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The National Union of Mineworkers is pursuing legal action following disturbing allegations from female workers at Kopanang Gold Mine, who claim they were forced to strip and undergo invasive searches by security guards looking for stolen gold. The union has denounced these acts as degrading and unlawful. Elvis Presslin spoke to Livhuwani Mammburu, NUM National Spokesperson
On this episode of Labor History Today, we mark the 40th anniversary of the end of one of the most significant labor struggles of the 20th century: the 1984–85 British Miners' Strike. Former miner and strike veteran John Dunn shares his harrowing personal account of the violence, repression, and community solidarity that defined the year-long battle between the National Union of Mineworkers and Margaret Thatcher's government. Dunn's story, told in conversation with Heartland Labor Forum host Tino Scalici, brings to life the cost of resistance, the brutality of the state, and the enduring legacy of working-class struggle. We also feature labor music from the Oyster Band, with “Coal Not Dole,” a poem by Kay Sutcliffe set to song, and Labor History in Two on the Haymarket Affair. Subscribe to Labor History Today and listen wherever you get your podcasts. #LaborRadioPod #History #WorkingClass #ClassStruggle @ILLaborHistory @RickSmithShow #LaborHistory @PMPressOrg @FlyingWithSara @labornotes @LN4S Edited/produced by Chris Garlock and Patrick Dixon; social media guru: Harold Phillips
Five mine workers have lost their lives in a tragic incident at Harmony's Doornkop and Joel mines in Gauteng and the Free State. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) has strongly condemned the incident, labeling it a 'corporate genocide' - pointing to a broader pattern of neglect and exploitation in the mining sector. For more on this developing story, Elvis Presslin spoke to AMCU President, Joseph Mathunjwa
One hundred and one-(101) illegal mine workers have been retrieved from shaft 11 in Stilfontein in the North West by the second day of operations led by government. Sixty bodies have also been retrieved thus far. The operation started on Monday and is expected to continue for about 10 days.
Executive Stakeholder Relations and Communication at Tshiamiso Trust, Lusanda Jiya on their call to all former gold mineworkers and their families to check if they are eligible to lodge a claim to be compensated for permanent lung damage from silicosis or work-related TB. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Police Minister, Senzo Mchunu has arrived in Stilfontein in the North West where an estimated 4000 illegal miners remain trapped underground. This as police have been conducting operation Vala Umgodi in the area by blocking supply routes of water and food to the miners. Local community members have since been volunteering to rescue the trapped miners while the police remain on standby to arrest them once on the surface. Before we bring you the latest from the mine, earlier on I caught up with Masibulele Naki, regional secretary of the National Union of Mineworkers in the North West who gave us a brief personal history of the mine...
Crystal Ordeson is joined by Livhuwani Mammburu, spokesperson for the National Union of Mineworkers to discuss NUM's perspective on the government's response and share insights on how South Africa might better address the issue of illegal mining while protecting all lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Joining us now is Malekutu Bizzah Motubatse, the Highveld Regional Chairperson of the National Union of Mineworkers. He will help shed light on NUM's stance against Seriti Resources' plans to cut over 1,100 jobs and provide insight into how the union is preparing to confront this potential crisis.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Socio-Economic Rights Institute - SERI - says only 35 families of the 37 mineworkers who were killed in Marikana in August 2012 have been compensated for their financial loss by the state. it has been 12 years to the day.... since the murders of 34 mineworkers at the infamous Koppie . At least 10 people including mineworkers, police officers and security guards were killed in the days preceding the massacre. According to SERI, there have been no prosecutions for the murders that happened on that fateful day....the 16th of August 2012..SABC reporter,Thabiso Moss compiled the following report...
The Bench Marks Foundation, Earthworks, Federation for A Sustainable Environment, Groundwork as well as the National Union of Mineworkers and the various participants at the South African Tailings Civil Society Working Group call on the South African government to ensure justice for the people of Jagersfontein, in the Free State province.
Mining unions are threatening a full-blown strike at Sibanye-Stillwater after the dismissal of 213 workers. The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) are demanding the reinstatement of miners who were fired for staging an underground sit-in over company dividends from the employee share ownership scheme. To discuss this further Elvis Presslin spoke to Geoffrey Moatshe, Rustenburg regional chairperson of the National Union of Mine Workers
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union - AMCU - says investigations into mining fatalities must be sped up, especially in incidents that resulted in multiple fatalities. This is as the Department of Mineral Resources revealed that investigation reports on the findings, recommendations and any remedial steps have not been finalized with regard to the accident that claimed 13 lives at Impala Platinum's Shaft 11 in Rustenburg in the North West in November last year. Eleven miners were killed at the scene and 75 injured. Two miners died later in hospital. Sentleeng Lehihi reports.
Farewell to “Our Times”; East Palestine disaster reverberates; Investing in infrastructure; Making room for solidarity; “We wear many hats” Today's labor quote: Rose Schneiderman Today's labor history: First U.S. slave revolt @radiolabour @BCTGM @ULSTD_AFLCIO @AFSCME @cbtu_stl @MineWorkers @oregoneducation @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network
Farewell to “Our Times”; East Palestine disaster reverberates; Investing in infrastructure; Making room for solidarity; “We wear many hats” Today's labor quote: Rose Schneiderman Today's labor history: First U.S. slave revolt @radiolabour @BCTGM @ULSTD_AFLCIO @AFSCME @cbtu_stl @MineWorkers @oregoneducation @wpfwdc #1u #unions #LaborRadioPod @AFLCIO Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network
Why the AFL-CIO changed the Gompers Room to the Solidarity Room, on today'sLabor Heritage Power Hour Today's labor history: UMWA beats back concessions at Pittston Today's labor quote: Richard Trumka @cbtu_stl @MineWorkers @wpfwdc @AFLCIO #1u #UnionStrong #LaborRadioPod Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network
Why the AFL-CIO changed the Gompers Room to the Solidarity Room, on today'sLabor Heritage Power Hour Today's labor history: UMWA beats back concessions at Pittston Today's labor quote: Richard Trumka @cbtu_stl @MineWorkers @wpfwdc @AFLCIO #1u #UnionStrong #LaborRadioPod Proud founding member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network
This audio is brought to you by Wearcheck, your condition monitoring specialist. The stage is set for AECI to become the third biggest globally in the next six years, AECI Group chairperson Dr Khotso Mokhele told an enthusiastically applauding audience at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), where the proudly South African mining explosives trailblazer on Wednesday celebrated 100 years of being in business. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.) Having pioneered the explosives industry in South Africa in the late 1800s, AECI currently has a 22-country presence on six continents, served by a workforce of more than 7 500 people, whose collective efforts have shaped the veteran into a global powerhouse, Mokhele pronounced while highlighting the course being charted for the company's next era of innovation. AECI Mining will remain the cornerstone of the group's growth strategy, with plans to even further expand into key regions such as Asia-Pacific, South America and North America. "The future is here for us to conquer," Mokhele acclaimed while describing the journey over the last century as being one of constant invention and adaptation in the face of challenges and opportunities. This led, he said, to the company continually pushing the boundaries of possibility while navigating economic shifts, technological advances as well as evolving social and political landscapes. On the financial front, AECI has set a high near-term earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) target. "We'll double Ebitda by 2026," said a confident AECI Group CEO Holger Riemensperger. AECI celebrated by returning to the JSE where it was listed in 1966, with the ticker symbol AFE unchanged since then. In the context of the listing being 66 years old in 2026, Riemensperger pledged: "My promise is that we will come back and we will deliver what we have promised." The company's first registered address was the National Union of Mineworkers building in Johannesburg city centre. "When I came to the country, I said AECI is not just a company, it's a South African institution. Its roots have already spread around the world, and we want to spread them even further," Riemensperger enthused. Although official registration took place 100 years ago, AECI's legacy goes back 128 years, throughout which time it has been South Africa's number one and Africa's number one in explosives and chemicals. "We're now standing in front of the next 100 years and we carry this legacy that brings with it a responsibility to the next generations," Riemensperger philosophised. STRATEGIC ROADMAP Speaking of AECI's strategic roadmap setting the stage for the company to become a global top-three player by 2030, Mokhele reiterated the company's recent decision to divest from noncore assets. This was being done, Mokhele added, to ensure that the company remained agile and focused on its core objectives. "By leveraging our core strengths and existing capabilities, we are well positioned to unlock new opportunities and drive value for our shareholders and stakeholders. "Throughout our journey, invention has been the cornerstone of our success. From revolutionary explosives formulations to environment-friendly chemical processes, we have consistently pushed the boundaries of technological advancement, setting new industry standards and revolutionising the mining sector. "Our commitment to innovation goes beyond just mere business objectives. It is rooted in our deep-seated commitment to safety and sustainability. By providing new solutions and comprehensive safety protocols, we have not only safeguarded the well-being of miners, but also contributed to the sustainable development of the mining industry, enhancing South Africa's reputation as a global mining hub," said Mokhele. Poet Lebogang Mashile summed up AECI as being "as strong as the spine of South Africa" and an entity that walks in tandem with South Africa's dreams. MODDERFONTEIN AECI was registered ...
Keep up to date with Boff via his website here https://boffwhalley.com/ Allan Mark "Boff" Whalley is an English musician and writer. Formerly the lead guitarist for the anarcho-punk and folk band Chumbawamba, he is now a playwright and the founder of Commoners Choir who released their first album in March 2017. Early life and education Whalley was born Allan Mark Whalley in 1961 in Burnley, Lancashire. Before joining Chumbawamba he attended Art College in Maidstone and worked in a supermarket and as a postman. His parents were both primary school teachers. He has a sister named Annie. Career Together with his fellow members of Chimp Eats Banana, Midge (Michael Hartley) and Danbert Nobacon, Whalley moved from Burnley to Leeds in 1981, and studied at the University of Leeds. He dropped out after a year before moving into the South View House squat in Armley. It was at this squat that he was part of an Anarchist collective that later became the band Chumbawamba. Chumbawamba was a hardcore punk band in the style of DC punk, or LA punk. In 1984, when the British coal mining industry was privatised by Margaret Thatcher's government and the National Union of Mineworkers began protesting, Chumbawamba became even more politically active in equal rights and labour rights. Whalley became a guitarist despite describing himself as being of "limited ability". He continued to play guitar and sing while doing a series of other jobs such as shopworker, newspaper delivery man, typesetter, and cartoonist. In 2013, Whalley wrote a musical drama "Wrong 'Un" which was performed in Norwich. It was based on the life of suffragette Grace Marcon. Fell running Beyond his musical career, Whalley has been prominent in the fell running scene, particularly in West Yorkshire, running at a relatively high standard. Touring and recording commitments have influenced the extent to which he has been able to pursue this activity. He was instrumental in the production of the Fellternative fell running fanzine in the early 1990s. photo credit Kyla Goody Whalley recorded a song called "Stud Marks on the Summits", inspired by a chance meeting with legendary fell runner Bill Smith. Whalley took up fell running as a result. He was paraphrased as having said Smith "encapsulated the ethos of the sport – its emphasis on self-reliance and nature and its history."
The Coal-Face with Martin Creamer, publishing editor of Engineering News and Mining Weekly. 1. Global mining gathered at the business conference in Davos has committed itself to being Nature-positive. 2. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange is ready to help with the raising of capital to fund the mining of critical minerals. 3. Mineworkers in the Northern Cape are going to have the benefit of wearing smartwatches to keep them safe.
The dismissed 401 mine workers from GoldOne Mine's Springs operation have been served with dismissal letters. This after the workers allegedly received their dismissal notifications yesterday via text message. A further 114 mine workers have been placed on suspension and are expected to be subjected to disciplinary processes later this month. Meanwhile, the National Union of Mineworkers has vowed to appeal the dismissals, insisting the mine workers had instituted a sit-in underground and not a hostage situation. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Katlego Legodi.
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) says Solidarity is making false and spurious statements attempting to implicate it as being the perpetrator of the recent protest action at Gold One's Modder East operations and violence. AMCU was responding to accusations that the mine disregarded alleged atrocities suffered by the miners during the sit- in / hostage situation by AMCU members at Modder East mine in Springs, east of Johannesburg. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to AMCU Secretary General, Jeff Mphahlele.
Twelve of the more than 2000 mineworkers who've embarked on an underground sit-in at Impala Bafokeng Platinum mine in Rusternburg in the North West - have resurfaced due to them having chronic medical conditions. The sit-in protest which began yesterday has since brought operations at the mine to a standstill. The workers are frustrated over a number of issues including employee share schemes and pension funds after the mine was bought by Impala. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Hasina Gori.
Noluthando Mthonti-Mlambo speaks to David Van Wyk, Mining Analyst & Researcher, at the Benchmarks Foundation and July Radibe, Regional Chair of the National Union of the Mineworkers in Rusternburg about mining sit ins in 2023 South Africa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Christmas Collection: Episode 2 True Crime - Martin Brunt Sky's Chief Crime Correspondent chats about his book No One Ever Got Cracked Over the Head for No Reason & former policeman Matt Johnson shares his experience of writing NO ORDINARY DAY In Person With Paul.Matt Johnson & John Murray - NO ORDINARY DAY: On 17 April 1984, as demonstrators gathered outside the Libyan embassy in London, two gunmen lay in wait inside. At 10.18 a.m. automatic gunfire rained down on the protestors and WPC Yvonne Fletcher fell, mortally wounded. As his friend lay dying, PC John Murray made her a promise that he would not rest until those responsible had been brought to justice. Thirty-seven years would pass before he was able to fulfil that undertaking.While researching this moving account of one man's dogged pursuit of justice for a murdered colleague, Matt Johnson uncovered secret-service deals and government duplicity, all part of a plan to force an end to the National Union of Mineworkers' strike. He discovered the real reason Yvonne's killers were allowed to go free and how events that day led to thirty years of growing political control of policing, resulting in the disarray increasingly evident today.This compelling account pulls seemingly unconnected threads into a coherent – and shocking – whole. It provides startling insights into how decisions taken by our politicians and the actions of our intelligence agencies, supposedly in our best interests, may be anything but.Martin Brunt - NO ONE GOT CRACKED OVER THE HEAD FOR NO REASON: What is it about crime that we find so fascinating, even if at the same time the details are repugnant? Why exactly do we immerse ourselves in true crime podcasts and TV shows? Has this appetite for gore shifted over the years? And what role does the crime reporter play in all of this?In this compelling book, Martin Brunt draws on the most shocking and harrowing stories he's covered over the past thirty years to document the life of a crime reporter and assess the public obsession with crime that his reporting caters for. He also considers the wider relationship between the press and the police, the impact of social media and the question of why some crimes are ignored while others grip the nation.Featuring many undisclosed details on some of the biggest cases Brunt has covered, from the ‘Diamond Wheezers' to Fred and Rose West, this blend of storytelling and analysis is not only a riveting overview of the nature of crime reporting but a reflection on the purpose of the profession in the first place.RecommendationsA LOVE THAT KILLS ANNA MOTZPaul Burke writes for Crime Time, Crime Fiction Lover and the European Literature Network. He is also a CWA Historical Dagger Judge 2023.Music courtesy of KILLING ME SOFTLY - MIKE ZITO featuring Kid AndersonGUY HALE Produced by Junkyard DogCrime TimeCrime Time FM is the official podcast ofGwyl Crime Cymru Festival 2023CrimeFest 2023CWA Daggers 2023& Newcastle Noir (December)
The National Union of Mineworkers, NUM has threatened to review its support for the ANC In next year's elections. This after government representatives failed to receive a memorandum of demands from the union. NUM members to the Union Building at the weekend to raise concerns over the Transit crisis and mass retrenchments in the mining sector. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Bizzah Motubatse, NUM Highveld Regional Chairperson, in Pretoria
The over 400 mine workers that did not re-surface last Thursday at one of the GoldOne shafts in Springs on the East Rand, have now come out of the mine. The workers have allegedly been held hostage by unknown individuals wearing baclavas with some displaying signs of being assaulted. Some also believe that this is was a sit-protest that came out of the October labour dispute over organising rights at the mine. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Mpumelelo Maphalala
The over 400 mine workers at GoldOne mine in Springs, East of Johannesburg who failed to resurface last Thursday have started to come out from underground. It is alleged that the workers were held hostage by unknown individuals wearing baklavas, and with some showing signs of being assaulted. It is also believed this was a sit-in protest following the October labour dispute. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to Gold One mine spokesperson and legal counsel of GoldOne mine, Ziyaad Hassam
At least 400 hundred mineworkers are reported to have not re-surfaced at one of the Shafts of the GoldOne mine in Springs The GoldOne mine has been marred in recent weeks with a siatuation where some mineworkers want AMCU to be recognised as an official union alongside the National Union of Mineworkers. Sakina Kamwendo spoke to regional organiser for the National Union of Mineworkers, Victor Ngwane.
A memorial service for mineworkers who were killed following a fatal accident at Impala Platinum Mine's Shaft 11 near Rustenburg is expected to be held this morning. At least 13 mineworkers died following the disaster, with 11 of them dying on the scene and two dying in hospital a few days after the incident. The memorial will be held at the mine's number 8 sports grounds. For more on this Elvis Presslin spoke to Impala Platinum Mine Spokesperson, Johan Theron
Clarence Ford speaks to Joseph Mathunjwa, president of AmcuSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thousands of jobs are at risk in the mining, metal and engineering sector as companies struggle to stay afloat. The National Union of Mineworkers, NUM estimates 10,000 job losses to the industry by January next year. While steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa is set to shed 3 500 jobs at its Newcastle and Vereeniging operations. To examine the knock-on economic effect of retrenchments, Elvis Presslin spoke to Professor Jannie Rossouw, a visiting Professor at the Wits Business School
The National Union of Mineworkers, NUM say there is a possibility of 10 000 mineworkers being retrenched by January next year. The union says mining companies have issued retrenchments notices in recent months in the gold and platinum sectors. For more on this, Elvis Presslin spoke to NUM's Media Officer, Luphert Chilwane
Noluthando Mthonti-Mlambo speaks to NUM spokesperson Luphert Chilwane about job cuts in the mining industry. The National Union of Mineworkers says the raft of retrenchment notices issued by mining houses in recent months could result in about 10,000 job losses by January 2024. NUM held its NEC meeting last week and reflected on the jobs bloodbath in the sector, which has faced major challenges in the past 18 months. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) says an accident that claimed the lives of 11 workers and left 75 others injured at Impala platinum mine in Rustenburg on Monday could have been avoided. Amcu president Joseph Mathunjwa said such a mechanical fault should have been addressed/avoided with regular maintenance. Implats CEO Nico Muller and minister of mineral resources and energy Gwede Mantashe also addressed the media on what they knew so far and what formal processes needed to be followed going forward.
Operations at the Impala Platinum Mine remain suspended following a freak accident at Shaft 11 late in the afternoon Yesterday. Family members of the deceased mine workers have since made their way to the mine premises for further details. For the latest from the mine, Sakina Kamwendo spoke to SABC reporter, Zebilon Maine and National Union of Mineworkers spokesperson, Livhuwani Mammburu
Rural news and events from Tasmania and the nation.
I welcome former police officers Matt Johnson and John Murray to the show in this interview episode to discuss their new book 'No Ordinary Day'.On April 17, 1984, as demonstrators gathered outside the Libyan embassy in London, two gunmen waited inside. At 10.18 am, automatic gunfire rained down on the protestors, and WPC Yvonne Fletcher fell, mortally wounded.As his friend lay dying, PC John Murray made her a promise that he would not rest until those responsible had been brought to justice. Thirty-seven years would pass before he was able to fulfil that undertaking.While researching this moving account of one man's dogged pursuit of justice for a murdered colleague, Matt Johnson uncovered secret-service deals and government duplicity, all part of a plan to force an end to the National Union of Mineworkers strike. He discovered the real reason Yvonne's killers were allowed to go free and how events that day led to thirty years of growing political control of policing, resulting in the disarray increasingly evident today.The book pulls seemingly unconnected threads into a coherent and shocking whole. It provides startling insights into how decisions taken by our politicians and the actions of our intelligence agencies, supposedly in our best interests, may be anything but.'No Ordinary Day' was released on June 8, 2023, and is available to purchase here:No Ordinary Day | Ad Lib Publishers***This interview was recorded on June 5, 2023.For all things British Murders, please visit my website:https://www.britishmurders.com/Intro music:David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'https://linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
I welcome former police officers Matt Johnson and John Murray to the show in this interview episode to discuss their new book 'No Ordinary Day'. On April 17, 1984, as demonstrators gathered outside the Libyan embassy in London, two gunmen waited inside. At 10.18 am, automatic gunfire rained down on the protestors, and WPC Yvonne Fletcher fell, mortally wounded. As his friend lay dying, PC John Murray made her a promise that he would not rest until those responsible had been brought to justice. Thirty-seven years would pass before he was able to fulfil that undertaking. While researching this moving account of one man's dogged pursuit of justice for a murdered colleague, Matt Johnson uncovered secret-service deals and government duplicity, all part of a plan to force an end to the National Union of Mineworkers strike. He discovered the real reason Yvonne's killers were allowed to go free and how events that day led to thirty years of growing political control of policing, resulting in the disarray increasingly evident today. The book pulls seemingly unconnected threads into a coherent and shocking whole. It provides startling insights into how decisions taken by our politicians and the actions of our intelligence agencies, supposedly in our best interests, may be anything but. 'No Ordinary Day' was released on June 8, 2023, and is available to purchase here: No Ordinary Day | Ad Lib Publishers ***This interview was recorded on June 5, 2023. For all things British Murders, please visit my website: https://www.britishmurders.com/ Intro music: David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet' https://linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The National Union of Mineworkers has welcomed the arbitration award handed down by the CCMA against Eskom on Thursday.
The National Union of Mineworkers says it believes Eskom should be made the responsibility of the Department of Energy and not Public Enterprises.
Today our annual compilation of labor speeches from FDR, Mario Savio, John Lewis, Bernie reading from the speech that sent Eugene Debs to jail. 8:15 - Bernie Sanders reads Eugene Debs 11:20 - FDR's Four Freedoms Speech 21:40 - John L. Lewis 35:20 - Mineworkers song 40:45 - Mario Savio
The term Zama Zama is a slang word in isiZulu, one of South Africa's official languages and loosely translates to ‘someone who is trying' or a ‘hustler'. They are young miners, largely illegal, who take advantage of the lucrative mining industry in South Africa. They are back in the news after a gang rape of eight women near Johannesburg. The women had been shooting a music video at an abandoned mine, when they were attacked by a group of men, both locals and police say are the Zama Zamas. So who are these people who are striking fear in many communities in South Africa? Africa Daily's Mpho Lakaje has been speaking to Frans Baleni, a former Secretary General of the National Union of Mineworkers with extensive knowledge on the Zama Zamas. He also heard a personal account from a victim and local councillor, Kenny Moeng on how communities are coping.
Who says Pride is only 30 days? Paul and Corey are discussing queer films in this month's theme, “Pride and Prejudice.” This week, Paul's friend recommended the British film, Pride (2014). Based on the true story of the small organization (created by communist and gay-right activist Mark Ashton) Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) success in fundraising for the National Union of Mineworkers' (NUM) yearlong (1984-1985) strike against Margaret Thatcher's neoliberal assault. With a star-studded cast, the film does a truly brilliant job of combining the personal and the political, showing how solidarity works to overcome prejudice and distrust and builds power, and rejecting the tendency of stories like this to lionize a heroic leader – instead showing how people working together gets the goods.
Lots of news this week. We talk about the child labor situation, bring some updates on the mineworker strike, and more.✦ ABOUT ✦ The Valley Labor Report is the only union talk radio show in Alabama, elevating workers struggles for justice and fairness on the job, educating folks about how they can do the same, and bringing relevant news to workers in Alabama and beyond. Our single largest source of revenue *is our listeners* so your support really matters and helps us stay on the air! Donate one time or becoming a monthly donor on Patreon or Unionly: patreon.com/TheValleyLaborReport https://unionly.io/o/tvlr Visit our official website for more info on the show, membership, our sponsors, merch, and more: https://www.tvlr.fm Follow TVLR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheValleyLab... Follow TVLR on Twitter: @LaborReporters Follow Jacob on Twitter: @JacobM_AL Follow TVLR Co-Creator David Story on Twitter: @RadiclUnionist ✦ CONTACT US ✦ Our phone number is 844-899-TVLR (8857), call or text us live on air, or leave us a voicemail and we might play it during the show! ✦ OUR ADVERTISERS KEEP US ON THE AIR! Support them if you can. ✦ The attorneys at MAPLES, TUCKER, AND JACOB fight for working people. Reach out to them and let them represent you in your workplace injury claim. On the Web: www.mtandj.com Contact: (855) 617-9333 Do you want to organize your workplace? The MACHINISTS UNION represents workers in several industries including healthcare, the defense industry, woodworking, and more. On the Web: https://www.iamaw44.org/ Contact: (256) 286-3704 / organize@iamaw44.org. Do you need good union laborers on your construction site, or do you want a union construction job? Reach out to the IRONWORKERS LOCAL 477. On the Web: http://ironworkers477.org/ Contact: 256-383-3334 (Jeb Miles) / local477@bellsouth.net The NORTH ALABAMA DSA is looking for folks to work for a better North Alabama, fighting for liberty and justice for all. They prioritize mutual aid, municipal-activism, and union solidarity. On the Web: https://www.facebook.com/NorthAlabama... Contact / Join: DSANorthAlabama@gmail.com IBEW LOCAL 136 is a group of over 900 electricians and electrical workers providing our area with the finest workforce in the construction industry. We provide our members with excellent training at no cost, livable wages with paid benefits, and a lifelong career working with people who care about you. If you are a working electrician or electrical worker, or if you'd like to pursue a career in the electrical trades, we want you to join us! IBEW Local 136 provides equal opportunity and does not discriminate due to religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or nationality. You belong here. On the Web: https://ibew136.org/ Contact: (205) 833-0909 IFPTE - We are engineers, scientists, nonprofit employees, technicians, lawyers, and many other professions who have joined together to have a greater voice in our careers. Our union is a bottom-up, member-based organization that helps professional and technical employees raise wages, benefits, working conditions, and advocate over public policies that impact our professions and communities. With over 80,000 members spread across the U.S. and Canada, we invite you and your colleagues to consider the benefits of engaging in collective bargaining. On the Web: https://www.ifpte.org/ Contact: (202) 239-4880 THE HUNTSVILLE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD is a union open to any and all working people. Call or email them today to begin organizing your workplace - wherever it is. On the Web: https://hsviww.org/ Contact: (256) 651-6707 / organize@hsviww.org ENERGY ALABAMA is accelerating Alabama's transition to sustainable energy. We are a nonprofit membership-based organization that has advocated for clean energy in Alabama since 2014. Our work is based on three pillars: education, advocacy, and technical assistance. Energy Alabama on the Web: https://alcse.org/ Contact: (256) 812-1431 / dtait@energyalabama.org ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
Sibanye-Stillwater is set to restart operations at its gold mines in Gauteng and Free State after signing a three-year wage deal with unions. The move puts an end to a three-month strike where employees forfeited more than R1.2 billion in wages. Business Day TV discussed the deal in greater detail with Sibanye-Stillwater's Executive Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs and the National Union of Mineworkers' National Spokesperson, Livhuwani Mammburu.
President of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union Joseph Mathunjwa on why they rejected Sibanye- Stillwater's revised wage offer and how long the workers are willing to go on strike. Sibanye-Stillwater spokesperson James Wellsted explains how they justify not providing wage increases to their employees while their executives are paid a lot of money. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The head of the World Health Organisation has blasted the world's focus on the horrificinvasion of Ukraine, saying it shows the lack of 'equal attention to black and white lives'.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed other crises such as in his home country of Ethiopia do not receive the same concern as Putin's war which has had major geopolitical consequences. Marine Le Pen was confronted by two women in hijabs during a fiery visit to a food market in the south of France today. Arthur Scargill must be watching the success of the Just Stop Oil protests with a mixture of awe and bewilderment. Barmy Arthur, former leader of the National Union of Mineworkers, devoted most of his infamous career to bringing Britain to her knees, with limited success.
Get in, we're going to Swansea for a massive lez-off! This week Jake and Kevin dig into a jolly wee film called Pride, directed by Matthew Warchus and released in 2014. This movie follows a gaggle of U.K. gay activists who work to help Welsh miners during the prolonged strike of the National Union of Mineworkers in 1984. At the center of the story is Ben Schnetzer as Mark Ashton, the young activist leading the charge to support the town of Onllwyn when the struggles for gay rights were already so great and the AIDS crisis was beginning to rear its head in London. The whole cast gets time to shine in their own way in this remarkable movie, from Imelda Staunton's brassy mama-bear Hefina, to Dominic West's flamboyant and outspoken Jonathan, to Menna Trussler's earnest and humorous Gwen. With such a powerful story and beautiful acting, how did this film not get wider acclaim in 2014? Are all inter-generational stories of friendship guaranteed to make Jake cry? How many lesbian jokes is too many lesbian jokes? Jake and Kevin consider these and more, so tune in wherever you get your podcasts! In a shocking twist, our miniseries continues...and we sort of liked this movie? We continue our miniseries on the "Eating Out" cinematic universe this week. What makes Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds so much more fun than the first? We have some ideas, but body hair is still not on the list.
Democrats still hope they can salvage pieces of their ambitious tax agenda even after Sen. Joe Manchin blew up the legislation that included it. I'm sick of trying to fathom Manchin's mind or motives but senate Democrats think he's sincere about tax reform. In a Monday interview on a West Virginia radio station, Manchin pointedly said that ensuring people pay “their fair share” of taxes is the main reason he's come this far in negotiations. “You have a chance to fix the tax code that makes it fair and equitable.” Well, if Democrats are willing to take another stab at tax reform, I've got just the candidate: Get rid of the “carried interest” loophole that lets private equity managers – among the wealthiest people in America – pay a tax rate lower than most Americans. The “carried interest” loophole is huge, and it's a pure scam. Private equity managers get this tax break even though they invest other peoples' money. They don't risk a penny of their own. Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama all promised to get rid of it. They didn't. Hell, even Donald Trump promised to get rid of it. He didn't, either. “I don't know what happened,” said Larry Kudlow, the conservative economist who crafted Trump's tax plan. “I don't know how that thing survived,” he said, adding, “I'm sure the lobbying was intense.”You'd think that the carried interest loophole would be high on the Democrats' list of revenue-raisers. After all, closing it could raise $180 billion over the next decade from among the richest Americans. That's $180 billion that could go toward supporting vulnerable Americans and investing in America's future.Think again. The loophole – which treats the earnings of private equity and hedge-fund managers as capital gains, taxed at a top rate of just 20 percent, instead of personal income, whose top tax rate is 37 percent – remains as big as ever. Bigger. Astonishingly, some influential Democrats, such as House Ways and Means Committee chair Richard Neal, defend the loophole. They say closing it would hobble the private equity industry, and, by extension, the US economy. This is pure rubbish. In fact, private equity firms generate huge social costs. They buy companies they see as ripe for “turnarounds” – a polite way of saying that once they buy these companies they'll cut wages, outsource jobs, strip assets, and then resell what's left, often laden with debt. Look no further than the strike by Alabama's Warrior Met Coal mineworkers that's been underway since April 1st. Warrior Met is owned by a group of private equity firms led by New York-based Apollo Global Management. Mineworkers gave up their pension plan, retiree health care and wages to make Warrior Met's mines mines profitable, as Apollo and other private equity investors siphoned off hundreds of millions of dollars for themselves in special cash dividends.Since the pandemic began, private equity has been using the flood of cheap money to buy companies at a record pace, and then squeeze them (and their workers) dry. 2021 has been private equity's biggest ever — reaching a record $1.1 trillion in deals.So why are Democrats subsidizing private equity's predatory behavior with this tax loophole? How did the loophole survive the Clinton and Obama administrations when the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress? Why isn't it even on the current list of tax reforms Democrats went to use to pay for the Build Back Better package, if they can resurrect it in January? What's the dirty secret? Thanks for subscribing to my newsletter. If you'd like to help support it, please consider a paid subscription or a gift subscription. “This is a loophole that absolutely should be closed,” said Biden adviser Jared Bernstein. But “when you go up to Capitol Hill and you start negotiating on taxes, there are more lobbyists in this town on taxes than there are members of Congress.”Last year 4,108 individual lobbyists formally registered to lobby Congress and the executive branch on taxes. The private equity industry alone has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to congressional campaigns – $600 million over the past decade, according to a New York Times analysis earlier this year. But here's the thing. Most of these campaign contributions (bribes) have gone to Democrats. Nearly 60 percent of campaign donations from partners in the private equity industry during the 2020 election went to Democratic candidates for federal office. During the 2020 election, Biden's presidential campaign received over $3 million from people working in private equity and related investment funds, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Biden was the top recipient of campaign money from this industry.The dirty secret is Democrats have depended on campaign funding from private-equity partners — hugely wealthy people who are shafting workers across the land. Back in 2010, some courageous House Democrats squeaked through a tax plan that closed the loophole, but Democrats who controlled the Senate wouldn't go along. Senator Charles Schumer was among those who argued against closing it. The United States, he said, “should not do anything” to “make it easier for capital and ideas to flow to London or anywhere else.” Oh, please. As if Wall Street needed billions in annual bribes to stay put.When I publicly criticized Schumer for this, he explained to me that he didn't think it fair to close the loophole for private equity and hedge fund partners but to leave it in place for other partnerships, such as housing developers.Well, one person's view of fairness may differ from another's. But I don't think there's any question that the carried interest loophole is unfair to everyone except the fabulously rich who benefit from it.Democrats must close this loophole. Now. Your thoughts? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit robertreich.substack.com/subscribe
Jacob and David talk with Dedrick, a local mineworker about unions and the Mineworkers in general. We take phone calls from the crazies and answer questions. ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★