From workers dying from lack of adequate safety measures and PPE to states viciously cutting off extended unemployment benefits to force people back to unsafe, poverty-wage work, the COVID-19 pandemic has made it horrifyingly clear just how little value the lives and wellbeing of working people have in an economic system where all that matters is the bottom line. But it doesn't have to be this way. We can organize our economy and our workplaces in a more humane way—and we have proof that it works. In this extended mini-cast, we talk with senior reporter Jaisal Noor about his multi-part investigative documentary series for The Real News Network, which examines how 8 worker co-operatives across 4 states have been able to stay in business during the pandemic while prioritizing worker safety and democratic decision making.

Additional links/info below...

• Jaisal's Twitter page and TRNN author page
• Jaisal Noor, The Real News Network, "Worker Cooperatives Prove Your Job Doesn't Have to Be Hell" (Feature documentary in Jaisal's co-op series)
• Jaisal Noor, The Real News Network, "Worker Co-ops vs. COVID" (Full series of Jaisal's co-op coverage)
• The Hill's Rising, "Jaisal Noor: How Worker Co-ops Successfully Weathered The Pandemic"
• CounterSpin, "Jaisal Noor on Worker Co-Ops, Duncan Meisel on Fossil Fuel Greenwashing"

Permanent links below...

• Working People Patreon page
• Leave us a voicemail and we might play it on the show!
• Labor Radio / Podcast Network website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• In These Times website, Facebook page, and Twitter page
• The Real News Network website, YouTube channel, podcast feeds, Facebook page, and Twitter page

Featured Music (all songs sourced from the Free Music Archive: freemusicarchive.org)

• Jules Taylor, "Working People Theme Song"