We Rise Fighting - Labor Podcast

(00:00:00) E115: What Direction for Today's Mass Rallies?

(00:00:27) Intro to Episode

(00:01:40) "Guillotine"

(00:04:40) Ric offers context and kicks off discussion

(00:13:02) Bryan's thoughts

(00:19:43) What if we stopped calling people "immigrants"?

(00:25:28) Labor History: why are we allowing this?

(00:32:17) Ric: lessons from strikes that could guide our movements

In this episode we ask the question: what direction for the mass protests taking place in the street today? In an attempt to answer this question, this espisode focuses on political theory, labor history, as well as the lessons we've learned from the strikes we've covered. 

-Statement by the Coaltiion of Black Trade Unionists
-SEIU Nurses on Strike in Madison, WI

Today's episode:

• National Day of Action to Save Public Education 
• Bernie/AOC rallies
• Update on UAW 291 strike
• World Federation of Trade Unions / May Day Declaration
• Federal Unionists Network (FUN)
• 10 National Unions call for anti-trump resistance
• Kentucky Unions fight deportation

Interview with UAW Local 291 president, Ryan Compton. 

Workers have been on strike for 3 weeks at Cummins corporation. Cummins is a producer of diesel engines and axles. 90 workers are currently on strike. We interview President Compton to learn about the strike and how the community can support the striking workers.

April 3rd, 2025 marks the 57th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's famous speech "I've been to the mountaintop." He delivered this speech in Memphis, TN the night before his assassination. 

In this episode we play a segment from this speech and Bryan discusses Dr. King's legacy as far as his relation to unions and labor. 

We also talk about striking workers in Osh Kosch, WI and about the protests currently being organized by postal workers.

Today was an uscripted discussion on politics, labor, and current events. 

We covered stuff like:

-General/current state of social movements in the US
-Palesine update
-Bernie Sanders in Denver
-Creativity of the Working Class
-Postal Workers
-Unions as a microcosm of what a better, democratic society could look like
-Viper Armed / Jucuapa (i.e. Ric's album)

Bryan and Ric chop it up about Ric's recent visit to Wisconsin to do a presenation on how to research corporations. Ric also spoke at an event concerning the Black freedom struggle and Palestine.

-Solidarity with Palestine Report
-Southern Workers Assembly Statement
-Info on Corporate Research Presentation in Wisconsin (6pm, Feb 20th, Labor Temple, 1602 S. Park Street, Madison, WI)
-Reflections on Wisconsin
-Port Workers Strike Averted / Commentary on Teamsters strike
-Oregon Health Care Workers on Strike

-Update on solidarity efforts with Palestine
-United Auto Workers: strike at Strand bookstores and organizing at Newbury Comics
-Teamsters/Amazon strike update
-Starbucks workers strike update
-Organizing at REI
-Organizing in the US today
-Protests against Trump
-UNITE-HERE west coast Hotel Workers Strike ends

-Labor for Palestine solidarity w/ Teamster strike
-Teamster strike at Amazon
-Starbucks workers strike
-Interview with JoAnna Frasch, Vice President of AFSCME Local 1 in Wisconin. We talk to JoAnna about Act 10 and other labor issues in Wisconsin.