From Pacifica Radio, this is Capitalism, Race, & Democracy, (formerly Covid, Race, and Democracy), a collective effort by producers from Pacifica stations and affiliates across the US.
We will continue to cover news and investigations of the COVID-19 pandemic and response as well as other important issues impacting our world today.
Today we go to the front lines of workers’ struggles to mark the International Workers’ Day on May 1st.
Two hundred and forty thousand UPS Teamsters may go on strike on August 1 when their contract expires. They are fighting against the attacks on part-time workers and are linking up with Amazon and postal workers for a united fight. We hear from Richard Hooks, Secretary Treasurer of Philadelphia Teamster Local 623.
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Workers and unions in Australia are growing increasingly angry about the plans of the US, the UK, and their own Labor Party government to build a nuclear submarine base on the East coast Port of Kembla. Teachers unions and the Maritime Union of Australia will rally against the base plan on May 6. Anti-war activist and socialist Luke Hocking spoke to Pacifica’s Steve Zeltzer.
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Unions in Chile have called for opening the books of the AFL-CIO on it’s collaboration with the CIA in the overthrow of the socialist government of Salvador Allende and the arrests, torture and deaths of thousands of workers and their families 50 years ago, in 1973. Chilean American unionist Elizabeth Milos spoke to Ernesto Rojas Urbina of the Chilean Committee in Defense of Human and Trade Union Rights – Clotario Blest.
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Chinese public and private businesses have taken over most of the uranium and marble mines in Namibia. In 2020, at the Rossing Mine, owners fired union leaders who have now been fighting to get their jobs back for over three years. At a panel on the May Day weekend they spoke out about their struggle.
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In 2005, the late civil rights activist, humanitarian, and performer, Mr. Harry Belafonte, founded The Gathering for Justice, an organization dedicated to ending the crisis of caging youth in the United States.
Harry Belafonte spoke at The National Gathering for Justice in Oakland, California, November, 2007. The Gathering for Justice founded by Harry Belafonte, invites people to explore the intersection of arts, culture, and the movement for Black and Brown liberation. The entire speech was aired on Hard Knock Radio March 1, 2022, by host/producer Davey D.
Harry Belafonte was one of the most successful Jamaican-American pop stars, as he popularized the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album Calypso (1956) was the first million dollar LP by a single artist worldwide.
Belafonte is known for his recording of “The Banana Boat Song“, with its signature lyric “Day-O”. He has recorded and performed in many genres, including blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, and American standards. He also starred in several successful films.
Mr. Belafonte stated that the great Paul Robeson was his mentor. During the 1950s and 60s Civil Rights Movement, he was a close confidante of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. As he later recalled, “Paul Robeson had been my first great formative influence; you might say he gave me my backbone. Martin King was the second; he nourished my soul.
Harry Belafonte was born on March 1, 1927 and made his transition on April 25, 2023. He was 96. Thanks to Fahima Seck of WPFW for co-producing this segment.
Music:
Inti Illimani, “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido”
Cablevision techs rapping about their struggle for justice on the job with their latest song “Strike!”
World Wide Rebel Songs by Tom Morrello
Gil Scott Heron – Three Miles Down
Harry Belafonte singing Martin Luther King Song
