UcOtt Raddio Mar 11 UcOtt Raddio Daddio — Labour Day Special
Intro (10 min)
• Kick off with your style: “Radical to the core, but so much more… it’s Labour Day, folks.”
• Short bit on the origins of Labour Day (Canada + U.S.), union struggles, 8-hour day, strikes.
• Howard Becker angle: work worlds / art worlds — labour as the social glue.
• Song: Working Man — Rush (Canadian classic).
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Segments (about 10 min each)
1. Workin’ for a Livin’
• The grind, blue-collar pride.
• Song: Nine to Five — Dolly Parton (fun contrast).
2. Unions and Strikes
• History of IWA/Steelworkers/Teamsters. Maybe your own millworker story.
• Quote: Noam Chomsky on unions.
• Song: Solidarity Forever — Pete Seeger (or Billy Bragg version).
3. The Devil’s in the Boss
• Management vs. labour; Marx’s surplus value.
• Song: Take This Job and Shove It — Johnny Paycheck.
4. Women and Work
• From Rosie the Riveter to modern care work.
• Song: Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves — Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin.
5. Race and Labour
• Migrant workers, racialized labour.
• Canadian content: Neil Young’s Unknown Legend or Helpless.
• Or something sharper: Working Class Hero — John Lennon.
6. Art as Labour
• Becker’s Art Worlds — musicians as workers. Tie to Dawson music scene.
• Song: Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money) — Pet Shop Boys (satirical).
7. Corporate Crime & Work
• Marchak’s Green Gold connection.
• Song: Welcome to the Machine — Pink Floyd.
8. Technology & Work
• AI taking jobs, automation.
• Song: Robot Factory — The Hip (or Devo Working in a Coalmine cover).
9. Leisure as Resistance
• Becker/Goffman: what we do off the clock matters.
• Song: Fight for Your Right (to Party) — Beastie Boys.
10. Peace, Labour & Future
• Eisenhower military-industrial complex, labour’s role in peace.
• Song: Give Peace a Chance — John Lennon.
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Outro (10 min)
• Wabi-Sabi reflection: labour is never finished, always imperfect.
• Tie back to Dawson: miners, musicians, caregivers, teachers.
• Final song: Working Class Hero reprise OR This Land Is Your Land — Bruce Springsteen (or Canadian folk version).
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Do you want me to script the 10-minute intro first (radio-ready, URD voice, tying in your own labour background with Becker + a song lead-in), or should we start with one of the 10 segments?
June 6, 2025
Fighting for a maximum working temperature in British Columbia