Podcast appearances and mentions of mike palecek

The 1919 General Strike anniversary conference in Winnipeg kicked off on Wednesday, May 8, with labour activists and academics from across Canada congregating at the University of Winnipeg. The intention of the conference was to not only reflect on the lessons of the general strike, but understand where Canada’s labour movement is at today. Specifically - what is the state of the strike in Canada? Keynote speaker, U.S. based organizer and author of No Shortcuts: Organizing for Power in the New Gilded Age, Jane McAlevey spoke at the Ukrainian Labour Temple on Thursday about what makes an effective strike. I sat down with Mike Palecek, President of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to talk about the state of the strike in Canada, given Trudeau legislated CUPW back to work last year, caving to corporate pressure concerned about losing profits during the holiday season. On Saturday, May 11, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives hosted a talk by Boots Riley, rapper with the legendary hip hop ensemble the Coup, author, activist, and director of Sorry to Bother You, a mind bending dystopic film that centres heavily around labour organizing. I sat down with Boots to talk about Sorry to Bother You, and why radical labour organizing is essential for fighting corporate power and giving teeth to social and economic justice. It’s clear that the future of regaining the strike in Canada will require illegal action. It will also require activists within the labour movement willing to agitate and organize to build up workers willingness to take those actions. But as Mike Palecek said, the best education is experience. And in the spirit of celebrating the 1919 General Strike, I hope that Rank & File Radio Prairie Edition and RankandFile.ca can be resources to help encourage and facilitate that kind of organizing in Canada today. -Support the show on Patreon- patreon.com/RFRadioPrairie -Social Media- twitter.com/rfradioprairie - More Labour News - www.rankandfile.ca

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The Trudeau government has introduced legislation to force an end to rotating strikes by Canada Post employees.  But Labour Minister Patty Hajdu says the government won't debate the bill just yet, hoping a special mediator can help reach new contract agreements. Minister Hajdu told the House of Commons the government is acting because it ran out of options. New Democrat MP Tracey Ramsey calls the proposed back-to-work bill a betrayal of the rights of Canada Post employees to a free bargaining process. Canadian Union of Postal Workers President, Mike Palecek says the Postal Union hasn't seen the legislation yet, but they will not return to work if it does not address their key grievances. Palecek thinks postal workers will get the short end of the stick with the imposed back-to-work legislation. Palecek says so far the government has failed to recognize the two key issues of pay equity and workplace injuries in the negotiations.

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Today on the show, Mike Palecek, the president for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. On Monday, October 22, CUPW commenced rotating 24 hour strikes across the country. CUPW has been at the bargaining table since November 2017. Michael Keefe writes at RankandFile.ca: “On September 7, after over 9 months of negotiations, Canada Post made its first offer to the union, which was full of rollbacks. The union countered their offer on September 14. Canada Post didn’t respond to the counter offer for almost 4 weeks. Their offer removed the rollbacks and made some movement on minor issues, but made no improvements to the major issues – health and safety, gender equality, work-life balance and preserving good, full time jobs. So, after no further progress, the union gave notice on Tuesday October 16 that it would start rotating strikes beginning on October 22.” On the Prairies, Edmonton was one of the first cities to go on strike Monday October 22 at 12:01 am , Calgary went on strike at 6 PM Wednesday, October 24 and Red Deer followed at 6 AM October 25. Winnipeg, Manitoba went on strike at 10 PM October 28, and Brandon, MB follows at 12:01 October 29. CUPW workers are fighting for pay equity between urban and rural workers, better health and safety measures including an end to forced overtime and overburdening, job security, On October 24 the a mediator appointed by the federal government arrived in Ottawa to help determine procedures for the next round of negotiations. We’ll also hear from James Hutt, who is the national coordinator for CUPW’s Delivering Community Power campaign. James was in Regina this weekend at the Saskatchewan Federation of Labour conference, as well as the Just Transitions summit organized by SaskForward, to talk about the campaign and how it can be a model for other unions to be more proactive on environmental and climate change issues. -- CUPW http://rankandfile.ca/why-were-striking-at-canada-post/ http://www.deliveringcommunitypower.ca/ https://saskforward.ca/energy-transition/ --- Saskatchewan https://leaderpost.com/news/local-news/im-up-for-the-challenge-new-sfl-president-hopes-fresh-face-will-open-new-doors https://thestarphoenix.com/news/saskatchewan/labour-groups-hold-massive-rally-call-on-province-to-take-3-5-wage-cut-out-of-negotiations https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/ndp-calls-on-province-to-review-legal-aid-funding-after-alberta-system-gets-70m-injection https://soundcloud.com/rfradio-prairie/prison-justice-meara-conway-on-cuts-to-sask-legal-aid-uws-katharina-maier-on-prison-labour - Alberta- https://albertapolitics.ca/2018/10/rachel-notleys-pension-announcement-yesterday-was-an-ironic-coda-to-alison-redfords-2014-war-on-unions/ -Greyhound- https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/greyhound-pullout-looms-next-week-ottawa-promises-news-very-shortly-498549441.html - Manitoba -https://www.facebook.com/625254780822339/posts/2339555466058920/

ATU Canada President Paul Thorp and CUPW President Mike Palecek talk Greyhound's future. Also, Amazon on the Prairies, resisting "border crisis" rhetoric, Justice for Stolen Children Camp in SK and Manitoba labour's lawsuit against the provincial govt.

Today on the show we have the president of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Mike Palecek! We talk about the future of Canada Post, why CUPW is such a radical and progressive organisation, the spectre of privatisation, the labour and class struggle in general and even the looming threat of anthropogenic climate change. Change the world, start with your workplace! Photo credit: Christopher Cotrell/flickr

Provincial New Democrat legislator Lana Popham interviews host Sean Holman as part of our commitment to media accountability. Fightback editorial member Mike Palecek discuss his effort to "take back" the new Democrats. And our rabble-rousing panel - Don Anderson, Bob Russell, Allan Warnke and Monday Magazine's Jason Youmans - debate the week that was in provincial and federal politics.

This week, Visibility 9-11 welcomes author and activist Mike Palecek.  Mike's new book, Iowa Terror is a great satirical read and comes highly recommended by Michael and Visibility 9-11.  From Mike's website: Mike Palecek was a peace prisoner, having served time in county jails and federal prisons for civil disobedience at Offutt Air Force Base during the 1980s. During the 1990s he was a reporter for small-town newspapers in Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota. The small newspaper Ruth and Mike owned in southeast Minnesota was named the Newspaper of the Year for 1994 by the Minnesota Newspaper Association. In 2000 he was the Iowa Democratic Party nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives, Fifth District, receiving 67,500 votes (29%). Mr. Palecek Lives in Sheldon, Iowa with wife, Ruth, and two children. Works at group home for disabled adults.   "Iowa Terror is a gripping and disturbing tale of small town America in the post September 11th world. Palecek skillfully weaves elements of the official lie of 9-11 into a dark story of murder, mystery, propaganda, and the American 'homeland.' Iowa Terror is both entertaining and thought provoking; a must read. You won’t be able to put it down!" — Michael Wolsey, Host, Visibility 9-11 Music by the legendary Frank Zappa.