South Coast Working

Telling worker stories through theatre and the arts with Elise Bryant

On this episode we’re joined by Elise Bryant. She’s an accomplished playwright who’s turned the experiences of women and workers into theater.  Her autobiographical one-woman play “Queen of the Night” [https://www.youtube.com/live/ADuq06WZAd4?si=3AL0hufMRrS8o0Ij]recounts her experiences growing up in a working-class Black family during the civil rights movement and the Detroit rebellion.  Elise is also a composer, and recording artist who lectures on Black spiritual music and freedom songs. She’s also served as the president of the Coalition of Labor Union Women and executive director of the Labor Heritage Foundation and former professor at the National Labor College. For more information about the work of Elise Bryant, head to the Labor Heritage Foundation's website [https://laborheritage.org/]. And to learn more about the Labor Education Center's website [https://www.umassd.edu/labored/] and to get involved, reach out. We’d love to hear from you.

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler reflects on labor history, while looking to the future

Today on South Coast Working we have something a little different for you. The UMass Dartmouth Dubin Labor Education Center recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, where AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler received the Dubin award. As the proud and aggressive leader of fifteen million workers, she has worked to unite their unions, advance the organizing of new unions and pursue justice for them and the majority of Americans. She’s also shown that every union member can aspire to leadership in America’s labor movement. Today we’re sharing her speech from the banquet honoring her work.  For more information on the Labor Education Center, check out our website [https://www.umassd.edu/labored/⁠]. You can also follow us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/umassdlec/#] for updates on our work or subscribe to our YouTube channel [https://www.youtube.com/@umassdlaboredcenter2686].

The power of labor councils with Lisa Lemieux

On today’s episode of South Coast Working, we’re talking with Lisa Lemieux. Lemieux is president of the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, AFL-CIO. The labor council serves a coalition of over 40 affiliated unions and 40,000 affiliated members across Southeastern Massachusetts. She is part of an all-female team that includes Chrissy Lynch, president of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and Liz Shuler, president of the National AFL-CIO.  For more information about the Greater Southeastern Massachusetts Labor Council, check out their website: gsmlaborcouncil.org/ [https://gsmlaborcouncil.org/]. It’s the 50th anniversary of the Arnold M. Dubin Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth. To learn more about the work of the center head to their website: umassd.edu/labored/ [https://www.umassd.edu/labored/]  And if you’re interested in attending upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations, reach out to Labor Ed Center director Kim Wilson at kwilson@umassd.edu [kwilson@umassd.edu].

An Interview With the New Leader of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO Chrissy Lynch

On this episode of South Coast Working, we’re joined by Chrissy Lynch, the President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Lynch has been at the helm of the Mass AFL-CIO since October of 2023. She sat down to talk about her time in the position so far, challenges she’s faced, victories in her work and what the future holds for labor in the state during the current political administration.

WorkedUP! These students turned art into action by organizing

On this episode we’re looking at a special collaboration last year between the College of Visual Performing Arts and the Labor Education Center at UMass Dartmouth. The Labor Ed Center serves as a bridge between students and communities, it thrives most when faculty are hungry to connect students and to collaborate. This episode focuses on just one example of such a collaboration between the Labor Ed Center and a faculty member. Gabo Camnitzer was formerly an assistant professor of art and community based practices at the College of Visual Performing Arts at UMass Dartmouth. He taught a class called Art as Action.  In the spring of 2023, the cohort learned about the rich history of labor on the South Coast in collaboration with the Labor Education Center. They then were tasked with using their skills and talents to create something for the community. I spoke with Gabo and a group of his former students about this type of collaboration and learning, and how many of them went from knowing very little about the labor movement, to wanting to start a union of their own.