We Can Work It Out

Dr Jonathan Lord
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Hello and welcome to We Can Work It Out — the podcast that explores the history, present and future of workers’ rights. I’m your host, Dr Jonathan Lord: in each episode we’ll be delving into the stories, struggles and successes that have shaped working lives. From friendly societies to people management- we welcome academics, activist’s, trade unionist’s, policymakers and workers themselves to help us understand what fair work really means in a changing world.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    Episode 12 - Nine Days That Shook Britain: The General Strike of 1926

    For nine days in May 1926, Britain stopped. Trains stood still, factories fell silent, newspapers disappeared and millions of workers walked out in what remains the only truly national general strike in British history. Nearly a century later, the General Strike still raises difficult questions about power, solidarity, democracy and the limits of collective action. In this episode of the We Can Work It Out podcast, Dr Jonathan Lord is joined by Jonathan Schneer, Professor Emeritus of Modern British History at the Georgia Institute of Technology and author of Nine Days in May: The General Strike of 1926. Together, they explore the origins, atmosphere and consequences of one of the most dramatic confrontations in British labour history. The conversation begins by tracing the economic and political tensions that led to the strike. Jonathan explains how the First World War postponed rather than resolved conflict between organised labour and employers, while the post-war years saw rising industrial militancy, fears of revolutionary politics and increasing pressure on Britain’s struggling coal industry. At the centre of the dispute were the miners, who faced wage cuts and longer working hours as mine owners attempted to restore profitability. Jonathan discusses how coal was not simply another industry but the backbone of the British economy, powering industry, transport and everyday life. The episode also explores the dangerous reality of mining work during the early twentieth century, including the exhausting conditions underground and the infamous “murder hour”, the final hour of shifts when exhausted miners were most likely to suffer serious accidents. A major theme throughout the discussion is the role of the Trades Union Congress and whether the General Strike was ever truly intended to happen. Jonathan argues that many within the TUC believed the threat of a general strike would force compromise and negotiation, but underestimated the determination of both the government and mine owners. While the government spent months preparing for national disruption, the unions largely failed to prepare, believing workers would instinctively know how to organise and sustain the strike if necessary. The episode examines the extraordinary atmosphere of the nine days themselves, with Jonathan describing the strike as a remarkable display of solidarity and collective purpose. Millions of workers participated not because they were miners themselves, but because they supported fellow workers facing severe wage cuts and worsening conditions. At the same time, many supporters of the government saw themselves as defending constitutional democracy against what they believed was an unacceptable challenge to elected authority. The role of media and propaganda also features heavily in the discussion. Jonathan explains how the government used Winston Churchill’s British Gazette to shape public opinion, while the unions responded with their own publication, the British Worker. The conversation also explores the controversial role of the BBC and how broadcasting became a battleground over legitimacy and power. As the episode progresses, attention turns to why the strike collapsed after only nine days. Jonathan argues that the TUC leadership increasingly feared both defeat and the wider implications of their own actions. While the unions hoped to pressure the government into renewed negotiations, Baldwin’s government believed the strike represented a direct challenge to state authority and therefore had to be defeated completely. The discussion concludes by examining the aftermath of the strike and its continuing relevance today, asking what the events of 1926 still tell us about work, inequality, political power and collective organisation in modern Britain.

    52 min
  2. Episode 11 - Mick Lynch and the Making of a Working Class Hero

    31 MAR

    Episode 11 - Mick Lynch and the Making of a Working Class Hero

    In this episode of the We Can Work It Out podcast, I speak with Professor Gregor Gall, one of the most influential scholars of industrial relations in the UK, to move beyond the media image and examine the deeper story behind Mick Lynch, not as a caricature or a headline figure, but as someone shaped by a particular set of historical, social and political experiences that matter just as much as his now well known media performances. Enjoy the discussion.

    1hr 15min
  3. Episode 10- Recovering Liesel Kahn-Freund - Women, Exile, and the Foundations of British Labour Law

    24 MAR

    Episode 10- Recovering Liesel Kahn-Freund - Women, Exile, and the Foundations of British Labour Law

    In this episode of We Can Work It Out, we are joined by leading scholars Professor Rebecca Zahn and Professor Miriam Kullmann. We explore how exile, gender, and the hidden labour of academia shaped not only one career, but the foundations of British labour law itself. We uncover the overlooked story of Liesel Kahn Freund, a woman whose life and work sat at the heart of one of labour law’s most influential legacies, yet whose name rarely appears in the history books. This is a story about what gets remembered, what gets forgotten, and why it matters today. Enjoy the discussion.

    47 min

  4. 20 MAR

    Episode 9- A Study into the Actions of P&O Ferries in March 2022.

    In this powerful episode of We Can Work It Out, we mark four years since the mass dismissal of 786 seafarers by P&O Ferries—an event that continues to reverberate across the maritime sector and beyond. Drawing on the launch of a major new research report, this episode brings together firsthand testimony, academic analysis, and policy insight to examine what really happened on 17 March 2022—and why it still matters today. Former seafarer John Lansdown recounts the shock of being dismissed via a brief video message and the devastating aftermath, highlighting the profound personal, professional, and psychological consequences experienced by workers and their families.  The episode explores key findings from the study, including widespread dissatisfaction with communication, lack of consultation, and perceived failures in both legal protections and trade union responses. With 83% of participants reporting negative mental health impacts and many forced out of the industry altogether, the human cost of corporate decision-making is brought sharply into focus.  Beyond the individual stories, the discussion critically examines systemic issues—legal loopholes, weak enforcement mechanisms, and enduring power imbalances in employment relations. The episode concludes with a clear call to action: stronger legislation, empowered unions, and renewed collective engagement to ensure such events cannot happen again. This is not just a story about seafarers—it is a warning about the fragility of worker protections in modern Britain. Enjoy the discussion.

    1hr 34min

  5. 4 MAR

    Episode 8- Holding the Line Underground: Voices from the Coal Mining Museum Strike

    In the newest episode of the We Can Work It Out podcast takes us to the picket line at the National Coal Mining Museum for England, where workers supported by UNISON have been engaged in a prolonged industrial dispute. This episode is different from the usual studio discussions. It was recorded on location, speaking directly to the workers who keep the museum running and preserve the history of Britain’s coal industry.

    37 min

  6. 23 FEB

    Episode 7- The Islamic Labour Code with Iftikhar Ahmad and Asghar Jameel

    This episode’s guests are Iftikhar Ahmad and Asghar Jameel, authors of the ‘Islamic Labour Code’, a groundbreaking framework that seeks to reconcile Qur’anic principles with contemporary employment law. Iftikhar Ahmad is an international labour-law scholar, policy advisor, and the founder of the Centre for Labour Research. He also works as the Global Lead – Labour Law at the WageIndicator Foundation. He has worked with the ILO and the World Bank on labour law reforms in Pakistan. His research and policy work focus on how Islamic jurisprudence intersects with international labour standards and human rights. He is the co-author of The Islamic Labour Code (Islamic Labour Code Project), a landmark attempt to codify labour rights consistent with both Islamic law and ILO conventions. Iftikhar’s mission is to bridge normative gaps between secular and faith-based approaches to labour regulation, promoting a global dialogue on decent work, ethical employment, and the moral duties of employers and workers alike. Asghar Jameel is a global HR leader, management scholar, and co-author of the Islamic Labour Code. He has held senior executive roles in multinational corporations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, combining practical expertise in human-capital management with a deep interest in the ethical foundations of work.  He currently works as Chief People Officer, VEON Group, which is a NASDAQ-listed company (a leading telecom digital operator in countries like Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Pakistan and Ukraine, to name a few). Jameel’s contribution to the ILC project lies in its practical dimension, translating theological principles into concrete organisational policies on wages, contracts, leadership, and workplace justice. His work bridges the gap between faith and management practice, arguing that moral legitimacy is integral to sustainable business.

    1hr 18min

  7. 16 FEB

    Episode 6 - The P&O Ferries Purge Through a Seafarer’s Eyes with John Lansdown

    This episode’s guest is John Lansdown, one of 786 seafarers dismissed by P&O Ferries on 17th March 2022, one of the most shocking corporate acts in modern British employment history. After over 15 years of loyal service, he and his colleagues were abruptly fired via pre-recorded video, a move designed to replace experienced British crews with low-paid agency workers, many earning below the UK minimum wage. Rather than accept silence, John became one of the leading voices exposing the injustice. His decision to speak publicly, to Parliament, to national media, and alongside trade unions like the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers and Nautilus International, helped turn what might have been a quiet redundancy into a major national scandal. He has since become a symbol of worker resistance and moral courage, representing those who lost not only jobs but dignity, rights, and trust in Britain’s labour protections. John continues to campaign for reform of maritime employment law and stronger enforcement against exploitative corporate practices. His story offers a human face to questions of legal loopholes, corporate governance, and the moral responsibilities of employers in the twenty-first century. Enjoy the discussion.

    1hr 24min

  8. 2 FEB

    Episode 5 - UK Employment Tribunal History with Professor Susan Corby

    In this episode of We Can Work It Out, we explore the history of the UK employment tribunal system and ask a deceptively simple question: how did Britain move from collective dispute resolution rooted in trade unions to an increasingly individualised, legalistic model of workplace justice? My guest is Professor Susan Corby, Emeritus Professor of Employment Relations at the University of Greenwich and one of the leading scholars of employment tribunals and dispute resolution. Susan brings a rare combination of perspectives to this discussion. Before entering academia, she was a senior trade union official with both the FDA and the Royal College of Midwives, and she has since held a range of public appointments, including as a lay member of the Employment Appeal Tribunal, a member of the Central Arbitration Committee, and an ACAS arbitrator and mediator. Together, we trace the evolution of employment tribunals from their quiet introduction in 1965 through to their contemporary role at the centre of individual employment rights. We discuss why tribunals were never intended to replace collective bargaining, how political and economic change reshaped their purpose, and why the system has become steadily more formal and legalistic over time. Along the way, we examine tribunal fees, access to justice, the declining role of lay members, and what Britain might learn from alternative models of workplace justice overseas. This episode is a deep dive into how we resolve conflict at work—and what that history tells us about power, fairness, and the future of employment relations in Britain. Enjoy the discussion.

    34 min
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About

Hello and welcome to We Can Work It Out — the podcast that explores the history, present and future of workers’ rights. I’m your host, Dr Jonathan Lord: in each episode we’ll be delving into the stories, struggles and successes that have shaped working lives. From friendly societies to people management- we welcome academics, activist’s, trade unionist’s, policymakers and workers themselves to help us understand what fair work really means in a changing world.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Jonathan Lord
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Dr Jonathan Lord
  • Show Website
    We Can Work It Out

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