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 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.

Can A "Mindworm" Influence The State Budget?

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.

What Are Those Labor History Posters You're Seeing Around Vancouver All About?

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 bringing it to Vancouver means for working people there (whether they're in a union or not) and what a COPE barbecue is!

This episode is sponsored by Union Plus's Unions Power America Sweepstakes, which offers union members across the country the chance to win $40,000.00 and a dream trip to New York city! No purchase is necessary; find out all the details and official rules at https://unionpowerusa.com.

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 Are Over 300 MORE Union Members Headed To Vancouver Next Week?

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 Harold hit the Convention floor and talked with other Delegates including

Ryan Andreas (USW Local 289m - https://usw.org/)
Joe Bond (IBEW Local 48 - https://www.ibew48.com/)
Ava Claridge (AFSCME Local 443 - https://www.wfselocal443.org/)
Rik Desken (SAG-AFTRA Seattle Local - https://www.sagaftra.org/seattle)
Dustin Hysmith (SMART Local 16 - https://www.smw16.org/)
C Moline (NALC Branch 79 - https://nalc79.org/ - and Washington Young Emerging Labor Leaders - https://www.instagram.com/washington_yell/)
Nate Omdal (AFM Local 76-493 - https://local76-493.org/)
Chuck Pirtle (AFSCME 1181 - https://www.facebook.com/WFSELocal1181/ - and the Kitsap County Central Labor Council - https://unionhall.aflcio.org/kitsapcountyclc)
Tony Zemple (IUOE Local 302 - https://www.iuoe302.org/  - and the Northwest Washington Central Labor Council - https://www.nwwclc.com/)

about the big moments that stood out to them during the event, their impressions of Vancouver, and why working people who aren't in a union (yet) should care about what happens at state Labor Federation Conventions.

If you'd like to hear some of the speeches the Delegates mentioned when they talked to Harold, check out TVW's coverage of
Day 1 (https://tvw.org/video/washington-state-labor-council-constitutional-convention-2025071064/) and 
Day 2 (https://tvw.org/video/washington-state-labor-council-constitutional-convention-2025071065/) 
of the WSLC Convention.

This episode is sponsored by Union Plus's Unions Power America Sweepstakes, which offers union members across the country the chance to win $40,000.00 and a dream trip to New York City! No purchase is necessary; find out all the details and official rules at https://unionpowerusa.com.

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.

Ground Zero For Worker Protections: Voices From The 2025 WSLC Convention

SWWACLC

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