1996 programs

#33 On-to-Ottawa

On-to-Ottawa (continued from last week) Part 2 of the On-to-Ottawa trek video.

#34 Common Sense Revolution - Part 1: Education

Part 1 of a special 2 part series on the radical right restructuring sweeping Alberta and Ontario. The Harris and Klein governments are implementing a neo-conservative agenda, much like that which has already wreaked havoc in New Zealand; all in the name of "deficit reduction". But in reality, the money saved from cutting social programs goes directly to tax breaks: and then into the pockets of the wealthy and corporations.

#35 Common Sense Revolution
- Part 2: Social Services

Part 2 of 2 - We focus on CUPE workers, members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. They are taking the first hit from the Harris and Klein attack on social programs; in education, in municipal services, in social service agencies and in health care. We also meet the Laundry Workers at Calgary General Hospital, members of CUPE Local 8, whose courage almost sparked an Alberta wide General Strike last November. (CUPE)

#36 Labour Culture Special

Labour Culture Special: Taped live at the 1996 Canadian Labour Congress Harrison Winter School, working TV brings you some of the best labour culture in Canada today. The music is provided by Ginger Group, made up of nine of the best young members of Local 145 of the Musicians' Union. ACTRA members Steve Hill and Sonia Norris perform street theatre on the future of medicare. Student Protest: February 7 was the National Day of Action Against Cutbacks to Post Secondary education, and in Vancouver 7000 students took to the streets to protest funding cuts by the federal liberals.

#37 Searching for Gordon

Part 1: working TV spent 6 months trying to interview B.C. Liberal leader Gordon Campbell about his contradictory public statements. He refused to give us an interview, in spite of our repeated phone calls, faxes and letters. So we took our cameras "searching for Gordon".
"Counting Our Victories": an excerpt from this new video on Popular Education and Organizing.
Billions for Bankers: CAW members take on bank profits.

#38 Searching for Gordon

Part 2: turns out, we aren't the only ones who have been looking for BC Liberal leader Gordon Campbell.
Mouseland: An animated version of the famous story by Tommy "T.C." Douglas, about a country called Mouseland, where the inhabitants, all mice, keep electing cats to their government.
BCGEU rally: Government employees rallied in Victoria March 8 against layoffs.
Dave Barrett spoke to CUPE Ambulance Paramedics.
BCTF Protest: Teachers rallied in Vancouver March 20th to protest the slow pace of bargaining.

#39 Searching for Gordon

Part 3: Gordon won't talk to us so we find others who will answer our questions.
Free the Children campaign against child labour: a look at consumer products, made by child labour that end up for sale here in Canada. Includes a BC Federation of Labour sponsored meeting with a child labourer from Guatemala, and an interview with 13-year-old activist Craig Kiehlburger.
April Fools? the federal Liberal government's Canada Health and Social Transfer legislation (CHST) took effect April 1, slashing billions from social programs.
Air Care Workers locked out for 7 weeks by Ebco Hamilton.
Begin the Healing a preview of this musical / theatrical production from the HEU on the crisis in health care.

#40 Common Sense Revolution

Repeat of Part One of The Common Sense Revolution ( #34 above ) to celebrate winning the Award of Excellence in the Political Category at the Best of the Northwest Video Festival in Olympia, Washington.

#41 Look For the Union Label

Look for the Union Label - feature on the "Union Label" campaign to have trade unionists buy those goods and services produced by unionized workers which display the union label.
Union Briefs:
Day of Mourning - April 28 Day of Mourning for Injured workers, this year in North Vancouver;
Mayday - May 1 International Day of Labour Solidarity.
Feedback: your calls and letters on air.

#42 Union Label Special

Look for the Union Label - fLook for the Union Label - feature on the "Union Label" campaign to have trade unionists buy those goods and services produced by unionized workers which display the union label.

working TV #43 and #44: summer holiday repeats.

#45 Ralph Nader on Health Care

Part 1 of 2.

#46 Ralph Nader on Health Care

Part 2 of 2.

#47 Counting Our Victories

The Canadian Broadcast premiere of Counting Our Victories - a 29 minute video on Popular Education and womens organizing produced by Repeal the Deal Productions in co-operation with working TV. Counting Our Victories shows how two different groups of women activists use a variety of popular education methods to raise questions and further their work. Trade union and social justice activists from Canada, Guatemala and Nicaragua discuss the value of popular education for organizing in the 1990s.

#48 Labour Day

Labour Day - Bob White and Ken Georgetti on labour's day.
Manitoba Report - 600 MGEU members strike government run casinos in Tory Manitoba where union rights are under attack.
Union Briefs CUPE 561 strike against the Coquitlam library.

#49 Healthy and Safe

Healthy and Safe: A full length report on the September 15/16 1996 Healthy and Safe conference sponsored by the BC Federation of Labour and the Capilano College Labour studies program on Health and Safety in B.C. This conference was held on the eve of a Royal Commission into Worker's Compensation in the province and was meant as an opportunity for labour to strategize about the kinds of changes we need to see in the system.

#50 Women's March Against Poverty

Part 1 of a 2 part special presentation on the May / June 1996 Women's March Against Poverty. This march, jointly sponsored by the Canadian Labour Congress and by the National Action Committee on the Status of Women toured 80 communities across the country mobilizing and organizing women against social service cuts, before its culmination in a giant rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. working TV's Heather Nicholas took our camcorder and travelled with the march across Canada to produce this feature. Also available in uncut, 51 minute form.

#51 Women's March Against Poverty

Part 2 of 2.

#52 Urgent Action

Urgent Action Appeal for imprisoned Indonesian labour leader Muchtar Pakpahan who is facing the death penalty for organizing Indonesian workers, including the workers who make Nike running shoes in sweatshop conditions for $2.00 / day.
Youth At Work: a report on workplace rights and health and safety concerns of young workers, most of whom are in high school and at their first jobs.
An Election Issue? CUPE 1004 blows the whistle on waste and inefficiency by Vancouver Parks Board managers.

#53 London Calling

Part 1 of a 3 part series on the fightback in Ontario against the Mike Harris neo-conservatives who have cut $8 Billion from social spending in that province. London Calling, produced by Toronto's Ground Zero Productions, looks at the December 11 1995 General strike in London, the first of a series of walkouts in Ontario.

#53 Common Sense Revolution

Repeat of our Award Winning program from January on the Radical Right Revolution in Ontario and Alberta, with a focus on Education.

#55 Metro Days of Action

Part 3 of our series on the Ontario Fightback series looks at the October 25 1996 General strike in Toronto, Canada's largest city, and at the October 26 rally which drew 200,000 protestors against the Mike Harris "slash and burn" agenda. Produced with the assistance of the Manitoba Labour Education Centre, the United Steelworkers of America and Ground Zero Productions in Toronto.

#56 Vote Smart

A feature on getting the vote out for labour backed candidates in municipal elections across B.C. - including a doorstep encounter with a matron in Vancouver's exclusive Shaughnessey district, on why the rich on Vancouver's westside vote in higher numbers than those in working class areas.
Job Smart: A report on the Job Smart program for Young Workers, part of the Canadian Labour Congress weekend labour school at Simon Fraser University.

#57 "In Search of a New Left: Canadian Politics After the NeoConservative Assault"

Dr. James Laxer's speech to the September 19 BC Teachers' Federation Economics Alternatives Seminar on the future of the Canadian left. Musical epilogue by Billy Bragg.

#58 "In Search of a New Left: Canadian Politics After the NeoConservative Assault"

Dr. James Laxer Part 2. Musical epilogue by Billy Bragg.

#59 BC Federation of Labour Convention

Highlights from the 41st BC Federation of Labour Convention, held November 25 - 29 in Vancouver. Featured speaker - B.C. Premier Glen Clark.

#60 BC Federation of Labour Convention

Highlights from the 41st BC Federation of Labour Convention, held November 25 - 29 in Vancouver. Featured speaker - federal NDP Leader Alexa McDonough.

Running Time 60:00 for all programs listed below

Noam Chomsky

Standing Up for Health Care