environment – Working Class History

October 30, 2020July 7, 2025 Working Class History Podcast

E47-48: Green bans

Double podcast episode about green bans by building workers in Australia from 1970 to 1975 which held up billions of dollars of development which would have been harmful to the environment, or working class and Aboriginal communities.

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29 July 2019: Blackjewel blockade - On This Day in Working Class History

On this day, 29 July 2019, the Blackjewel coal blockade began in eastern Kentucky. Mine operator Blackjewel went bankrupt, leaving hundreds of coalminers out of work and with weeks of unpaid wages. So five workers decided to block a train full of coal worth $1 million from leaving a mine, demanding what they were owed. The number of occupiers grew to dozens over the coming weeks, and lasted 59 days. Blackjewel later agreed to pay the workers over $5 million in unpaid wages.More information, sources and map: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/10106/blackjewel-blockadeOur work is only possible because of support from you, our listeners on patreon. If you appreciate our work, please join us and access exclusive content and benefits at patreon.com/workingclasshistory.See all of our anniversaries each day, alongside sources and maps on the On This Day section of our Stories app: stories.workingclasshistory.com/date/todayBrowse all Stories by Date here on the Date index: https://stories.workingclasshistory.com/dateCheck out our Map of historical Stories: https://map.workingclasshistory.comCheck out books, posters, clothing and more in our online store, here: https://shop.workingclasshistory.comIf you enjoy this podcast, make sure to check out our flagship longform podcast, Working Class History