Belabored Podcast #188: What the Chicago Teachers Won

Belabored Podcast #188: What the Chicago Teachers Won

After eleven days rallying in the streets, the Chicago Teachers Union ended their strike and inked a tentative agreement with many hard-fought gains.

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After eleven days rallying in the streets, the Chicago Teachers Union ended their strike and inked a tentative agreement with many hard-fought gains. We speak with teacher and organizer Kenzo Shibata and education scholar Lois Weiner about what the recent wave of teacher strikes signifies about union militancy today, how radical rank-and-file movements have reshaped teacher unions, the struggle to protect public schools from neoliberal reform agendas, and the wider role of public-sector unions in the community.

In other news, we look at Google workers taking action on climate change and immigrants’ rights, Instacart shoppers in revolt with Vanessa Bain, a labor mobilization at a Los Angeles museum, and the Little Rock teachers’ fight for bargaining power with Kimberley Crutchfield. With recommended reading about revising antitrust law and the gig economy’s new Taylorism.  

This week’s show was supported by our monthly sustaining members. If you think our work is worth supporting, 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.

Marciano Art Foundation and the value of ‘art labor’ (KCRW)

Marciano Art Foundation lays off visitor associates days after union drive is announced (LA Times)

Michelle: Can Google’s Soul Be Saved? (The Progressive)

Google Workers For Action on Climate (Medium)

Little Rock teachers to go on strike over district’s control (AP)

Instacart Has Retaliated Against us — Update (Medium)

Instacart Cuts ‘Quality’ Bonus After Workers Go on 3-Day Strike (Vice)

Conversation:

Lois Weiner, @drloisweiner

Kenzo Shibata, @KenzoShibata

Sarah: The Chicago Teachers Strike Was a Lesson in 21st-Century Organizing (The Nation)

Sarah: How Chicago Teachers Built Power Between Strikes (The Progressive)

It’s Chicago Educators Versus the Ruling Class (Jacobin)

Chicago Teachers Didn’t Win Everything, But They’ve Transformed the City—And the Labor Movement (In These Times)

Argh: 

Sarah: Josh Gabert-Doyon, I Saw the Gig Economy’s Bleak Future During a 96-Hour Work Marathon (Vice)

Michelle: Sanjukta Paul and Sandeep Vaheesan, Make Antitrust Democratic Again! (The Nation)