OPINION
No Kings, just people power
Labor in Pierce County is fighting for democracy
by SARAH GRAY
TACOMA, WA (October 23, 2025) — On Saturday, for the first time, the Pierce County Central Labor Council (PCCLC) led its own Get Out The Vote (GOTV) campaign—part of a countywide mobilization to defend democracy and ensure working people’s voices are heard in local elections.
Gathering at the former Willard Elementary School, PCCLC staff and affiliate unions kicked off the morning with energy, solidarity, and purpose. Labor-endorsed candidates Bryan Yambe (for Pierce County Council, District 5) and Anders Ibsen (for Tacoma Mayor) also attended to express gratitude for the support and share in the excitement of the GOTV launch and PCCLC’s upcoming purchase of the building.
Photo: PCCLC
“What really excites me about working with the labor movement isn’t just passing good policy or even winning elections for good people,” Ibsen shared. “It’s about actual hope for working people and it’s about the power in between the elections.”
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Volunteers including educators, laborers, scientists, and office professionals then fanned out across neighborhoods to knock doors and remind fellow workers and neighbors to return their ballots. The coordinated canvass was one of several grassroots direct actions happening across the county, from Parkland and Puyallup to Gig Harbor, in the lead-up to the afternoon’s “No Kings” rallies.
Union Power at the Ballot Box and Beyond
October 18, marked Pierce County Democracy Day, was created to affirm our shared commitment to civic participation, democratic values, and equity-driven leadership. The GOTV action served as both a prelude and a statement: that working people are reclaiming civic space and fighting democratic backsliding— that’s state-led debilitation or elimination of political institutions that support a functioning democracy—one conversation and one vote at a time.
Union households make up one in five voters in key local elections. Members are 3–5 times more likely to vote than the general public, and that collective participation has power. Research shows that when democratic movements against authoritarianism include unions, they succeed 83% of the time, compared to just 29% without them. As PCCLC Secretary-Treasurer Nathe Lawver put it to Saturday’s group, “Whenever you have tyranny and authoritarianism, the best way around that is exercising democracy. ”
People Power in Action
This October, the labor movement and its allies in Pierce County are showing what democracy looks like when it works: visible, inclusive, and collective. From sign-waving to street-level conversations and solidarity rallies, working people are shaping the future of their county. Democracy thrives when no one stands alone, and our strength has always been our Solidarity. When every ally adds their voice, we build a brighter, more equitable future together.
Sarah Gray is Communications Director for the Pierce County Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
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