Labournauts Podcast

Episode 15 journeys into the depths of the summer institute for union women. The all female labournauts crew of Karen Renelatta, Natasha tony and Sussanne Skidmore soar deep into the topics of sisterhood, oppression, intersectionality and racism.

Check out Karen's blog at http://hottubbinforjustice.blogspot.com

Please subscribe to the Labournauts at https://goo.gl/4Ak8J6

Episode 14 Takes off as Sussanne Skidmore and Carlos Andrew Carvalho visit the home of Stephanie Smith President of the BC Government and services Union to talk about the BCGEU and her trip with the Stephen Lewis Foundation for the South African Grandmothers Gathering in Durban.

Episode 13 takes off as Sussanne and Carlos explore the 2nd Annual Bob Derby Memorial Golf Tournament hosted by MoveUP.

First we sit down with David Black, President of MoveUP. We discuss Bob Derby's legacy, the challenges being experienced by MoveUP members at the BC Nurses Union office and some stories from David's recent experience housing a Nigerian Refugee Family of 6.

Our second interview is with Gavin McGarrigle, BC area Director from Unifor. Gavin gives us a look into what kind of work Unifor members do, organizing strategies and the situation Unifor Members are currently facing while bargaining with the BC Nurses Union.

Our third guest is Jim Sinclar, former President of the BC Federation of Labour. We talk to Jim about violence in the workplace, his role working with Veterans during the last federal election and the work he's doing bridging gaps between labour and aboriginal people.

Lastly Annette Toth, ICBC Unit Vice President and Al Bieksa, BC Federation of Labour Health and Safety Centre Return to Work Program Coordinator sit down with Sussanne to discuss the Red Shirt Foundation, and the work they do addressing violence in the workplace. Al also talks about the work his son and NHLPA member Kevin Bieksa does as a representative for his union and the "tough guy" culture in the NHL.

A big thank you to MoveUP and Annette Toth for letting the Labounauts occupy this event!

While many of us in North America were shocked by the Brexit vote, we don't have a real understanding of the impact many Europeans.

Aaron is joined by James Papadopoulos, who holds Canadian, British and Greek citizenship, about the impact of Brexit on Europeans and what it means for him personally.

Hope you enjoy.

Carlos sits down and talks to Joshua Berson. If you've been to a labour convention, there is a good chance Josh has taken your picture. Josh talks about his time in the movement, what he loves about it and makes a rather odd analogy about the labour movement that involves an elephant. But it makes a strange type of sense.

Aaron returns from Miners Memorial Weekend in Cumberland with a bunch of interviews and speeches.

Aaron interviews Neil Vokey, director/product of Goodwin's Way. We hear from Ben Isitt, Victoria City Council and Irene Lanzinger President of BC Federation of Labour. And we get a bunch of commentary, some even insightful, from Aaron and Carlos.

Finally, Carlos practices his "dad" phases.

Episode 9 takes off as we sit down with Corey Reid. Corey is a young man playing a crucial role improving BC's mental health system with the Child and Youth Mental Health and Substance Use Collaborative & Langley Local Action Team.

Suffering from PTSD after witnessing a suicide at the age of 2, Corey provides us with some real life examples of how our mental health and judicial systems can leave young people without the support they need to cope with PTSD, depression and drug addiction.

This episode covers some pretty graphic topics and life experiences. Corey doesn't pull any punches, so please consider this as a trigger warning.

In this episode we are joined by the great Trish Garner, BC Poverty Reduction Coalition, to talk about the work of the Coalition.

We are also joined Adrienne Smith and Aaron Ekman.

In this episode, we sit down with Sussanne Skidmore, Aaron Ekman and Adrienne Smith to discuss the recent charter challenge to give BC prisoners struggling with opiate addictions the same access to addiction treatments they could receive outside of prison. We also talk about the recent transphobic legislation introduced in some US states.

In this episode, we are joined by Karen Ranalleta, President of CUPE Local 2950 and General VP of CUPE BC. She talks to us about the 2016 CUPE BC convention, her experiences as a young female labour leader, and the struggles that libraries are facing across the country. In addition, Aaron tells us about his experiences at the recent Pierce County Democratic Convention in Tacoma, Washington