Interview with Marc Belanger - Radio Labour

Interview with Marc Belanger - Radio Labour

Author: Eric Lee - LabourStart March 5, 2024 Duration: 17:23
Marc Belanger was doing labour education and union organising online back in the 1980s. That's NOT a typo -- he established SoliNet (Solidarity Network) for Canada's largest union, CUPE, nearly 40 years ago. He went on to run the International Labour Organisation's training centre in Turin, Italy and now is back in Canada, where he founded and runs Radio Labour. In this interview with LabourStart's Eric Lee, Marc talks about what he calls "activist podcasting" and gives us a...

For trade unionists, activists, and anyone curious about the forces shaping our workplaces, LabourStart: Where trade unionists start their day on the net. serves as a daily audio bulletin from the front lines of the global labour movement. Hosted by Eric Lee, this podcast draws directly from the vast network of the LabourStart website, a volunteer-driven resource that has been aggregating union news in dozens of languages since 1998. Each episode cuts through the noise to bring you the stories that matter: from successful organising drives and difficult strikes to legislative battles and the realities of workers' rights across different industries and borders. You'll hear updates on LabourStart's own online campaigning tools, which unions use to mobilise international solidarity, often leading to tangible victories. The conversation occasionally expands to reflect on broader themes of solidarity, featuring insights from global conferences and discussions on the strategic use of digital tools for collective action. This isn't just a summary of headlines; it's a focused look at the people and strategies driving change. Tune in to this essential podcast for a grounded, informed perspective on the ongoing fight for fair work, connecting local struggles to a worldwide movement.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 47

LabourStart: Where trade unionists start their day on the net.
Podcast Episodes
Lesotho: Interview with Solong Senohe, General Secretary of UNITE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:33
Solong is the general secretary of the United Textile Employees Union in Lesotho -- a union currently involved in a major struggle for workers' rights and dignity at Quantum Apparel. In this interview, he tells us about…
USA: Interview with Shawna Bader-Blau from the Solidarity Center [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:20
Shawna Bader-Blau heads up the Solidarity Center in Washington DC which has for many years been one of the great sources of support for workers around the world trying create and sustain independent, democratic trade uni…
Azerbaijan: Interview with Nilufar Mammadrzayeva [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:53
Nilufar Mammadrzayeva is an activist in İşçi Masası (Labor Desk), an alternative Confederation of Trade Unions operating in Azerbaijan. As she explained to us, "Right now, four of our comrades are facing dire conditions…
Canada: Interview with Mark Hancock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:27
This week, LabourStart's Pat Bulmer interviews Mark Hancock, national president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees -- the largest union in the country. Mark was asked to speak about the union's recently-adopted "M…
Belarus: Interview with Liza Merliak, exiled trade unionist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:48
LabourStart's podcast this week is - unfortunately - about Belarus, which is probably the worst place in Europe to be a trade unionist. We are now coming up on the 3rd anniversary of the mass arrests of Belarusian trade…