Watch

Limpiadores (Cleaners) a documentary about a group of Latin American low paid workers at some of London’s universities. Cleaning has always been low paid work and made much worst over the years as even big public service employers such as universities or the NHS are either cutting the wages of the workers or privatising the service. It is also been an industry that employs some of the most vulnerable people, including women and immigrants.  In this film we watch the story of Latin American people who are cleaners challenging the management of some of the most prestigious academic universities over their policies of cutting pay and conditions and winning.
The film was made by Fernando Gonzalez Mitjans and is being shown on Thursday 19 November 5-7pm Ellen Wilkinson Building A5.5, University of Manchester. It’s a shame that the film is not being shown at a more central and accessible location. Not sure if the cleaners at the M.Uni have been invited?? See trailer at
Book a place at discourseunite@gmail.com. Find out more about a different type of trade union see

Experience

Winter – the  latest Shakespearian offering from 3MT. Shakespeare with a Mancunian twist: a new adaptation of The Winter’s Tale  by John Topliff and directed by Gina T. Frost. They say; Set in the dark austerity of Post-War Mancia, and the brave new world of the 1960’s ‘Winter’ traces the journey of two young friends through war and peace, love and jealousy, to the final startling conclusion. It is on  17-21 November, for further details see

Explore

Some local history; Inland Port- the Films of the Manchester Ship Canal. Before the replacement of real industry by the likes of Media City, the Lowry and the IWM there was a thriving port which was a crucial part of the northwest economy, employing thousands of people. Find out more at this screening by the North West Film Archive. The Ship Canal Company even made their own promotional films. Part of Explore Archives week at Manchester Central Library, it is free and you do not need to book. Further info see

Listen
to Arthur Riordan’s 1992 take on Ireland in 2016. I bought the cassette (!)”Emergency Session” in Ireland in the 90s and could not stop playing it. For second generation Irish on this side of the Irish Sea it summed up many of the reasons why we disliked the Irish State. Today Ireland has changed considerably but you still cannot get an abortion there and thousands of young people are still forced to leave the country to find work. Enjoy The Emergency Session at