Workshops to explain how ‘right-to-work’ harms communities

(Dec. 9, 2013) — The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO — in conjunction with the Washington State Labor Education and Research Center — is offering workshops in January 2014 for union leaders and community allies that explain what so-called “right-to-work” laws are and how they harm not just union members, but all working families and their communities. States that have passed these laws have lower wages, fewer jobs, higher work injury and fatality rates, poorly funded schools and universities, and the list goes on.

A “right-to-work” measure will be on Oregon’s ballot in 2014 and one legislator in Washington is threatening to pursue a similar initiative in Washington. So now is the time to educate rank-and-file and community supporters about the threat it poses.

Click here to register online for one or both of two workshops (3-4 hours each). The trainings will be held in Seattle at South Seattle Community College’s Georgetown campus, 6737 Corson Ave. S., and in Olympia at the Washington State Labor Council office, 906 S. Columbia St. on the following dates:

Tuesday, Jan. 7 in Seattle
Saturday, Jan. 11 in Olympia
Saturday, Jan. 25 in Seattle
Monday, Jan. 27 in Olympia
Tuesday, Jan. 28 in Seattle

YOU PRESENT (from 8:30 a.m. to 12: 30 p.m.) — A train-the-trainer workshop on how to develop and implement a presentation for your members/community.

CAMPAIGN DESIGN (from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m.) — A workshop on developing an educational campaign about the threat of “right-to-work” that does not rely on people coming to meetings. This would include organizing strategies, creative messaging, and other communications systems.

The cost of the trainings is $25 PER SESSION for the first person and $15 for each additional person from the same union/organization. (For one person to attend both the morning and afternoon sessions, the cost is $50. For two to do the same it would be $80.) Send more than one person so you have a team to work together on this important project. Each workshop needs a minimum of 10 participants and is capped at 25 participants.

One training will be held in Spokane on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 9 a.m. to noon at 510 S. Elm St., and is sponsored by the Spokane Regional Labor Council. For more information or to register, email Beth Thew or call 509-327-7637.

If you cannot attend any of the scheduled workshops, the Labor Center can bring trainings to other parts of the state. For more information, email Sarah Laslett or call 206-934-6859.