We’re back in the studio for our second episode and it’s all about worker power. 

This week, we learn about this exceptional and hopeful moment in the history of union organising in Australia known as the Green Bans, with writer, illustrator and union activist Sam Wallman (https://www.instagram.com/ourmembersbeunlimited/) and lecturer in international political economy from the University of New South Wales, Dr Sophie Cotton 

“What is the good of fighting to improve wages and conditions if we are going to choke to death in polluted and planless cities? We are fighting for a shorter working week. If we get it, we still have to live in these cities

Yes, we want to build. However, we prefer to build urgently required hospitals, schools, other public utilities, high-quality flats, units and houses, provided they are designed with adequate concern for the environment, than to build ugly unimaginative architecturally bankrupt blocks of concrete and glass offices.”

Those are the words of Jack Mundy - secretary of the NSW Builders' Labourers Federation, and one of the leaders of the Green Bans. 

In the Green Bans, ordinary workers and local residents groups joined forces to refuse work on construction projects that threatened the environment, affordable housing, public open spaces and heritage, and were successful in saving vital urban spaces from demolition. We hear what made this moment special, and use it to look at why workers' power is so important not only to workplace and industrial issues, but to enacting transformative change over broader society.

We also discuss what has changed in industrial relations in Australia since the 1970s and 80s, how to deal with being apart of a flawed trade union, what the relationship ought to be  between workers movements and political parties - and Max wonders if Jack Mundy was the true first, unofficial leader of the Australian Greens?

Share your thoughts and comments on this podcast on YouTube or by emailing us at praxispod@greeninstitute.org.au

SUPPORT THE GREEN INSTITUTE

This podcast is only possible with the support of the builders of The Green Institute, our regular monthly donors. A regular donation of as little as $10 a month helps power our mission to build a mass movement powerful enough to replace establishment politics in this country, and helps us to be able to run programs like these and spread the in-person Praxis course across the country.

Become a builder of the Green Institute today at greeninstitute.org.au/donate

FOLLOW US

Subscribe for e-news updates: https://www.greeninstitute.org.au/subscribe/ 

Watch this podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreenInstituteAU 

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Check out Sam’s book ‘Our Members Be Unlimited: A Comic About Workers & Their Unions’ at https://www.samwallman.com/store/p/our-members-be-unlimited-book and follow 

Sam and Sophie’s recommendations:
Film: Rocking the Foundations by Pat Fiske (https://www.roninfilms.com.au/feature/474/rocking-foundations.html)
“Green Bans, Red Unions” by Verity Bergman & Meredith Bergman (https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1592101.Green_Bans_Red_Union)
“How Labour Built Neoliberalism” by Elizabeth Humphrys (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40635889-how-labour-built-neoliberalism)

Praxis is hosted by Max Chandler-Mather and Bec Sparks, produced by The Green Institute, James Cummins and Michael Griffin.

We&rsquo;re back in the studio for our second episode and it&rsquo;s all about worker power.&nbsp;
This week, we learn about this exceptional and hopeful moment in the history of union organising in Australia known as the Green Bans, with writer, illustrator and union activist Sam Wallman (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ourmembersbeunlimited/">https://www.instagram.com/ourmembersbeunlimited/</a>) and lecturer in international political economy from the University of New South Wales, Dr Sophie Cotton&nbsp;
&ldquo;What is the good of fighting to improve wages and conditions if we are going to choke to death in polluted and planless cities? We are fighting for a shorter working week. If we get it, we still have to live in these cities Yes, we want to build. However, we prefer to build urgently required hospitals, schools, other public utilities, high-quality flats, units and houses, provided they are designed with adequate concern for the environment, than to build ugly unimaginative architecturally bankrupt blocks of concrete and glass offices.&rdquo; Those are the words of Jack Mundy - secretary of the NSW Builders' Labourers Federation, and one of the leaders of the Green Bans.&nbsp;
In the Green Bans, ordinary workers and local residents groups joined forces to refuse work on construction projects that threatened the environment, affordable housing, public open spaces and heritage, and were successful in saving vital urban spaces from demolition. We hear what made this moment special, and use it to look at why workers' power is so important not only to workplace and industrial issues, but to enacting transformative change over broader society.
We also discuss what has changed in industrial relations in Australia since the 1970s and 80s, how to deal with being apart of a flawed trade union, what the relationship ought to be&nbsp; between workers movements and political parties - and Max wonders if Jack Mundy was the true first, unofficial leader of the Australian Greens?
Share your thoughts and comments on this podcast on YouTube or by emailing us at praxispod@greeninstitute.org.au
<hr>
SUPPORT THE GREEN INSTITUTE
This podcast is only possible with the support of the builders of The Green Institute, our regular monthly donors. A regular donation of as little as $10 a month helps power our mission to build a mass movement powerful enough to replace establishment politics in this country, and helps us to be able to run programs like these and spread the in-person Praxis course across the country.
Become a builder of the Green Institute today at <a href="http://greeninstitute.org.au/donate">greeninstitute.org.au/donate</a>
FOLLOW US
Subscribe for e-news updates: <a href="https://www.greeninstitute.org.au/subscribe/">https://www.greeninstitute.org.au/subscribe/</a>&nbsp;
Watch this podcast on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@GreenInstituteAU">https://www.youtube.com/@GreenInstituteAU</a>&nbsp;
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GreenInstitute">https://www.facebook.com/GreenInstitute</a>&nbsp;
Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thegreeninstitute/">https://www.instagram.com/thegreeninstitute/</a>&nbsp;
TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreeninstitute">https://www.tiktok.com/@thegreeninstitute</a>
BSky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/greeninstitute.bsky.social">https://bsky.app/profile/greeninstitute.bsky.social</a>
Check out Sam&rsquo;s book &lsquo;Our Members Be Unlimited: A Comic About Workers &amp; Their Unions&rsquo; at <a href="https://www.samwallman.com/store/p/our-members-be-unlimited-book">https://www.samwallman.com/store/p/our-members-be-unlimited-book</a> and follow&nbsp;
Sam and Sophie&rsquo;s recommendations:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Film: Rocking the Foundations by Pat Fiske (<a href="https://www.roninfilms.com.au/feature/474/rocking-foundations.html">https://www.roninfilms.com.au/feature/474/rocking-foundations.html</a>)</li>
<li aria-level="1">&ldquo;Green Bans, Red Unions&rdquo; by Verity Bergman &amp; Meredith Bergman (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1592101.Green_Bans_Red_Union">https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1592101.Green_Bans_Red_Union</a>)</li>
<li aria-level="1">&ldquo;How Labour Built Neoliberalism&rdquo; by Elizabeth Humphrys (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40635889-how-labour-built-neoliberalism">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40635889-how-labour-built-neoliberalism</a>)</li>
</ul>
Praxis is hosted by Max Chandler-Mather and Bec Sparks, produced by The Green Institute, James Cummins and Michael Griffin.

If you want to change the world, you need to understand it. And to understand it, you need the right tools.

Welcome to Praxis, a podcast on understanding the economy and how it dominates our lives, hosted by Max Chandler-Mather and Bec Sparks from The Green Institute.

Too often the world of economics is dictated entirely by a small elite group of economists, experts and institutions, telling the same old convenient story: that the way things are, are the way they’ve gotta be.

Everything from the wage you’re paid, to the cooking and cleaning you do at home, and the debit card in your pocket, are all defined by the same economic and political forces that drive capitalism. In this limited series, you’ll hear from experts across the country tackling the biggest questions and giving you the tools to critique common economic stories and apply an economic lens to politics.

If you want to change the world, you need to understand it. And to understand it, you need the right tools.
Welcome to Praxis, a podcast on understanding the economy and how it dominates our lives, hosted by Max Chandler-Mather and Bec Sparks from The Green Institute.
Too often the world of economics is dictated entirely by a small elite group of economists, experts and institutions, telling the same old convenient story: that the way things are, are the way they&rsquo;ve gotta be.
Everything from the wage you&rsquo;re paid, to the cooking and cleaning you do at home, and the debit card in your pocket, are all defined by the same economic and political forces that drive capitalism. In this limited series, you&rsquo;ll hear from experts across the country tackling the biggest questions and giving you the tools to critique common economic stories and apply an economic lens to politics.

A podcast on understanding the economy and how it dominates our lives.