April 30, 2020

History of May Day; Covid-19 impact on hospitality work; Australian women's unpaid Labour; Lack of decisive action on silicosis from the Dust Diseases Task Force

May Day!David Palmer, International Labor Historian and Associate at the University of Melbourne, discusses the origins of May Day, the beginnings of the 8-hour day movement in Melbourne and what we’re learning about essential workers during the Coronavirus pandemic.Hospitality workers and impact of Covid-19Paul Johnston has worked in hospitality for 18 years. He offers a personal perspective of the industry and the impact of Covid-19 on the people he has worked with. Australian women’s unpaid LaborLyn Craig, a professor in sociology at the University of Melbourne speaks about Australian women's unpaid labor and participation in the workforce.Rising rates of silicosis among workers in AustraliaThere’s been a worring increase in cases of silicosis in Australia over the past 5 years. Professor Lin Fritschi, an epidemiologist at Curtin University who stuies occupational causes of cancer. Lin speaks with us about the causes of the increase in silicosis and the limitations of the Interim Advice to the Minister Health provided by the National Dust Diseases Task Force.

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