Working to Live in Southwest Washington

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.

#LaborRadioPod It's election time again here in Southwest Washington. How do we know? Well, the number of political signs has exploded and Labor has put out its endorsements for candidates running for office (https://www.thestand.org/2022/05/wslc-makes-2022-election-endorsements/.) But how does organized Labor pick candidates to endorse... and why are unions involved in the political process at all? Shannon and Harold sit down with Shaun Gundert and Shawn Nyman, who chair the political committees for the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council and Cowlitz Wahkiakum Central Labor Council, to pull back the curtain on the endorsement process and let you know who Labor is endorsing for the upcoming August 2nd primary, including - Patty Murray for US Senate: https://pattymurray.com/ - Marie Glusenkamp Perez for US Representative (Congressional District 3:) https://marieforcongress.com/ - Steve Hobbs for Washington Secretary of State: https://www.electhobbs.com/ - Mary Yu, Barbara Madsen, and Helen Whitener for State Supreme Court AND FIVE UNION MEMBERS running for the Washington House of Representatives: - Terri Niles: https://www.facebook.com/ElectTerriNiles/ - Joe Kear: https://www.joekear.com/ - John Zingale: https://www.electjohnzingale.com/ - Duncan Camacho: https://www.duncanforstatehouse.com/ - Monica Stonier: https://www.facebook.com/ElectMonicaStonier Don't write this election off because it's a "mid term" election, working people - make sure you're registered to vote at https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/register.aspx 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 On this special episode, we're taking a deep dive into "True Crime" territory... Billy Gohl was called "The Ghoul of Grays Harbor" in the early 20th Century when he was accused of being the murderer who dumped several bodies into the canals around Aberdeen. Was he one of America's first serial killers? Find out when Shannon and Harold talk with author Aaron Goings (https://www.stmartin.edu/directory/aaron-goings-phd) about who the REAL Billy Gohl was, and why his story is actually a Labor history story. You can buy Aaron's book about Billy Gohl, The Port of Missing Men, online at Powell's Books - and you can support Powells' union by purchasing it through ILWU Local 5's "partner link" - https://www.powells.com/?partnerID=35751 Then Conor Casey (https://labor.washington.edu/content/conor-casey) from the Labor Archives of Washington (https://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/laws/) drops by to tell Harold and Shannon about some more Washington Labor history, why it needs to be preserved, and what he'd like to do to help ensure Labor history is taught in schools. Some of the resources Conor mentions include: The Labor Archives of Washington Virtual Reading Room: https://cal.lib.uw.edu/space/123219 The Wing Luke Museum: https://www.wingluke.org/ The University of Washington's Labor Studies Minor: https://labor.washington.edu/labor-studies-minor The Society of American Archivists Labor Archives Section: https://www2.archivists.org/groups/labor-archives-section The Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project: http://depts.washington.edu/civilr/index.htm 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 On February 4, 2022 the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council and Cowlitz Wahkiakum Central Labor Council (https://www.facebook.com/Cowlitz-Wahkiakum-Central-Labor-Council-261864860491206/) came together to present the first annual Labor Heroes of Southwest Washington Awards - and it was a night to remember! CWCLC President Diana Winther joins Shannon and Harold to talk about the 100% Union-Made awards show, the winners (find the complete list at https://www.swwaclc.org/?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=867191,) the money raised for Labor's Community Service Agency (https://www.lcsaportland.org/) and most importantly what union members in our area should look out for this year that could result in a nomination for the NEXT awards ceremony, scheduled for February 25th, 2023! 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 Residents in the Evergreen School District (https://www.evergreenps.org/) are being asked to vote on a replacement levy by April 26th (find out more about the levy at https://www.evergreenps.org/levy.) The tactics being used by the opposition to the Levy are surprising, and they look disturbingly similar to what people are seeing in other school elections around the country! Shannon and Harold sit down with three Evergreen Education Association (https://www.eeaoffice.com/) members - Margaret Hunter, Shaun Gundert and Monica Stonier (yes, state Representative Monica Stonier... she works for Evergreen Public Schools, too) to talk about how important this levy is, and what's behind the opposition. 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 #Striketober... #Strikesgiving... #Strikesmas... 2021 has been a year unlike any in recent memory, filled with worker energy and power. Some have even called this moment we're living in a "strike wave..." but will all this worker activism continue into the new year? The Stand's (https://www.thestand.org/) David Groves and the Northwest Labor Press' (https://nwlaborpress.org/) Don McIntosh sit down with Shannon and Harold to discuss the gains working people have made in 2021, and look ahead to what's in store for 2022. PLUS - Shannon spills the beans on the Southwest Washington Central Labor Council's plans to honor our own local Labor Heroes with a special awards dinner in February - be sure to send your nominations in to info@swwaclc.org! 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 Something is happening right now in Washington state (and around the country) that is going to change the political landscape for the next decade. It's called "redistricting," and it might have a major impact on working people's lives - but they may not be aware it's happening, or even know what it is. Thankfully, Washington State Labor Council (https://www.wslc.org/) Secretary Treasurer April Sims, who also serves on our state's Redistricting Commission, is here to explain to Shannon and Harold what redistricting is, why it matters, and how working people can affect the process. Want find out more about redistricting and make your voice heard? Visit https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/ 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 About 60,000 members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, or IATSE (https://iatse.net/) - including some here in the Pacific Northwest - are voting on whether or not to authorize a strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers or AMPTP (https://www.amptp.org/.) A strike, if it happens, would severely impact movie and TV production in the united states... but what would that mean for us here in Southwest Washington? IATSE Local 488 (https://www.iatse488.org/) Business Agent cdavid cottrill sits down with Shannon and Harold to tell them the issues behind the strike vote, explain why there's more media production in Oregon than in Washington, and reveal what the heck a "Fraturday" is. Want to find out more about the IATSE strike vote and support film and TV crews as they fight for fair treatment? Visit https://www.asa.iatse.net/! 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 The Nabisco Strike is over - https://bctgm.org/2021/09/18/nabisco-strike-ends-bctgm-members-overwhelmingly-accept-new-contract/ Why did Nabisco workers go on strike in the first place, though, and what were they fighting for? Shannon and Harold sit down with Mike Burlingham and Jesus Martinez, two BCTGM Local 364 (https://www.facebook.com/BCTGM-Local-364-Portland-Oregon-621776167954560) members, to talk about the conditions in the Portland Nabisco plant and the reasons they stayed on strike for over a month. Then Doug Long and John Murphy, two former presidents of Local 364, tell Harold and Shannon about the support striking workers received from the community, and what Nabisco pulling out of BCTGM's multi-employer pension plan meant for the workers and retirees like them. The strike may be over, but we still need to protect American jobs - keep checking the label when you're buying Nabisco products at your local grocery store - https://bctgm.org/PDFs/NabiscoSTRIKE_ChecktheLabel.pdf - and if they're not made in America, leave them on the shelf! 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! Unfortunately, we aren't able to gather at our annual Labor Day picnic this year (though we ARE holding a virtual #LaborDay celebration - find out more about it at https://tinyurl.com/eudbbdwj.) A few local working people are still getting together and talk about what they do and how they do it, though. A stage hand (IATSE Local 28 - https://www.iatse28.org/ - member Jane Chorazy) An educator (Evergreen Education Association - https://www.eeaoffice.com/ - member Marj Hogan) And a bus driver (ATU Local 757 - https://www.atu757.org/ - member Jim Bennett) join Shannon and Harold to discuss what's in the "kit" they use at work. Looking at the difference in their professions, their kits must be pretty different as well, right? Maybe... Maybe not! 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 really mean that! The idea for this episode came from a working person right here in our community who's also one of our guests!) 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.