Labor Beat

Labor Beat is television and radio shows

Labor Beat is a series of television programs on grassroots labor and social issues. The programs are produced and distributed monthly in Chicago and in a growing list of other cities. There are over 500 shows in the series to date! Labor Beat also produces the weekly radio program, Labor Express!


Labor Beat occupies a special niche in documentary. Doing a cable-tv series covering labor news since 1987, we have amassed a great storehouse of important footage and reportage. Not dependent on grants from liberal foundations or any single international, we depend on the entire working class for our funds. And we ourselves are worker/videographers. These factors enable us to get closer to labor stories and closer to the actual complex details as they emerge. Our videos are not recordings of talking heads in a studio, but aggressively follow the bouncing ball . It is not just people talking about what happened, it is seeing it happen, the process, the actors in action. These are not high-price-spread PBS docs, whose big budgets often weigh them down in what they can say. Yet our videos are painstakenly edited under budgets close to zero, and we are proud of our craft.


WHAT OTHERS SAY

Labor Beat is an organization.

Labor Beat is the Committee for Labor Access, based in Chicago. For twelve years we have been producing programs, distributing programs, training producers, and alerting Chicago and national labor organizations to the need for becoming masters of radio and television production and distribution.

We are all volunteers, proud of having a significant impact even though under the constant pressure of budgetary crises. CLA is a 501(c)3 organization, for tax-deductible donations. We have an affiliation with Local 1220 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.


Labor Beat is tapes and disks

Labor Beat is a catalog of videos available for purchase. Price includes s/h. The current computer-searchable list of descriptions is available on our web site, LaborBeat.ORG. 500 titles are available. For example:
"Marchin' In the Streets," the exciting 1997 rally in Detroit. "The Road to Haymarket," our popular video telling the story of the Chicago Haymarket martyrs. "Achieve, Believe," the rank and file sweep of elections in a Chicago IBEW local. "Showdown in Company Town," the historic June 1994 Decatur IL rally for Staley and Caterpillar workers. "Support the Nurses." "Nelson Mandela at Plumbers Hall Chicago." " Cesar Chavez Speaks." "The Big Cat[erpillar] Fight." . . .

Labor Beat can be YOU!

Labor Beat is you when you help produce programs or parts of programs. Or when you help distribute programs (e.g. to your area's broadcast stations, cable systems, libraries, schools, or unions). Or when you get your labor organization to make a donation or pass quotable resolutions commending us and our push for strong labor- oriented media. Or when you become a member ($25/yr). Or when you make other donations of cash and other resources. Let us hear from you!

Contact info:

Labor Beat
37 S. Ashland Avenue
Chicago IL 60607
Web site: LaborBeat.ORG
Phone: (312) 226-3330
Fax: (773) 561-0908