Best Eric Lee LabourStart Podcasts (2025)

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60 seconds on ... Lee Cheuk-yan, jailed leader of Hong Kong's trade union movement 0:59

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7d ago0:59

0:59

"60 seconds on ..." is a new podcast series hosted by LabourStart and aims to provide the international trade union movement with bite-size nuggets of information about important campaigns and news. In today's episode, we focus on Lee Cheuk-yan, the jailed leader of the Hong Kong Trade Union Confederation, whose trial starts next month. To learn mo…

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USA: Professor Yiran Zhang on care work 11:39

11d ago11:39

11:39

Professor Yiran Zhang is a prominent emerging voice in the field of labor and employment law, focusing on how care work is governed at the complicated intersection of informal labor markets, the welfare state, and the household. At Cornell’s ILR School, where she is also an Associate Faculty Member at Cornell Law School, she examines the rapidly sh…

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Netherlands: Union leader Pawel Rudzki, unfairly dismissed for his activism 10:52

16d ago10:52

10:52

Pawel Rudzki has not worked for the Albert Heijn supermarket chain for some two months now. An exemplary worker, never late, with a spotless record, he was bullied and lied about, given warnings he could not reply to -- and then summarily sacked. His union, the FNV, together with UNI Global Union, has been campaigning for his reinstatement. It's th…

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Is this the Nobel Prize for the international trade union movement? 8:37

26d ago8:37

8:37

Today we spoke with Amalie Hilde Tofte from the trade union Styrke in Norway. They're the sponsors of the annual Arthur Svensson International Prize for Trade Union Rights. (LabourStart was a recipient a few years back.). Amalie told us about the background to the prize, some of the winners in recent years, and how one applies. We even learned who …

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Serbia: Interview with SKL union leaders 9:58

2M ago9:58

9:58

This week, we talked with two leaders of the Sindikat kontrole letenja (SKL), the union representing Serbian air traffic controllers, who have been dismissed after their security clearances were revoked based on a vague "negative opinion from the security services." Both played key roles in this year’s lawful and successful strike. In this intervie…

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Lesotho: Interview with Solong Senohe, General Secretary of UNITE 12:33

2M ago12:33

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 a whole series of abusive (and illegal) practices at the company, including forced over-time, short-term contracts and union-busti…

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USA: Interview with Chris Garlock of the Labor Radio and Podcasting Network 13:52

3M ago13:52

13:52

Chris, who's based in Washington, D.C., is the founder of the Labor Radio and Podcasting Network. With around 200 members, the network shows the very widespread adoption of podcasting by activists in the trade union movement. We asked Chris about audience size, impact, and how unions and activists can start their own shows. Listeners are encouraged…

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Canada: Interview with Paul Finch, President of the British Columbia General Employees Union (BCGEU) 11:11

3M ago11:11

11:11

This week we talked with Paul Finch at a particularly interesting moment. His union, the largest in the Canadian province of British Columbia, is on strike. The employer in this case, the provincial government, is a social democratic party -- the NDP. Paul explains why the union is on strike and their strategy to win. He even broke the news to us t…

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USA: Interview with Shawna Bader-Blau from the Solidarity Center 21:20

6M ago21:20

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 unions. But with the inauguration of Donald Trump earlier this year, all that has come under threat. In our interview, Shawna discuss…

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Canada: Interview with Gil McGowan, President of the Alberta Federation of Labour 24:55

7M ago24:55

24:55

The Alberta Federation of Labour and some 25 Alberta unions, representing more than 300,000 workers, recently unveiled the Solidarity Pact, a commitment to collective defence against any attack on workers by public- or private-sector employers. The Solidarity Pact is intended to remain in force indefinitely. "The purpose of the Solidarity Pact is t…

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USA: Interview with Dr Debbie Goldman, author of Disconnected: Call Center Workers Fight for Good Jobs in the Digital Age 13:22

8M ago13:22

13:22

Dr Debbie Goldman worked for 28 years at the Communication Workers of America (CWA) and is an expert on the subject of call centre workers. In this short interview we discussed her new book, Disconnected: Call Center Workers Fight for Good Jobs in the Digital Age. We talked about issues like surveillance in the workplace, how the CWA won impressive…

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Belarus: Interview with Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) 8:48

8M ago8:48

8:48

Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), was LabourStart's guest this week on our podcast. The ITUC represents around 200 million workers in 169 countries and territories and has 340 national affiliates. LabourStart's Eric Lee interviewed Luc about the vicious attacks by the Lukashenko dictatorship in B…

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Azerbaijan: Interview with Nilufar Mammadrzayeva 10:53

9M ago10:53

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 in prison due to their labor rights activism. One of them has already been sentenced to eight years, and the situation is only get…

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Canada: Interview with Mark Hancock 12:27

9M ago12:27

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 "Montreal Declaration" which was drafted in response to US President Donald Trump's threats against Canada. “The declaration acknowl…

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Belarus: Interview with Liza Merliak, exiled trade unionist 12:48

10M ago12:48

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 union leaders and the crushing of the country's independent and democratic unions. Liza tells us why this happened, the role of th…

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Turkey: Interview with Kıvanç Eliaçık, Director of International Relations Department for DISK 16:30

10M ago16:30

16:30

This week's LabourStart interview is with Kıvanç Eliaçık from DISK, one of Turkey's national trade union centres. We talked about workers' rights in Turkey, the role played by LabourStart and global unions, what individuals can do to help -- and about the central role that workers in struggle are playing in all this. We also discussed a new LabourS…

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Interview with Daniel Blackburn from the International Centre for Trade Union Rights 11:53

11M ago11:53

11:53

This week's LabourStart podcast is a short interview with Daniel Blackburn, who runs the International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR), based in London. Daniel spoke with us about ICTUR's history, the journal it produces (International Union Rights), the incredible reference book they publish on trade unions of the world, and even their wall …

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Canada: Interview with Stephanie Ross & Larry Savage 20:11

11M ago20:11

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 professor in the School of Labour Studies at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., and founding president of the Canadian Associatio…

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Interview with Tamar Ansiani, one of the striking workers at Evolution Gaming, Georgia 8:48

1y ago8:48

8:48

This week we interviewed Tamar Ansiani, who in addition to being a striker (one of over 4,000) at the Swedish-owned Evolution Gaming in Georgia, is also a vice president of LABOR, a Georgian trade union. Tamar spoke about the reasons for the strike, the importance of international solidarity and much more in this short interview. To learn more abou…

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Interview with Sultana Hossain from the Amazon Labor Union in the USA 12:56

1y ago12:56

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 from anyone else -- and yet the workers were able to force an election in the workplace, win a majority and inspire millions of wor…

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Interview with Carlos Ching-Hung Wang, the president of the China Steel Express Union (Taiwan) 6:18

1y ago6:18

6:18

China Steel Express (CSE), the most profitable subsidiary of Taiwan's largest state-owned enterprise, China Steel Corporation (CSC), has long exploited Taiwanese seafarers through illegal fixed-term contracts. Recently, CSE replaced Taiwanese seafarers with Chinese crew. As a result, more than 300 seafarers lost their jobs. In July, CSE abruptly cu…

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The struggle for jobs and dignity at Liberty Steel 14:19

1+ y ago14:19

14:19

An interview with Judith Kirton-Darling, general secretary of IndustriAll Europe, about the ongoing fight of Liberty Steel workers in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland in the face of catastrophic job losses. Judith talks about the background to the struggle, including latest developments, including a walk out this morning by Liberty Steel work…

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Interview with Srđan from Radnicki Glas (Workers Voice) in Serbia 14:27

1+ y ago14:27

14:27

This week we interviewed Srđan from Radnicki Glas (Workers Voice) in Serbia. The group is very involved with the ongoing campaign at the Yura factories in Serbia -- which is the subject of a LabourStart ActNOW campaign. (Click here to learn more.) We talked about unions and workers in general in Serbia and the specific issues faced by workers at th…

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Interview with David Edwards, General Secretary of the Education International 10:54

1+ y ago10:54

10:54

We spoke with David Edwards just three weeks before the opening of the congress of the Education International, which unites trade unions of teachers and other educational professionals. The EI is one of the biggest global unions -- it has 383 member organisations, representing more than 32 million people in 178 countries and territories -- and fac…

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Interview with Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of IndustriAll Europe 11:10

1+ y ago11:10

11:10

Less than 24 hours after the results of the first round of the French legislative elections were known, and with the threat of a far Right government for the first time since Vichy, we interviewed Judith Kirton-Darling. Judith is General Secretary of IndustriAll Europe, which represents 7 million working men and women united within 200 national tra…

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Interview with Macarena Grimalt Fernandes, Argentinian trade unionist 10:16

1+ y ago10:16

10:16

Earlier this month there were giant protests across Argentina following the attempts by the country's new president, Javier Gerardo Milei, to impose his dystopian vision on the country. Milei's government is cracking down on workers' rights, downsizing and privatising much of the public sector, and triggering a huge increase in unemployment and pov…

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Interview with Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) 17:52

1+ y ago17:52

17:52

This week, we spoke with Esther Lynch, the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC). The ETUC represents 45 million members from 93 trade union organisations in 41 European countries, plus 10 European Trade Union Federations. In a wide-ranging discussion, we spoke about the upcoming European elections and why they matter f…

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Interview with Khaing Zar, trade union leader from Myanmar 13:44

1+ y ago13:44

13:44

Khaing Zar is President of the Industrial Workers Federation of Myanmar (IWFM) and Treasurer of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar (CTUM). Forced into exile following the military coup d'etat in February 2021, she is a leading spokesperson for the embattled trade unions of her country, which have now been effectively banned and driven und…

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Interview with Jan Willem Goudriaan, General Secretary of the European Public Service Union (EPSU) 11:15

1+ y ago11:15

11:15

This week we interviewed Jan Willem Goudriaan, General Secretary of the European Public Service Union (EPSU). EPSU brings together trade unions from across Europe. It influences the policies and decisions of employers, governments and European institutions that affect public service workers, their families and communities. It mobilises for action a…

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Interview with Luc Triangle, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) 12:56

1+ y ago12:56

12:56

Luc Triangle is the new general secretary of the global labour movement's peak body, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). The ITUC represents 191 million workers united in 340 affiliated national trade union centres around the globe. We spoke with Luc about the ITUC's new "For Democracy" campaign, about the globally-recognised "right…

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Interview with Rebecca Owens, flight attendant at Alaska Airlines and proud trade unionist 12:14

1+ y ago12:14

12:14

Rebecca Owens is a proud flight attendant and active member of AFA (Association of Flight Attendants)-CWA Council 30 in Anchorage, Alaska. She has stepped up as her union is in contract negotiations at Alaska Airlines by helping to organize informational pickets, volunteering to go on camera to share the stories of her union brothers, sisters and s…

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Interview with Amanda Gearing and Darren Westwood about the strike by Amazon workers in the UK 10:30

1+ y ago10:30

10:30

Darren is an Amazon worker and Amanda is a senior organiser for the GMB union in the UK. Together, they tell a story of low pay, union busting and an atmosphere of fear at Amazon -- but also a story of courage, solidarity and hope as workers unite and take on one of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world. Learn more about the fight…

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Interview with Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress 13:03

1+ y ago13:03

13:03

When Bea Bruske was a teenager she found herself walking a picket line for many months -- a strike prolonged unnecessarily because her employer had hired scabs. Today she's the President of the Canadian Labour Congress and is leading the fight for anti-scab legislation. A bill now making its way through the Canadian federal parliament will ban scab…

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Interview with Ahmad Badawy, Egyptian trade union activist 11:46

1+ y ago11:46

11:46

The textile workers at Egypt's state-owned Mahalla factory have a history they can be proud of -- their strikes helped to bring down the Mubarak dictatorship. In March 2024, when the Egyptian government decided to exclude them from a minimum wage equal to US $120 (per month - before taxes), they rose up in protest, led by women workers. Having won …

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Interview with Sally McManus, Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) 8:24

1+ y ago8:24

8:24

Australia under its new Labor government is seeing a huge revival of the trade union movement with new "closing loopholes" laws that strengthen workers' rights. At the centre of the struggle is Sally McManus and the Australian trade union movement. Sally is a fighter and is often quoted saying: "I believe in the rule of law where the law is fair an…

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Interview with Nick MacWilliam from Justice for Colombia 14:20

1+ y ago14:20

14:20

Colombia used to be described as the most dangerous place on earth to be a trade unionist. Sadly, that is still the case. But as Nick MacWilliam from the UK-based, trade union-backed Justice for Colombia explains, things are getting better. Colombia now has a progressive president, supported by the unions, and Nick -- who has just returned form Col…

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Interview with Kazem Nik-Khah - about workers in Iran 11:25

2y ago11:25

11:25

Kazem is in charge of international relations at Free Them Now, which was set up in 2005 to build international support for jailed workers in Iran. News from Free Them Now can be found on LabourStart's Iran page. Support the showBy Eric Lee - LabourStart

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Interview with Marc Belanger - Radio Labour 17:23

2y ago17:23

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…

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Interview with Carolina Dantas – Project Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean Building and Wood Worker’s International (BWI) 8:32

2y ago8:32

8:32

We spoke with Carolina about the situation in Panama where the government has been attacking the construction workers' union, accusing the union leaders of 'terrorism' and closing off their bank accounts. The union and BWI have mobilised global support, including a LabourStart campaign -- and the government is feeling the pressure. For details, vis…

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Interview with Olesia Briazgunova, International Officer of KVPU in Ukraine 9:28

2y ago9:28

9:28

We interviewed Olesia about the situation of Ukraine's workers and their unions. While she was speaking to us in Kyiv, she reported that a Russian missile attack was taking place at the same time. Olesia's message to the workers and trade unions of the world is essential listening - please share this widely! To learn more about the situation of wor…

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Interview with Assaf Adiv from Maan - about West Bank Palestinian workers 11:39

2y ago11:39

11:39

Support the showBy Eric

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Interview with Belarusian trade unionist Lizaveta Merliak 15:22

2y ago15:22

15:22

In this conversation with LabourStart's Eric Lee, Liza talks about the past, present and future of the trade unions in Belarus. Support the showBy Eric