Series Podcast: Labor Express Radio

This is the full 5-16-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. You could call today’s episode the Mother’s Day edition. In Latin American, Mother’s Day is always held on May 10th. NALACC, the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities utilized this past Mothers Day to call on the Obama administration to stop its policy of massive numbers of deportations of undocumented immigrants. We will hear more on today's program about their Mother’s Day message to mother...

This is the full 5-9-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. As promised, on today’s program we’ll bring you audio from the multiple celebrations of May Day 2011, but that will be later in the program. First up we’ll hear about last month’s employment figures from the Department of Labor and we'll get Jobs With Justice’s reaction to those numbers. We will hear about the plan to "re-invent" Chicago’s City Colleges and why faculty and students of the City Colleges are opposing the so...

This is the full 3-14-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. The great labor uprising in Wisconsin continues even after Governor Walker took what many are calling illegal measures to push through his anti-union law. And the labor rebellion continues to spread to other states. We will bring you audio from Indianapolis and Madison were major labor protests were held last week. We’ll also hear from those who argue it is time for a general strike in Wisconsin. And in our ongoing effort...

This is the full 2-21-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. The past week has been one of those weeks in which I wished Labor Express aired 2 or 3 times every week. There is no way we can do justice on today’s program to all the important developments of the past week. Of course tomorrow is election day in Chicago and, as promised I will bring you my interview with Mike Klonsky on Rahm Emmanuel’s policy positions on public education. We’ll hear that in the second half of the...

This is the full 2-14-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On today’s program we focus on Chicago municipal elections which are just over a week away. These elections could have a huge impact on working people’s lives in this city, so we are devoting today’s and next week's program to this topic. We have focused our election coverage up till now on the statements made by Mayoral candidates at a number of candidates forums held around the city. Because Rahm Emmanuel has refused to...

This is the full 2-7-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On the second half of today’s program, as promised, we will bring you more about the mayoral candidates standing for election here in Chicago; this time with audio from the Chicago Teachers Union’s mayoral forum. But given the on-going and rapidly evolving events in Egypt, and the reaction to those events here in Chicago, we will devote the first half of today’s program to that topic again this week. Will have audio from a...

This is the full 1-31-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. What an exciting few weeks for people who believe in democracy everywhere. First on January 14th comes the news that the people of Tunisia, through massive, peaceful, street protests have forced their dictator Ben Ali to flee the country. And than, starting last Tuesday, the people of Egypt toke to the streets - first in the hundreds of thousands, and than in the millions - to demand an end to 30 years of authoritarian rule...

This is the full 1-24-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On this Monday’s episode of Labor Express Radio we began our coverage of the upcoming municipal elections in Chicago with audio from a rally outside a Rahm Emmanuel for mayor fundraiser. Some of those at the rally were there to express their concerns that Rahm Emmanuel will continue the pro-corporate, pro-privatization agenda begun under the Daley administration. Others, especially a group of transit workers, were there to...

This is the full 1-17-11 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. This Monday’s episode of Labor Express Radio guest producer Dorian Breuer takes a look at the 1919 Seattle General Strike and it relevance to today's labor movement. The 1919 Seattle General Strike is an excellent historical example of the sort of direct action discussed on the 12-20-10 episode of Labor Express. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for...

This is the full 12-20-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. This Monday’s episode of Labor Express Radio examines direct action as a tactic for unions and other social movements, with a panel composed of four guests who have already won victories using this approach… Toussaint Losier of the Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign – The campaign has successfully kept people in their homes by blocking home evictions with mass numbers of supporters. Mark Meinster of UE – The UE’s factory...

This is the full 12-13-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. One unique aspect of our coverage of worker’s issues over the past year here on Labor Express Radio has been the number of stories we have aired regarding environmental issues in working class communities. As we approach the end of 2010, and as world leaders discuss climate change policy in Cancun at COP 16, we will air today one more episode focused on this issue. First, we will hear from one of Chicago’s oldest and most...

This is the full 12-6-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. Last Friday, the new unemployment figures came out and they are not good. The unemployment rate rose from 9.6% to 9.8% nationally last month, once again setting records and making the current economic crisis one of the longest and deepest in our nation’s history. Along with the negative employment numbers, was the equal disturbing news a couple weeks ago that Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s moratorium on evictions would be...

This is the full 11-29-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On today’s Labor Express Radio program will take a look at some of the issues raised by the recent mid-term elections. We’ll hear about the growing influence of money in elections following the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United case. And we’ll hear a critique of Obama’s first two years in office from Bruce Dixon of Black Agenda Report. Will also get a little labor history via our friends at Labor Beat TV....

This is the full 11-22-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On today’s episode of Labor Express Radio we will hear from NALACC Executive Director Oscar Chacon about the state of the struggle for the rights of immigrants in the United States in light of recent political developments. Will also hear a critique of the new film Waiting for Superman from education reform activist Bob Peterson of Rethinking Schools. Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and...

This is the full 11-8-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On today’s episode of Labor Express Radio we will talk about next weekend's Midwest WobFest 2010. The annual WobFest is a gathering, forum and celebration organized by Midwest locals of the IWW, especially from Chicago and the Twin Cities of Minnesota. This year's WobFest will focus on the themes of workers occupations, takeovers and workers self-management, here and abroad. In the second half of the program will hear about...

This is the full 11-1-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. First, we’ll hear from Jorge Ortiz of the Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign. A couple weeks ago we aired audio from a rally the campaign held outside the office of Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart. The campaign was demanding he declare a moratorium on all economically motivated evictions. Within days of that broadcast, Dart announced to the media that he was calling a halt to some evictions. But is the moratorium Dart has embraced...

This is the full 10-25-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. Today’s episode of Labor Express could be called class struggles in France. Around the globe, the ruling class is utilizing the current economic crisis to erode gains made by the working class over a century of struggle. But in at least one place, the workers are fighting back on a grand scale. French workers are legendary for their militancy and the French are living up to their reputation with nearly two months of...

This is the full 10-18-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. On today’s episode of Labor Express Radio we’ll hear about Chicago’s Anti-Eviction Campaign. They held a small action outside Cook County Sheriff and mayoral candidate Tom Dart’s office in downtown Chicago Thursday and presented him with their own 5 day eviction notice I will also offer some commentary on the lessons the 33 Chilean miners who were freed from 69 days captivity far underground on Wednesday and what they can...

This is the full 10-11-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. Here on Labor Express Radio we view labor news in a broad sense. Yes, we cover strikes, lockouts, organizing campaigns and contract fights – the stuff people typically think of as labor news. But the concerns of working people extend well beyond these workplace fights. Here at labor express we view issues of education, immigration, health care, human rights and peace and justice just as just as much labor news as struggles...

This is the full 10-4-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program. Today's episode of Labor Express Radio focuses on a the One Nation Working Togther Rally held in Washington D.C. on October 2nd. Hundreds of thousands attended the rally organized by a coalition of labor, civil rights groups and progressive forces with the goal of rallying the troops before the November elections and pushing forward a progressive agenda on labor rights, education, job creation and a host of other issues....