cold War power struggles.

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Ep 186 - Kentucky Wildcat

We've got a very Kentucky-centric episode this week, with two different labor disputes at the KCVG airport with union busting at Amazon and a strike by Teamsters at DHL. Also in Kentucky, Sunergos coffee workers in Louisville finally won a first contract after a weeklong strike. In academic organizing news, adjunct faculty at Columbia College in Chicago are on the longest adjunct strike in US history to fight back against attempts to slash courses and increase class sizes. Teachers have also launched strikes in the California State system demanding fair wages to deal with soaring cost of living. Fellows at the NIH won their union election in a landslide, forming the largest new union of federal workers in over a decade. Also updates on Tesla's war with Scandinavia, the UAW's massive organizing campaign, and more workers speaking out against genocide.

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Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

Overtime Episode 55 PREVIEW - Military Unions Pt 4

If you're not a patron you can get the full episode by visiting patreon.com/workstoppage and support us with $5 a month.

On Part 4 of our series looking at attempts to organize soldiers, we discuss the Scandinavian countries. While none of the various soldier unions formed in these countries transformed their society, they showed a wide range of levels of effectiveness. From Norway's quasi-company union, to Sweden's VVDM-esque liberal militancy, to Finland's conscript mass organization which actually demanded peace, the Scandinavian militaries showed a broad range of organizing tactics. We discuss the results, comparison to the US, and whether conscription can ever be considered "progressive."

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Ep 185 - Life is More Than Work

Lina is away this week so it's just the boys on this episode of Work Stoppage. The UAW became the largest and most prominent union to join the calls for a ceasefire this week, the same week they launched the largest organizing drive the US has seen in years. Portland teachers ended their three week strike with a new contract with major wins. Sweden's labor movement continues to shut down Tesla as Elon tries to sue them for striking. The RMT agreed to a new contract this week, ending their epic 18 month industrial dispute with rail operators. Despite it's kid friendly branding, Lego is using all the same dirty tricks union busting at Legoland as the worst corporate offenders. We have a couple tragic stories this week: first the Indiana Department of Labor has placed the value of a workers life at just $7000. Second, a recent report from Brazil shows that Starbucks' supply chain there is riddled with worker abuse and even slavery like conditions. Wisconsin workers launched a push this week to overturn the state ban on public unions. Finally, grad student workers at USC reached an agreement for a first contract this week, securing many hard fought protections and increased benefits.

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Overtime Episode 54 PREVIEW - Military Unions Pt 3

If you're not a patron you can get the full episode by visiting patreon.com/workstoppage and support us with $5 a month.

For the third installment of our series discussing the history of attempts to unionize members of the military, based largely on the book Left Face: Soldier Unions and Resistance Movements in Modern Armies by David Cortright and Max Watts, we discuss the Dutch. From the 1960s to the 80s, with the Dutch military squarely in the middle of NATO's confrontation with the USSR, multiple organizations were formed attempting to unionize soldiers. We discuss how the Dutch unions, especially the VVDM, seem to have had more success with straightforward union organizing issues than most, but that success came with strict limits.

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Ep 184 - Minimum Wage is Not Enough

Black Friday means we've got a retail and service work news packed episode this week. First we start on a sad note discussing the end of the Medieval Times strike in California. Next we discuss the McCarthyite retaliation being faced by unionized public defenders in New York City for taking a stand in favor of Palestinian human rights. A recent piece in The Guardian exposes the way service workers from other countries are exploited by the J-1 work visa program. 20,000 cleaning workers in NYC are gearing up for a major contract fight as bosses try and force concessions. Macy's workers in Washington State struck on Black Friday against incredibly low wages and constant understaffing. Wells Fargo workers in New Mexico and Alaska have filed to join the CWA, trying to break into the nearly entirely non union financial sector. Finally, we discuss the formation of a new democratic reform caucus in IATSE.

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Overtime Episode 53 PREVIEW - Military Unions - Pt 2

If you're not a patron you can get the full episode by visiting patreon.com/workstoppage and support us with $5 a month.

We're back with the next installment of our discussion of attempts in (relatively) recent history to form unions within military organizations. In this episode we cover the brief period following the end of the Vietnam War when major public worker unions in the US began seriously considering organizing soldiers. We discuss a planned campaign by the AFGE to potentially add soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines to their membership, and the response from the state when they found out. We also discuss some of the internal organizing efforts like the Enlisted People's Organizing Committee.  Next week, we'll branch out into the rest of the world by discussing organizing efforts in the Dutch Armed Forces.

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Ep 183 - We Win Through Struggle

The whole crew is back together again for another big week of labor news. After our weekly roundup of how workers around the world are standing up for Palestine, we get into a slew of stories about major new contracts. Kaiser Permanente workers ratified their new contract nearly unanimously after their historic three day strike last month. UAW workers at the Big 3 also ratified their new agreements won during the Stand Up Strike, as did the UAW workers at Mack Trucks. We also break down the details on the SAG-AFTRA deal released since last week. Garment workers in Bangladesh have been rising up for weeks now to demand a minimum wage just high enough to actually be able to eat, but have faced severe repression. Starbucks workers launched their biggest strike yet this week, Red Cup Rebellion 2, featuring over 5000 workers nationwide. Finally, 4000 researchers at NYU filed this week to join the UAW.

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UNLOCKED - Movie Time 3 - The Organizer and Western Ghats

The whole crew is a bit overwhelmed this week, Dan is sick, John's class is in crunch mode, and Lina's putting the finishing touches on the rest of the Military Unions series. So this week we're unlocking one of our favorite Movie Time episodes for everyone. Both these labor movies are likely less well known by most of our audience, but they're some of the best we've discussed. Part 2 of our series on attempts to organize in the military will arrive next week.

Original Description:
First we discuss 1963's The Organizer, a working class drama about the early days of labor organizing in northern Italy in the late 1800s. The film covers the extreme exploitation of 19th century textile workers and their earliest attempts at organizing, even before major national unions existed. For our second film this week we watched Western Ghats (Merku Thodarchi Malai), from India's southern state of Tamil Nadu. Western Ghats follows the struggle of landless workers forced to labor for the big landowners as they strive to become independent peasant farmers themselves. The film portrays the difficulties of peasants, the way debt is used to dispossess them, and the semi feudal conditions they face in many parts of the Global South in ways western cinema rarely covers.

Ep 182 - Internationalism On Display Feat. Maximillian Alvarez

This week we are very happy to to be joined by Maximillian Alvarez Editor in Chief of The Real News Network and host of Working People Podcast. We start with highlighting some of the many brave actions by workers, activists, and unions in solidarity with Palestine in opposition to those complicit and exacerbating the genocide being enacted by Israel. From people blocking weapons ships in Oakland and Tacoma to Italy and commitments to action from unions in Belgium and the UK to solidarity statements in defiance of the AFL-CIO by the APWU. We then get to the TA reached by the Las Vegas Culinary Union which boasts some major gains. In Quebec, Canada 420k public workers strike for one day and vow to strike for longer if their demands are not met. We cover Tesla's open statement on their intent to break labor law and how workers in Germany and Sweden are showing the company the might of worker power. Starbucks continues to break the law by once again promising raised to only non-union workers and SBWU workers are planning another massive action to fight back against the massive union busting company. In a huge story, SAG-AFTRA has reached a TA after 118 days on strike. We only have a few details at this point but we are excited for this possible major victory. We wrap up the episode celebrating another major union victory for Cornell Grad Students who won their union vote with 96% in favor!

Support the Starbucks Red Cup Rebellion: https://starbucksworkersunited.controlshift.app/calendars/red-cup-rebellion

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Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter and Bluesky,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

Overtime Episode 52 PREVIEW - Military Unions - Pt 1

If you're not a patron you can get the full episode by visiting patreon.com/workstoppage and support us with $5 a month.

One question that has arisen over and over in the history of revolutionary movements has been: what about the military? Does it make sense to try and organize soldiers, sailors, and airmen, especially if they come from working class backgrounds? Or is it a futile effort to try and break into such a hierarchical, rigid system? In this series, we'll examine some of the history of attempts to organize soldiers into unions both in the United States and in many other countries. For our first episode, we'll start with some attempts at union organizing in the US military in the immediate aftermath of the Vietnam War. We discuss what issues caused soldiers to dissent, how movements formed and disbanded, and what results, if any, were achieved by these groups. In future episodes, we'll look at US movements in the era of the all volunteer military, and expand the discussion to other militaries around the world.

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Ep 181 - Workers Can Stop Arms Dealers feat. Alexander Edward of Minion Death Cult

This week we are joined by Alexander Edward of Minion Death Cult and long time UPS worker! We start with some follow-up on Walgreens and CVS walkouts, felony vandalism charges being dropped against University of California Grad Student Workers, and the Las Vegas Culinary Union where 35,000+ Workers are set to strike on Nov 10th. In our main stories we start with actions by workers with the support of many organizations to shut down INKAS, an arms dealer sending weapons to Israel in order to perpetuate their genocide on Palestinians. The fight by the RMT and the British public to save ticket stations has won the battle with the Tories and attempts to destroy ticket worker jobs and replace them with kiosks has failed. We then talk about 4500 Portland Teachers and staff who are on strike across the city from 80 schools. In media news, journalists at the Daily Herald fight back against union busting and the NYT Tech Guild walks out over the NYT's return to office policy. U-Penn grad students revitalize the GET-UP union movement and file for an election and face repression from the administration. REI union workers and customers hold a day of action in protest of the company's recent illegal firing of 275 workers. Finally we celebrate the victory of Disney Animators who joined the Animation Guild.

Organize an action in defense of Palestine: https://www.shutitdown4palestine.org/

Sign the Daily Herald petition: http://tinyurl.com/5n7w22jd

Shop Floor Discussion 9 - TA at the Big 3

One of the biggest labor stories of 2023 has been the historic Stand Up Strike by the UAW, with the union taking on all of the Big 3 US automakers at the same time for the first time ever. After six weeks on strike, with nearly 50,000 autoworkers on the picket lines, this week the union reached agreements with all three companies. These agreements, though they remain tentative until the rank and file determine if they're good enough, contain historic gains. We break down each agreement, discuss the wins made at each company, as well as the ripple effects already impacting auto workers at other companies.

We will return to our regular bonus schedule next week with a new series discussing the history of attempts to form unions within the military. So check out our Patreon for that series and all our in depth bonus content.

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Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee

Ep 180 - Record Profits Mean Record Contracts

Support Starbucks Workers: https://starbucksworkersunited.controlshift.app/calendars/red-cup-rebellion

We're back with another week of labor struggle. We start with a brief discussion of the incredibly racist labor policies of the British Navy. Next we discuss the supposedly amazing work conditions at Nintendo of America which CEO Doug Bowser claims are so good employees don't want a union. Two more major healthcare walkouts were launched this week on the West Coast, in Washington and Oregon at PeaceHealth and California at Providence. Starbucks Workers United announced their biggest day of action yet, Red Cup Rebellion 2, on November 16. The NLRB announced a new rule defining joint employers, we break down the potential impacts. Two groups of undergrad workers won their unions this week at Harvard and the University of Oregon. Finally, we close with our discussion of the UAW's Stand Up strike, which saw major escalations at GM and Stellantis this week and a tentative agreement at Ford.
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Movie Time 8 PREVIEW - Joe Hill and The Molly Maguires

If you're not a patron you can get the full episode by visiting patreon.com/workstoppage and support us with $5 a month.

We're back to our regular bonus schedule this week with another episode on labor cinema. This week we have two historical dramas from the 1970s, Joe Hill and The Molly Maguires. First we discuss the 1971 Swedish biopic of the legendary IWW organizer and songwriter. Joe Hill follows the life of the young immigrant worker as he worked his way across the US, experiencing the full range of abuses workers faced in the early 20th century. Next we discuss The Molly Maguires, the 1970 drama starring Sean Connery. Based on the testimony of a Pinkerton spy, the film shows us the lengths workers were forced to go to even 150 years ago to fight for dignity in the hell of the coal pits.

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Ep 179 - US Supports Slavery and Genocide

This week we have to start with some difficult news. While we do talk about Starbucks Workers United's statement in support of Palestinian liberation it is in response to Starbucks' attack on the workers for their stance. We also talk about Israel revoking work permits to people who live in Gaza and the abuses that they perpetrate on the Palestinian people while they are made literally illegal while at work outside Gaza. We then talk about Amazon's use of a Kafala like system in Saudi Arabia to exploit Nepali, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, and other workers with no intent on stopping. Back in the US, OSHA has once again failed to protect workers by giving a cheap fine to a PA chocolate factory responsible for 7 worker deaths. Prime Healthcare workers strike for all of the same reasons healthcare workers across the country have been striking for year, safe staffing levels. In Detroit, 3 Casinos covered by five unions go on strike after being forced to take a major cut at the beginning of the ongoing covid pandemic. In service work, Coffee by Design workers in Maine organize with LIUNA, and Waffle House workers demand $25/hr and better conditions while working with the USSW. We wrap up our reporting this week with an update on the UAW Stand Up Strike at the Big 3 Automakers, how Ford is crying poverty, where negotiations currently are, and Stellantis hiring strike breaking goons.

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Stand Up For Palestine

This week we felt it was important to discuss the ongoing attacks against Palestine and how the US labor movement can stand up against complicity with ethnic cleansing. We discuss unions who have already spoken out against the war crimes our government is supporting, and what workers in Palestine have asked workers around the world to do to support them.  We also discuss why it is important for people in the labor movement to fight back in the many ways possible and the ways we can do our part individually collectively.  John was under the weather and will be back in the next episode. 

We also encourage listeners to donate to groups providing humanitarian aid to Gaza.
support.anera.org/a/palestine-emergency
pcrf1.app.neoncrm.com/forms/gaza-relief
www.mecaforpeace.org/donate/
https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/palestine 

Find a protest https://www.answercoalition.org/join_a_protest_near_you_free_palestine

Intro clip credit - Liberation Media

Ep 178 - From The River To The Sea

We are forced by recent events to start this week's episode with a call for all the forces of labor to stand in solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine. The fight against apartheid and colonialism is a crucial part of the class struggle and workers in the Imperial Core, especially the US, have a particular responsibility to resist the complicity of our government. Getting into the labor news, we discuss the tentative agreement reached at Kaiser Permanente after last week's strike of 75,000 healthcare workers. We also cover a recent strike by sanitation workers in Durham, NC which won big gains for all city employees. Recent weeks have seen walkouts by pharmacy workers at both CVS and Walgreens, we talk about why. We check in on the status of the SAG-AFTRA strike as the AMPTP walks away from the table. Finally we close discussing the UAW, both their strike at Mack Truck and the expansion of the Stand Up strike to the most profitable plant in the country.

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Overtime Episode 51 PREVIEW - The General Strike in US History Pt 4

If you're not a patron you can get the full episode by visiting patreon.com/workstoppage and support us with $5 a month.

We've talked about some of the more well known general strikes in US history: the interwar strikes in Seattle, Minneapolis, San Francisco, and Toledo. But even before them, in the 19th century, there was one general strike that predated them all. In New Orleans in 1892, tens of thousands of workers, Black and white, stood as one against their exploiters. They fought not just for better wages and shorter hours, but for the bosses to recognize and negotiate not just unions of white workers, but Black workers too. The 1892 New Orleans general strike stands as a monument to the power of multiracial working class unity, and shows why bosses have fought so hard for so long to prevent workers from achieving it.

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Ep 177 - Healthcare Heroes Have Had Enough

We start this week's episode celebrating the power move by Drew Barrymore's writing staff turning down an offer to return after being stabbed in the back during the strike. Next we discuss VFX workers at Disney voting unanimous to join IATSE. One of our biggest stories this week is the largest healthcare strike in US history, as 75,000 workers at Kaiser Permanente struck for 3 days in 5 states. We also discuss major new contract wins by academic workers at Tufts and MIT, and a major contract victory by workers at Kumho Tires in Georgia. Finally, we discuss this week's developments in the UAW's Stand Up strike, including a monumental win that will shape the future of the entire industry.

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Follow the pod at instagram.com/workstoppage, @WorkStoppagePod on Twitter,  John @facebookvillain, and Lina @solidaritybee