It Could Happen Here Weekly 244
Summary
Host Amir Wong speaks with Lake and Andy from the Gender Affirming Care Workers Alliance about their independent unionization efforts at Real U Electrolysis in Lakewood. The guests detail how they organized through the IWW to combat predatory "trap agreements," bounced paychecks, and the forced termination of trans workers. They describe staging walkouts to demand guaranteed pay while navigating the complexities of a simultaneous, previously unknown union campaign at the company's Vancouver location.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: PrEP and HIV prevention
Introduction to the Lakewood electrolysis union story
Vancouver strike and the fear of job loss at Lakewood
Targeted management actions and 'disappearing' workers
Lack of proper training and outdated medical education
No licensure requirements and worker precarity
Secret union organizing and keeping patients in the dark
Bouncing paychecks and the demand for guaranteed pay
The 'march on the boss' and management's refusal
Good work strike and handwritten checks
Devastating impact on patients and management's greed
Future goals, patient database, and closing thoughts
Sponsors: Homebase, Addi, and PrEP
Introduction to the Western Sahara conflict
Interview: Self-determination and Morocco's occupation
Polisario leadership, age gap, and political repression
Resilience of activists and the role of global citizens
Closing the interview and sponsor reads
Retail crime series: Surveillance and the CORCA bill
Inflated theft statistics and lobbying efforts
Legal consequences and disproportionate punishment
Violence against shoplifters and corporate complicity
Sponsor: Podlandia podcast
CORCA, ICE databases, and immigration risks
Facial recognition flaws and legal expert analysis
Sponsor: Podlandia podcast
Spokane wildfires: Evacuations and community response
Wildfire causes, data centers, and historical context
Todd Blanche confirmation and Senate primary results
Campaign finance, AI ads, and primary upsets
Michigan and Missouri primary results and DSA candidates
U.S. ammunition production failures and stockpiles
Wildfire gambling markets and ethical concerns
Fed policy, yen purchases, and financial market confusion
States sue Trump administration over tariffs
Outro and production credits
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