Abstract: This article emerges from experiences1 as an educator, lone mother, and trade union activist under COVID. With education and work returning to the home at speed, I consider layering and disruptions of labour, space, and time in the lockdown household. I utilise rhythmanalysis,2 taking as a starting point the problematised Black Country emblem of the chain and using this to examine connections and friction between labour, education, and reproduction. From this, fractures between organised labour and reproductive labour in the home-workspace emerge. This reveals the importance of making visible marginalised, reproductive labour for successful education activism under a restructuring state.