Interview with Sean Sweeney, coordinator of Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED)

Interview with Sean Sweeney, coordinator of Trade Unions for Energy Democracy (TUED)

Author: Eric Lee - LabourStart September 3, 2026 Duration: 8:42
Sean Sweeney is the founder and coordinator of a global network of trade unionists who are trying change the way we deal with the global climate crisis. Instead of failed neo-liberal solutions, TUED is pushing for 'public pathways' to confront the climate emergency. In November, Sean will be in Turkey for COP 31, the People's Climate Summit and TUED's own Inter-Regional Meeting. (He explains that these terms mean, as many of you may not know about COP 31.). LabourStart will be the...

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: 50

LabourStart: Where trade unionists start their day on the net.
Podcast Episodes
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…
Canada: Interview with Stephanie Ross & Larry Savage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:11
The LabourStart Podcast this week -- our first in 2025 -- is an interview with two Canadian writers who've written an important new book about one of the country's largest trade unions. Stephanie Ross is an associate pro…
Interview with Sultana Hossain from the Amazon Labor Union in the USA [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:56
"We were dying," says Sultana Hossain, describing the conditions that led thousands of Amazon employees in New York City to begin organising into a trade union. Initially, their union was independent and had no backing f…