Washington State Labor Education and Research Center

The Labor Center, located at South Seattle Community College, works with unions and community-based organizations throughout Washington State to provide trainings and classes for and about working people. Our mission is to collaborate with unions and community members in designing programs that will help them develop the skills, confidence, and knowledge to become more effective leaders, staff, and rank-and-file activists. We offer specific skills-development classes like Steward Training, Collective Bargaining, or Meeting Facilitation, as well as broader informational programs, like Labor History or Economics for Working Families. Our teaching is based on a popular education model which draws heavily on the experiences of workshop participants. We also organize conferences and workshops open to the public. The Center houses a variety of resources, such as book and film libraries, that are available for public use and our staff is available as guest speakers or presenters.