Working to Live in Southwest Washington

The 2025 Washington State Labor Council Convention took place July 22nd - 24th at the Vancouver Hilton. As The Stand put it ( https://www.thestand.org/2025/07/convention-2025-our-voice-our-power-our-movement/ ) those three days "strengthened bonds of solidarity, grew skillsets, and celebrated the powerful resiliency of a movement by and for working people." Over the course of those three days Haro...

There are a lot of union members in Southwest Washington, but that population is going to jump between July 22nd and 24th when the Washington State Labor Council holds its 2025 Convention ( https://www.wslc.org/convention/ ) at the Vancouver Hilton. Washington State Labor Council Communications Director Sarah Tucker sits down with Harold to talk about what happens at the WSLC Convention, what brin...

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)  ...

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? J...

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 ( h...

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 do...

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:...

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...

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 afforda...

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.amandaholtmankit...

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/ ) t...

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...

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 (...

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...

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 listeni...

#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...

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 Wahkia...

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...

#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/ )...

#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://v...

#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 Washingt...

#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 a...

#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...

#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.stm...

#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...