Belabored Podcast #28: Solidarity

Belabored Podcast #28: Solidarity

This week on Belabored, Sarah and guest co-host Peter Frase discuss international solidarity campaigns with American workers and give an update on the situation in Detroit. Then, independent journalist Susie Cagle joins them to talk about labor unrest in the Bay Area, where solidarity can be hard to come by.


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This week on Belabored, Sarah and guest co-host Peter Frase (Jacobin magazine) talk about solidarity of all kinds. They discuss international solidarity campaigns between European and South African unions and workers here, particularly in the South; give an update on the situation in Detroit as unions fight the city’s planned bankruptcy (which Marcy Wheeler discussed on Episode 16) and the wiping out of their pensions; and more. Then, independent journalist Susie Cagle joins them to talk about labor unrest in the Bay Area, including wildcat strikes at the Port of Oakland by port truckers and the Bay Area Rapid Transit workers’ strike. Solidarity, it seems, can be hard to come by, both in the suddenly tech-enriched community and even among workers at the port itself. And for “Argh,” Sarah presents her favorite piece on solidarity, ever.

Links For Those Following Along At Home:

Detroit Bankruptcy Hits Pivotal Phase

Grambling State University football players strike by Brendan O’Connor at Jacobin

International Solidarity for Americans: South African unionists at Nissan in MississippiSwedes at Ikea in VirginiaGermans at Volkswagen in Tennessee

Sarah on port truck drivers in Savannah

Yvonne Yen Liu on wildcat port trucker strike in Oakland

More on port truckers, from Los Angeles

Susie Cagle on Burning Down BART Strike Strawmen

Peter Frase on the BART Strike and Techno-Libertarianism

Mike Elk: BART Strike Media Fail

Labor Notes: Bay Area Transit Workers Beat Back Worst, End Strike

Last-minute deal averts grocery strike

Pieces We Wish We’d Written:

Peter: Iza Kaminska at the Financial TimesWorld War ZIRP

Sarah: Chris Hayes at In These Times, In Search of Solidarity