Workers' Inquiry is a podcast about work, struggle and revolution from Notes from Below. Each episode features an interview with a different worker about their experiences on the job. The conversations draw out lessons for building a militant, rank-and-file labour movement.
Episodes
How to Organise a General Strike
In this episode we speak to Keiran Knutson, call center worker and president of Communications Workers of America Local 7250 in Minneapolis about the Minneapolis general strike against ICE and the organising that made it possible.Subscribe to NFB!
Defeating Operation Metro Surge
This episode is a mash up of different recordings and interviews done at the rank-and-file conference, Labor Notes, earlier this summer. The central interview is a half hour discussion with Isaac Nelson, a teaching assistant from Minnesota, about the resistance to Operation Metro Surge. Also featuring: Ellen David Freedman, author of Keep Going: A guide to organising when it's hard Josh McPhee
Classroom Struggle: Working in a South London School
Direct action gets the goods. In this episode we discuss Matthew's experience of working and organising as a teaching assistant, including how they waged a campaign of on-the-job action to resist work intensification and management surveillance. This episode was recorded on the fly, so please enjoy the background ambience of a pub garden in South London. We'll be back to the usual studio s
Gallery Wars - Class Struggle in the Culture Industry
New from the NFB vault: guest editors Rehana Zaman, Jenny Warren and Allan Struthers join Dante to discuss issue 24 on class struggle in arts and culture. This interview was recorded in late 2025. Read the whole issue hereSubscribe to NFB if you haven't already
Fascists by the Seaside: Workers' Inquiry in Yarmouth
The podcast returns with an election special on workers' inquiry, fascism, and poultry farms. Lotte's book: An Economy of Starlings The Future In Our Past - out now on Verso Interview about the book with Sam Kelly on Red Medicine Read Notes from BelowSubscribe to NFB and get a copy of every print issue Say hello editors@notesfrombelow.org
Strike First Strategy: Organising in Glasgow's hospitality sector
How do you build a militant rank and file movement of thousands of young workers in a sector everyone says is impossible to organise? Nick Troy joins us to talk strikes, hospitality, service work, and the experiences of the Unite Hospitality branch in Glasgow. Read the full interview here: https://notesfrombelow.org/article/afters-building-hospitality-workers-movement-glasgRead Notes from Below
Ep 17: Moving beyond the terror (Care and Support Workers Organise)
First off - sorry for the delay! As always, we blame the bosses. Second, enjoy this interview about organising in the care sector during the pandemic. Connor, our guest from episode one of Workers' Inquiry, returns to interview Allison and Steve about their experiences. Read the full interview here: https://notesfrombelow.org/article/moving-beyond-the-terror-care-and-support-workers Read Notes
Ep 16: Why is GTA6 delayed? Class struggle
Massive games studio Rockstar just victimised 30+ workers. We jumped on a call with Austin Kelmore, a games worker and IWGB organiser, to get an update on the state of organising in the industry and the birth of his union branch. Read Austin's article from Issue 24 of NFB here. IWGB Game Workers: https://www.gameworkers.co.uk/ Support the victimised Rockstar worker fundraiser: https://actionne
Ep 15: Art Worker Power
We're talking about the art and culture sector, workers' inquiry, and how to build rank and file organisation in a sector characterised by low union membership and small workplaces.Steff Huì Cí Ling is a cultural worker and labour researcher based in Vancouver who wrote for issue 24 of NFB. You can read the full article here: https://www.notesfrombelow.org/article/the-only-polemic-left-in-
Ep 14: Bloquons Tout [Block Everything]
Today we launch season 2 with an update from the French movement that has toppled two prime ministers and thrown the French political system into crisis. Louise Héritier, a Paris-based actor and culture worker, joined us to discuss 'Cultures en Lutte' , a rank-and-file anti-austerity campaign of culture workers. You can read the full article here: https://notesfrombelow.org/article/culture
Announcement! Summer break and listener survey
Thank you for listening to season one! Fill in the listener survey here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKx08AQOv7v2FGGunciktCVwmpFH4eMq07BrWNcO2RZ5P9hg/viewform?usp=dialog You can find the bulletins from the 2024 delivery strike here: https://notesfrombelow.org/article/delivery-strike-reports-frontlineSee you in September for season two.
Ep 13: Time Served in the Construction Industry
You can read Thomas' article in issue 23 here.Read Notes from BelowSupport the PodcastSay hello editors@notesfrombelow.org Class composition is produced by the Notes From Below collectiveTom Greenwood is our designerIsabel Sanchez Danieli did the music Evelyn Gower is our production assistant We record in-person at the Mayday Rooms, Fleet Street
Ep 12: The Universities are on Fire
There is great chaos under heaven in the higher education sector. Two university workers, Zara Dinnen and NFB editor Roberto, are on the show to discuss what's going on and what opportunities the situation creates for political interventions in universities as workplaces. Zara's article, How to Stop a University Roberto's two articles on casualisation in HE: Part 1 , Part 2 The book ba
Ep 11 : Under London
James is a driver on the Piccadilly Line and talks to us about work, organising and what it's like to operate London's transport infrastructure. James' article for issue 23 is Under London.The Working Class History episode on workmates: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e82-workmates-collective/ Subscribe to Notes from BelowWorkers' Inquiry is produced by the Notes From Belo
Ep 10: Syndicalism and the New Limits of Trade Unions
We're talking about trade unions, social partnership, class compromise, and bureaucrats. Read Matthew and Roberto's article here: Syndicalism and the New Limits of Trade UnionsSubscribe to Notes from BelowWorkers' Inquiry is produced by the Notes From Below collective.Designer: Tom GreenwoodMusic: Isabel Sanchez DanieliProduction Assistant: Evelyn Gower We record in-person at the Mayda
Ep 9: Supermarket Struggle
We talk to three comrades from CEDRA, a Slovenian political organisation, about their work with supermarket workers and their method of feminist coresearch. Subscribe to Notes from Below: https://notesfrombelow.org/subscribeJoin us this Friday ( 14th) for our issue 23 launch party: https://lu.ma/uoowlj5a Join the Organise Now Gails campaign: https://www.organisenow.org.uk/gails/Read more from CEDR
Ep 8: The Pan African Workers Association
Francis and Barbara from PAWA talk to us about their experiences working and organising in the care industry,.Read Notes from BelowSupport the PodcastSay hello editors@notesfrombelow.orgWorkers' Inquiry is produced by the Notes From Below collective.Designer: Tom GreenwoodMusic: Isabel Sanchez DanieliProduction Assistant: Evelyn Gower We record in-person at the Mayday Rooms, Flee
Ep 7: Essential Work, Disposable Workers
Mostafa Henaway is an organiser at the Immigrant Workers Center Montreal and author of Essential Work, Disposable Workers.His article for issue 22 of NFB was Experiments in Worker Organising: From Unite Community to the Immigrant Worker Centre in Montréal.You can read the whole issue, including the editorial about a workers' centre in Tower Hamlets, here.Read Notes from BelowSupport the
Ep 6: Mine Women
Today we're talking to Karin, a Swedish ex-miner who worked in the largest iron ore mine in Europe. She tells us about the experience of Gruvkvinnor [Mine Women], a self-organised group of blue collar women working in production roles.
Gruvkvinnor have an article in the upcoming issue 23 of NFB on Infrastructure. Subscribe now if you want a copy as soon as its released!
Read Notes from Bel
Ep 5: Close the Door Behind You
In episode 5 we talk to Nick Francis about his time working as a bouncer. We go over the experience of the work, the possibilities for coalitions in the hospitality industry, and the stories we tell ourselves to make work bearable.
Read Nick's article for issue 21 of NFB
Read Notes from Below
Support the Podcast
Say hello editors@notesfrombelow.org
Ep 4: We the Surplus
Today we talk to Jonas Marvin about the history of sickness in Britain since the mid-20th century, and what health communism has to teach us about the class struggle today.
Subscribe to Jonas' newsletter: Marx's Dream Journal
Read Notes from Below
Support the Podcast
Say hello editors@notesfrombelow.org
Class composition is produced by the Notes From Below collective
Tom Greenwood is our desi
Ep 3: The Political Leap
Note: The audio quality in this episode isn't perfect - we had some difficulties recording. Apologies in advance.
In episode 3 we speak to Sai Englert, one of NFB's editors at large, about political organisation. We talk about revolutions, parties, and the looming combination of crisis and opportunity.
Read Sai's first article, Notes on Organisation
Read Sai's second article, Notes on Organisa
Ep 2: Cooking up a Storm
In episode two we speak to Eric, a chef from London, about hospitality work, organising strategies, and gentrification.
Read Eric's article in issue 18
Read Notes from Below
Support the Podcast
Say hello editors@notesfrombelow.org
Class composition is produced by the Notes From Below collective
Tom Greenwood is our designer
Isabel Sanchez Danieli did the music
Evelyn Gower is our production a
Ep 1: Contradictions in Care
In episode one we're talking to Lyra and Connor, two ex-care workers who speak about their experience in the industry, covering everything from deindustrialisation and disability to strikes and migration.
Read Connor and Lyra's article from Issue 20
Read Notes from Below
Support the Podcast
Say hello editors@notesfrombelow.org
Class composition is produced by the Notes From Below collec
Ep 0: Introducing Workers' Inquiry
Welcome to Workers Inquiry!
In this short episode, we introduce the idea behind the podcast and explain we've started it.
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What is workers inquiry?
