Introducing the WSLC’s 2025 legislative team

Kira Munson and Christoph Mair join the WSLC’s seasoned government affairs staff to bring the voice of working people to Olympia

OLYMPIA, WA (January 8, 2025) — Washington’s legislative session begins on January 13, and throughout the next 105 days, unions will be working to pass legislation that grows jobs, raises wages, and empowers more workers to organize for better working conditions.

The WSLC has a bold policy agenda for 2025, seeking to expand workers’ rights and protections, as well as protect vital public services and workers from harmful spending cuts. The Council works on policies that impact all parts of working people’s lives; it takes a dedicated, talented team to carry this portfolio.

This year, Kira Munson and Christoph Mair join the WSLC for the 2025 Session as Legislative Intern and Policy Coordinator, respectively.

Kira Munson first experienced the power of organized labor as a cashier during the COVID-19 pandemic. She saw firsthand the impacts of strong union representation and has been galvanized to fight for access to fair working conditions since.

After graduating from Berea College, she has spent the past year working for a farmworker rights organization in northwest Washington. She has built and helped run a civic engagement program designed to include and prioritize working families who are not always included in the electoral system. Her passion comes from her own background in a working-class family and her experience of creating change with community members.

Munson is looking forward to building her skills and experience in developing meaningful policy for working families. She will support the WSLC and United Labor Lobby by monitoring calendars, tracking bills, attending meetings with legislators and committees, as well as maintaining relationships with affiliate unions through scheduling, outreach and communication.

“I am excited to get the chance to work with WSLC and its affiliated unions and coalition partners. For someone who cares about worker justice and an engaged democracy, there’s no better place to be,” she said.

Christoph Mair hails from the Olympic Peninsula. He worked for many years in food service and childcare, and continued that work while earning a biology degree from Portland State University. After relocating to Sacramento, he felt inspired to join the movement to defend progressive values and advance evidence-based legislation. First as an intern for California’s LGBTQ Legislative Caucus, then as a legislative aide in the California Assembly, he learned the importance of the labor movement for implementing policies that promote economic and social equity. During his three years working in the Assembly, his work focused on elections, transportation, utilities and labor.

Mair was then offered the opportunity to represent the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME, AFL-CIO) as a legislative and political advocate, and for three sessions worked in coalition on labor, transportation, health care and other policies. Family matters called him back to Washington, where he worked on two electoral campaigns during the 2024 election cycle.

“I feel honored for the opportunity to advocate for working people on behalf of the Washington State Labor Council and its union affiliates,” Mair said. “I look forward to building relationships, strengthening coalitions and working to pass meaningful legislation.”

“Kira and Christoph are valuable additions to our legislative team for this session, who both will help ensure labor’s priorities are elevated and workers’ voices are heard in Olympia,” said WSLC President April Sims. “I’m excited for the work they’ll do together under the leadership of Legislative Director John Traynor.”

Traynor, who has been working with local unions and stakeholders to prepare for session for months, is excited to get back to the marble floors of the Capitol.

“I’m eager to get into the thick of it in Olympia advocating for policies that will build power for working people and improve quality of life for working families in Washington,” said Traynor. “With Kira and Christoph on the team, we’re ready to hit the ground running.”

The WSLC will release it’s 2025 Legislative Agenda on January 13. For questions about legislative work or WSLC priority bills, contact John Traynor at jtraynor@wslc.org or Communications Director Sarah Tucker at stucker@wslc.org.