Contribute to ‘Tools of the Trade’ SW WA labor history exhibit

VANCOUVER (Mar. 6, 2013) — The Southwest Washington Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO is working with the Clark County Historical Museum to bring labor’s history in Southwest Washington to light and to the public. The museum is developing an exhibition entitled “Tools of the Trade: A History of Labor in Southwest Washington,” and contributions are being sought to get it ready in time for the Washington State Labor Council’s 2013 Convention in town this July.

At last year’s convention, delegates unanimously passed a resolution urging “all members and affiliates of the Washington State Labor Council and its associated central labor councils… to provide financial and volunteer support to this project as well as provide objects, oral history interviews, written or recorded media, memorabilia, and other relevant materials for display by loan or gift.”

The need is urgent because the goal is to have an Open House at the museum hosted by the Southwest Washington CLC during WSLC convention week so that all delegates and attendees can experience the exhibition.

So please take the following actions as soon as possible:

1.  MAKE A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION on behalf of your union or your family to help fund the exhibit and to complement grant funding. To contribute online: Click here, click on the yellow “Donate” button, enter the dollar amount, and pay via PayPal or credit card. When you click “Review Donation and Continue,” use the “Add special instructions to the seller” field to indicate the donation is for the Labor History Exhibit.

Or make it simple, and mail a check to payable to the Clark County Historical Museum to:

Clark County Historical Museum
Labor History Exhibit
1511 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660

2.  LOAN HISTORICAL ITEMS & MEMORABILIA from you local unions. These loaner items will be cataloged and returned when the exhibit concludes. The exhibit could use photographs, tools, ledger books, dues books, scrapbooks, pins, banners, and other memorabilia.

3.  RECOMMEND LONG-TIME MEMBERS who can be interviewed about the history of their organizations and work in Southwest Washington. If you have memorabilia to loan or members who can be interviewed, please contact Susan Tissot, Executive Director of the museum, at 360-993-5679 or tissots@pacifier.com.

“In these times when labor is under attack, the need to remember and celebrate our history and share it with the community becomes all the more important,” wrote WSLC President Jeff Johnson and Secretary-Treasurer Lynne Dodson in a letter to affiliated unions urging them to contribute to the effort. “We urge your assistance with this beautiful exhibition and are grateful to the Southwest Washington CLC and the Clark County Historical Museum for putting it together for all of us, our families, and our communities to enjoy.”