Our guest today, Ric Urrutia, is an organizer, podcaster, artist, and co-host of the We Rise Fighting! Labor Podcast. He’s hosting a free workshop tonight at the Madison Labor Temple from 6-8pm on building worker power. The workshop will show participants how to read corporate documents and analyze corporate political contributions, and think critically about corporate investments. 

Urrutia wasn’t always a labor organizer, but his awareness of class grew from watching his dad who worked at a seafood restaurant. Then, when he went to college, he learned not to be afraid of Karl Marx. He says that it’s important to read about history and economic and social theory to develop class consciousness. 

Host Allen Ruff asks Urrutia about the importance of worker generated research, current labor organizing, like at Amazon, and the connection between labor and solidarity movements. Urrutia says that we need to internationalize the labor movement, and the Palestine solidarity movement is a step in that direction. For Urrutia, the present requires that we have a big vision; the messages of “buy American” and vote for the “lesser of two evils” is not enough. 

Featured image via WORT.

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