Belabored Podcast #163: Organizing for Democracy, with Meg Reilly

Meg Reilly of the Campaign Workers Guild joins us to talk about the first movement to unionize the workers who canvass the streets, run the phone banks, and carry the clipboards.

(Photo by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

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It’s that time of the year again, when we’re all to do our democratic duty with a mix of anticipation and dread. We bring you a dispatch from the campaign trail that is guaranteed to bank a victory for progressives no matter who wins on Tuesday: Meg Reilly of the Campaign Workers Guild talks to us about the first movement to unionize the workers who canvass the streets, run the phone banks, and carry the clipboards that make the election process tick.

We also talk to Greg Nevins of Lambda Legal and Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality about the crisis facing the trans community as Trump tries to roll back civil rights. And in other news we survey two labor rebellions rippling in digital media and Silicon Valley, look at how Spain is working with unions to navigate a just transition as they close coalmines, and check in with Louisiana teachers taking on Big Oil’s corporate welfare. With recommended reading on cross-border solidarity on the Gulf Coast, and trans workers on the vanguard of labor.

This week’s show was supported by our monthly sustaining members. If you think our work is worth supporting as we soldier on through Trumplandia, please consider becoming a member today. If you’re interested in advertising on the show, please email ads@dissentmagazine.org. And as always, if you have any questions, comments, or tips, email us at belabored@dissentmagazine.org.

News

Spain to close most coalmines in €250m transition deal (Guardian)

Labor Flexes New Muscles in Online Media (Bloomberg)

Hundreds of Baton Rouge school workers vote for walkout; here’s why, when, what to know (The Advocate)

East Baton Rouge school employees postpone walkout after opposed tax breaks left off state board agenda (The Advocate)

Google Faces Internal Backlash Over Handling of Sexual Harassment (New York Times)

Conversations

‘Transgender’ Could Be Defined Out of Existence Under Trump Administration (New York Times)

Greg Nevins of Lambda Legal

Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality

Campaign Workers Unionize to Get Higher Pay, Severance and Even Warmer Offices (WNYC)

Meg Reilly, Vice President, Campaign Workers Guild