Dan and Zack spoke with Sam Wallman a comics-journalist, cartoonist and labour activist and dock worker with the Maritime Union of Australia. The guys discuss Sam’s background, his book Our Members Be Unlimited: A Comic about Workers and their Unions, and the role art can play in our union campaigns. 

In June of 2017 Dan and Mike had an opportunity to speak with Mick Doleman of the MUA while attending a ITF meeting in Cape Town South Africa. It was a rare occasion in which Mick shared his story of the sinking of the Blythe Star and the incredible story of survival that occurred in October of 1973. Since the time of the recording a shipwreck that had been located was formerly identified as the wreckage of the Blythe Star. On October 19 a memorial plaque to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Blythe star and the discovery of the vessel will be unveiled at Hobart Wharf in Tasmania.

Zack Pattin (ILWU Local 23) and Myka Dubay (ILWU Local 5 and ILWU International Executive Board) discuss their workshop from this year’s YWC Conference, “Weapons of the Boss: Racism and Anti-Trans Discrimination.” Zack walks us through the origins and context of the ILWU’s Ten Guiding Principles and Myka lays out the stakes of the current anti-trans backlash — and what it means for workers and our unions.

Some of the best conversations we can have are when we are invited in to the home of other working people to share stories. My self and ILWU Canada President Emeritus Tom Dufresne got to sit and chat with now retired General Secretary of the Grain Services Union in Saskatchewan Hugh Wagner. Its was an honour to talk with Hugh about his 48 years in the trade union movement, his politics and the role it played in is work, some history of the labour movement in Saskatchewan and hear some advice from Tom from one pensioner to another.