Working to Live in Southwest Washington

If you've been out and about in Vancouver Washington, you may have noticed some new additions to the walls of businesses such as Richland Hub (https://richlandhub.com/) or White Oak Books (https://whiteoakbooks.net/.) These and other businesses are displaying posters that explore our region's deep Labor history. The posters are part of a May Day Scavenger Hunt (https://tinyurl.com/mbwpk8px) put together by a coalition of Southwest Washington educator, health care, state worker, and other unions that will culminate in a May Day celebration at the Clark County Historical Museum (https://cchmuseum.org/) on May 1st at 5:00 PM. Harold sits down with several members of these unions PSE (https://www.pseclassified.org/) member Rachel Rice EEA (https://www.eeaoffice.com/) member Katherine Aimone OFNHP (https://ofnhp.aft.org/) member Connor Daniels CCAHE (https://www.ccahe.org/) member Sydney Brahmavar WPEA (https://www.wpea.org/) member Courtney Braddock EEA (https://www.eeaoffice.com/) member Marj Hogan to find out more about May Day, what YOU could win by taking part in this fun community activity, and the scavenger hunt's surprising connection to... Pokemon Go? Find out more about this May Day celebration and how you can participate in the scavenger hunt at https://tinyurl.com/mbwpk8px. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

Listen to (and download) the Washington For All Anthem! You can watch the Washington For All Anthem music video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nlD8ahPUfc (If you just want to listen to the song, check out the next episode of the podcast - we've uploaded the full song as a separate track. Click the "download" link to download an .mp3 copy.) Want to see Josh and Charles play the Anthem live? Join them in Olympia on April 9th - https://wfse.org/dcyf-policy-committee/calendar/washington-all-day-action (Can't make it to Olympia? There's probably a Washington For All rally happening where you live in Washington - check the link above!)

If you’ve been paying attention to the news you probably know that the state of Washington is facing a severe budget deficit. Governor Bob Ferguson and the state Legislature have a plan to address that deficit which includes severe cuts to public services and the public servants who provide them. Harold talks with Charles Loeffler and Joshua Eaton, two Washington Federation of State Employees (https://wfse.org/) members, about the challenges our public employees are facing, the varying proposals the Governor, the state House and Senate are proposing, and the innovative way they've found to get public employees message out: the Washington For All Anthem! You can watch the Washington For All Anthem music video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nlD8ahPUfc (If you just want to listen to the song, check out the next episode of the podcast: https://swwaclc.podbean.com/e/the-washington-for-all-anthem/ We've uploaded the full song as a separate track. Click the "download" link to download an .mp3 copy.) Want to see Josh and Charles play the Anthem live? Join them in Olympia on April 9th - https://wfse.org/dcyf-policy-committee/calendar/washington-all-day-action (Can't make it to Olympia? There's probably a Washington For All rally happening where you live in Washington - check the link above!) Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

By now you should have received your ballot for the 2024 General Election (if you haven't, contact your county elections office - find more information on how to do that at https://www.VoteWA.gov!) You may be familiar with a lot of the offices up for election this year... but do you know the full scope of what Washington's Attorney General does? Nick Brown (https://nickbrownforag.com/) sits down with Harold to discuss what goes into being the lawyer for every citizen of Washington, the Attorney General's ability to solve problems for everyday working people, and the power of "convening." Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

A lot of working people are somewhat familiar with the US Senate and US House of Representatives in the other Washington... but they're not as familiar with our STATE Senate and State House of Representatives in this Washington (you know... the one in Olympia.) Harold sits down with State Senate candidate Adrian Cortes (https://www.votecortes.com/) and State House candidates John Zingale (https://www.electjohnzingale.com/) and Deken Letinich (https://www.electdeken.com/) to find out the differences - and similarities - between the Federal Legislature and our State Legislature, the value of failure, and how you can change things in our state by talking to your state legislators. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

Washington's 17th Legislative District looks a lot different after its boundaries were changed due to a Voting Rights Act violation (https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/04/03/heres-how-washingtons-legislative-districts-will-change-for-this-years-elections/.) While East Vancouver is still part of the 17th LD, so are more rural parts of Skamania and Klickitat Counties. Harold sits down with Marla Keethler (https://www.marlaforsenate.com/) and Terri Niles (https://www.voteterriniles.com/) to find out more about the new areas in the 17th LD, what unifies people living in rural and urban areas, and what they plan to do to break the "hamster wheel" working people find themselves on these days. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

Of all the challenges working people are facing these days, the lack of affordable housing may be one of the biggest. What can be done about the ever-increasing percentage of workers' paychecks that are going towards the rent? Harold sits down with Wil Fuentes (https://electwil.com/) to discuss the difference between Vancouver and "unincorporated Clark County," what's driving the lack of affordable housing in our region, and what the Clark County Council can do to fix this growing problem. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

There are a lot of changes happening in Klickitat County, Washington. This largely rural county is seeing a housing boom and several large projects are on the horizon that could bring jobs and prosperity.... but that doesn't mean there aren't challenges to contend with. Harold sits down with two candidates running for the Klickitat County Commission, Amanda Kitchings (https://www.amandaholtmankitchings.com/) and Ron Ihrig (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559059846273,) to find out a little more about Klickitat County, the issues working people face there, and what the heck a "pump storage project" is. Find out more about the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council's endorsed candidates at https://tinyurl.com/5n7trpbb. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

The Clark Public Utilities District (https://www.clarkpublicutilities.com/about-cpu) touches every person living and working in Clark County, Washington... but many working people are unaware of the impact the Clark PUD has, or what the Commissioners who oversee it do. Harold sits down with labor-endorsed candidate for Clark Public Utilities Commissioner James O'Neil (https://oneil4pud.com/) to find out what the PUD is, why James thinks you need to think about water and electricity, and why he believes the people working at Clark PUD are the most important part of the organization. Find out more about the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council's endorsed candidates at https://tinyurl.com/5n7trpbb. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

In January Delegates to the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council elected UA Local 26 (http://www.ua26.org/) member Ray Connor to be their new president. Who is Ray, and what are his plans for the CLC? Ray sits down with Harold to talk about his background, how the Labor Council works, and what the best decision he ever made was. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

We don't have to tell you that 2023 was an amazing year for working people. Big strikes, big contract wins and new organizing campaigns grabbed the headlines this year, and public support for organized Labor soared to new heights. With the end of the year just around the corner, Harold sits down with Northwest Labor Press (https://nwlaborpress.org/) Editor-in-Chief Don McIntosh and The Stand's (https://www.thestand.org/) Editor-in-Chief David Groves to talk about what made 2023 so special and what this year's wins for working people might tell us about the year to come. Before we get to the New Year, though, some of you probably have some last-minute holiday shopping to do! Check the AFL-CIO's Union Made Holiday Gift Guide (https://aflcio.org/MadeInAmerica/holiday-gifts) for some great American made - and UNION MADE - gifts. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

The Portland Association of Teachers strike is over - but we thought our sisters, brothers and siblings' struggle across the river to the south gave us a great opportunity to look back on this year's educator strikes here in Southwest Washington. Evergreen Education Association Vice President Marj Hogan and Camas Education Association Vice President Michael Sanchez sit down with Harold to discuss why their two unions went on strike, what the experience was like, and what they gained for their members... and their students! Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

It's Labor Day weekend, and there's a lot to celebrate this year - including polling that says over 2/3 of Americans are in favor of unions (https://thehill.com/business/4176862-two-thirds-of-americans-support-unions-poll/!) We hope you'll join us in celebrating this news and much more at our annual Labor Day Picnic at Haydu Park in Kalama (https://tinyurl.com/yednnuh5) - and if you're listening to this month's show outside of Southwest Washington, that you'll find a Labor Day picnic near you at https://aflcio.org/laborday. We know a lot of people have joined unions this year (and a lot more people are interested in them.) We wanted to take this opportunity to share some inside information about unions those who are new to the movement may not know much about - union Conventions. Harold talks with WFSE Local 313 (https://www.wfse.org/) member Joshua Eaton and IBEW 48 (https://www.ibew48.com/) member (and Southwest Washington Central Labor Council Secretary Treasurer) Kevin Lux about what Conventions are and why they're so important. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

#LaborRadioPod If you have an email address in this day and age, your inbox is probably crammed with messages asking for help. They ask you to sign an online petition... or write a letter... or show up at an event... and as more and more come in, you might begin to wonder if opening these messages will really make any difference - or if you should just hit the "Delete" key. WPEA (https://www.wpea.org/) Steward Courtney Braddock and Clark College Association For Higher Education (https://www.ccahe.org/) President Suzanne Southerland sit down with Harold to share just how much of a difference people's reading - and acting on - messages like these made when they were fighting to save jobs at Clark College, and why the smallest actions can make a BIG difference. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

Organized Labor had a GREAT year in 2022 as working people around the country and right here in Southwest Washington organized their workplaces and stood up for their rights on the job. Too often the people who dedicate their time and energy to making things better for those working people don't get the recognition they deserve, but the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council and Cowlitz Wahkiakum Central Labor Council are making sure they get their due with the second annual Southwest Washington Labor Awards on February 25th at the Vancouver Hilton (https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/pdxvahh-hilton-vancouver-washington/.) CWCLC President Cameron Wilkinson, CWCLC Secretary Treasurer Diana Winther and SWWACLC President Shaun Gundert join Harold to talk about the awards, how this year's ceremony will be different than last year's... and they even manage to make him blush! Find out more the Southwest Washington Labor Awards, how you can nominate someone for an award, and how you can sponsor the ceremony or buy tickets at either of the organization's web sites: https://www.swwaclc.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=885136 or https://cwclc.org/news/who-made-difference-working-people-our-region-2022 Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

As you may have already heard, the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council is kicking off 2023 with new leadership. Harold talks with new SWWACLC Executive Board member Kevin Fanning (a member of UA 290 - https://ua290.org/) and new President Shaun Gundert (a member of the Evergreen Education Association - https://www.eeaoffice.com/) about their vision for the Central Labor Council and their plans for the coming year. Stick around to the end, working people, to find out about our upcoming Labor Awards Dinner at the Vancouver Hilton on February 25th! Find out more about the Southwest Washington Labor Awards, how you can attend, and how you can nominate the award winners at https://tinyurl.com/mrjke3uu! Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

#LaborRadioPod It's no secret that things are tough out there. The cost of everything seems to be on the rise, and working people are feeling the pinch. Two Southwest Washington union members who are running for the state House of Representatives sit down with Shannon and Harold to talk about what can be done to fix the high cost of living - Duncan Camacho (https://www.duncanforstatehouse.com/) and John Zingale (https://www.electjohnzingale.com/.) Want to meet Duncan and John in person? Join the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council for our Labor Neighbor Canvass at the LiUNA 335 hall in Vancouver on October 15 at 10:00 AM - find out more information at https://tinyurl.com/4bxed682. There are some working people at locations throughout the Pacific Northwest who are feeling the pinch even more right now: the woodworkers striking against timber giant Weyerhaeuser! Visit https://www.iamw24.org/iam-professionals to find out how you can support these workers standing up against a multimillion dollar company that wants to CUT their benefits even as it's reporting record profits. Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

#LaborRadioPod Happy Labor Day Working People! Do we have a lot to celebrate this year or what? Did you see the latest Gallup poll on support for unions in the US? (https://news.gallup.com/poll/398303/approval-labor-unions-highest-point-1965.aspx) Something else to celebrate is the number of union members who are stepping up to run for office! Two of those union members - Terri Niles (https://voteterriniles.com/) and Joe Kear (https://www.joekear.com/) - sit down with Shannon and Harold to talk about why they decided to run and how their union membership affects their campaigns. Want to meet Terri, Joe and the other union members running for office in person? Come join us at our Labor Day Picnic in Kalama (https://tinyurl.com/yc8mafx6) on September 5th from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. You'll get to meet the candidates, listen to music, and enjoy free food from our union caterer, SPIN Catering (https://portlandcatering.com/) PLUS there will be kids games and face painting. You won't want to miss it! Be sure you don't miss a special Labor Day surprise in this episode courtesy of the Meany Labor Archive (http://www.nlc.edu/archives/) Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

#LaborRadioPod Ballots for the August 2nd election (https://clark.wa.gov/elections/august-2-2022-primary-special-election) are headed to Clark County voters' mailboxes - but those ballots contain more than just political candidates asking for your vote in Washington's top-two primary (if you haven't made your decision on who to vote for in the primary, be sure to check out the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council's endorsements at https://www.swwaclc.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=875277) Shannon and Harold get the lowdown on two important fire levies that are also on the ballot from Vancouver Firefighter and IAFF 452 (http://www.iaff452.org/) Political Director Kevin Hart: The Clark County Fire District 5 Levy Lid Lift - https://ccfd5.org/Levy-Lid-Lift-for-Fire-EMS and The Clark County Fire District 6 Replacement Levy - https://ccfd6.org/ems-levy/ Plus Kevin shares information on how YOU can become a professional firefighter! Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.

#LaborRadioPod June is coming to an end - but that doesn't mean we're done honoring and celebrating members of the LGBTQ+ community here in Southwest Washington! Vancouver USA Pride (https://vanusapride.org/) keeps the party going on July 9th at Esther Short Park in Downtown Vancouver. Shannon and Harold sit down with three members of Vancouver USA Pride's Board - Brian Beliel, Jennifer Lanier and Dustina Haase-Lanier - to find out why Pride is so important for working people (no matter what their sexual orientation or gender identity might be,) why Vancouver's event is so much later than other Pride celebrations, and what working families can expect when they attend this year's event. The Southwest Washington Central Labor Council and several of its affiliated unions are proud to sponsor this year's Vancouver USA Pride, and you or your organization can sponsor the event too - https://vanusapride.org/be-a-sponsor-or-vendor/! Vancouver USA Pride is also looking for volunteers to make the day go smoothly - sign up to volunteer at https://signup.com/go/gReYMWP. Want to join Southwest Washington's news Pride At Work (https://www.prideatwork.org/) chapter? Visit https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/join-pride-at-work and choose to be an "At Large" member, then email the Pride At Work team at info@prideatwork.org and let them know you want to join the new Southwest Washington chapter! Remember working people in Southwest Washington, this is YOUR podcast! Email us at podcast@swwaclc.org and let us know what you think about the show, and what you'd like to hear in future episodes! We're a proud member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network - find more radio shows and podcasts that speak to working people about working people's issues at www.LaborRadioNetwork.org.