With Simon Sapper, Mel Simms and Josiah Mortimer. International Trade Union Confederation Deputy General Secretary Owen Tudor gives us a tour of the global trade union landscape, and the ITUC’s key campaign priority of reducing deaths at work. It is a sobering picture with 5 workplace deaths per minute each and every day Commemorations for the forthcoming International Workers Memorial Day on 28 April are an important part of the campaign as well as being important in and of themselves – and studies from North America have shown how unionised workplaces offer better health and safety for customers and clients as well las the workforce. Professor Mel Simms’s #thought4the week looks at how the Government’s budget last week was a missed opportunity when it comes to the greening of work and workplaces – and why that is so important to Unions. Plus,  Josiah Mortimer’s weekly. #RadicalRoundUp, some exciting new research on union effectiveness from Unite, and a shout out to Health unions protesting in response to a 1% pay offer from Government, with national slow-handclaps to show disapproval announced by Unison. Companion blog is here.  This episode is the last of the current series,  but we shall return.  While we’re taking a break,  you can still email us  - [email protected] – tweet us @DuesUnion. We are part of the Labor Radio Podcast Network. A Makes-You-Think production.

In this week’s UnionDues we have an in-depth chat with Philippa Childs, head of media union Bectu As well as most of Bectu’s substantial freelance members being excluded from government Covid support schemes, there is a new hit as post-Brexit bureaucracy stymies work opportunities in mainland Europe. The culture of broadcasting, and the media in general, is also very much in Bectu’s sights. and tackling the lack of respect and the intersection of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, and other protected characteristics is at the forefront of Bectu’s work. As you would expect, she is also passionate about the importance of public service broadcasting in general and the BBC in particular. We also have a barnstorming #thought4theweek with Prof. Mel Simms, reflecting this week that having a seat at the table is just as important as what we say when we ‘re sat down at it. Plus LFF’s very own Josiah Mortimer previews his #RadicalRoundUp – including structural racism in the UK labour market, dodgy car makers, and living wage employers who, er, don’t want to pay the living wage. A Makes You Think www.makes-you-think.com production. Companion blog available at https://bit.ly/2NNpweI