Working to Live in Southwest Washington

Why (and How) Do Unions Get Involved In Elections? With Shaun Gundert and Shawn Nyman

#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.

Who Is The REAL Billy Gohl, and What Does His True Crime Story Have To Do With Labor History? With Aaron Goings and Connor Casey

#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.

Honoring Our Local Labor Heroes

#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.

Why Is The Evergreen School District Replacement Levy Important To EVERYONE?

#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.

What Does This Year’s ”Strike Wave” Mean For 2022? With David Groves and Don McIntosh

#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.

What Is ”Redistricting” And Why Should We Care? With April Sims

#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.

Why Does A Hollywood Strike Matter To Southwest Washington? With Special Guest cdavid cottrill

#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.

Who‘s Next? Voices From The Nabisco Strike

#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.

What‘s In Your Kit?

#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.

Rest In Peace, Brother - We've Got It From Here... Remembering Richard Trumka

#LaborRadioPod

The unexpected death of AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka sent shockwaves through the American Labor movement.

Three Washington Labor leaders -

IBEW Local 48 (https://www.ibew48.com/) Business Rep. and Southwest Washington Central Council Vice President Bob Carroll, 

UA Local 290 (https://ua290.org/) member and Southwest Washington Central Labor Council Secretary Treasurer Randall Friesen,

and AFM Local 105 (https://www.afm105.org/) president and Secretary Treasurer of the Spokane Regional Labor Council (https://unionhall.aflcio.org/spokanelabor) Tina Morrison - 

Join Shannon and Harold to discuss who Richard Trumka was, what he did for the Labor movement, and what's ahead for the movement now that he's gone.

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.