This is the full 6-28-10 episode of the Labor Express Radio program.
Last week was an important week for the labor movement locally, nationally and internationally. There were a number of major events held and announcements made at all three levels, and we going to try our best to report on these events and developments on todayâs program.
First off, on the local scene, the Chicago Federation of Labor held a press conference at City Hall Thursday to announce a historic agreement with Walmart over the expansion of new Walmart stores in Chicago. But the big questions for many in Chicagoâs labor movement is did the CFL sell out way to cheap? Or was there really no other option because the CFLâs much touted success in getting labor friendly alderman elected a couple of years ago, turned out to be a very ephemeral victory at best. We'll hear the CFLâs official announcement as well as frustration with the announcement from residents of Chicagoâs Southside in the first half of the program.
On the national level, Detroit hosted the 2nd U.S. Social Forum last week, with significant involvement of organized labor. We will hear an excerpt from a recent episode of KPFK in Los Angeles program Voices From The Frontlines which includes an interview with Ai-Jen Poo of Domestic Workers United. She talked about the Excluded Workers Congress at the USSF.
And on the international scene, our neighbors to the north hosted a meeting of the G20 nations in Toronto last week. Thousands of trade unionists, economic justice activist, anti-corporate globalization activists, environmentalist and activist from a multitude of freedom struggles descended on Toronto to protest the G20 meetings. We will hear from Indy media activists that attend these protests and the heavy amount of police repression used against the protestors.
Labor Express Radio is Chicago's only English language labor news and current affairs radio program. News for working people, by working people. Labor Express Radio airs every Monday morning at 10:00 AM on Chicago's Sound Alliance, WLUW, 88.7 FM. For more information, see our website at: www.laborexpress.org and our homepage on Archive.org at: http://www.archive.org/details/LaborExpressRadio or page at Radio4All.net⦠http://www.radio4all.net/index.php/series/Labor+Express+Radio