KUCI Subversity: Labor Update, Union Democracy Needed

As the U.S. enters a new Obama era, what are the prospects of a better future for American labor? We talk with a former KUCI Public Affairs host who has been a labor activist locally as well as a labor organizer from Northern California. John Earl is a former organizer and researcher for the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union, Local 681 (now UNITE HERE) in Orange County. He was also one of the organizers of a democratic reform movement in that union that led to the formation of a breakaway union, Local 50 UNITE HERE a the Disneyland resort in 2005. Since then he has been involved in efforts to help organize day laborers in the county. He is currently the publisher of the Orange Coast Voice newspaper. Steve Zeltzer is active in United Public Workers for Action and is the founder of Labor Video Project. Interviewer: Daniel C. Tsang.