Labor Education and Research Center collection

The Labor Education and Research Center was established to provide opportunities for rank and file union members to learn labor history, participate in organizing trainings, and to increase their capacity to bargain collectively in Washington State.

Starting in 1985, faculty member Dan Leahy utilized the public service component of the Masters in Public Administration (MPA) program to initiate the organization of a labor center at The Evergreen State College in conjunction with Evergreen students, faculty, and union members throughout the state. In 1986 and 1987, they organized Labor Center previews in the form of presentations on a variety of workers’ issues; including union steward training, introductions to math and computers, and arbitration workshops. They also sponsored Saturday lectures by labor union leaders and labor history film screenings throughout the spring of 1987.

They traveled throughout the state to meet with Central Labor Councils who sent in statements of support. They implemented surveys at labor union conferences and formed a Labor Center Advisory Committee. They began actively seeking ways to place a proviso in Evergreen’s 1987-1989 biennial budget to support a Labor Center, and by May it was included.

The work of the Labor Education and Research Center included center-initiated programs open to any union member, union-sponsored contract work and summer schools. The Summer School for Union Women was the first school offered in 1987 and continued almost annually until 2009. Other initiatives included African American Leadership Conferences, the New School for Union Organizers, an Oral History Conference, and Carpenters’ Rank and File Schools.

“The Summer School that opens today did not just happen. It took a love of history, leadership, self respect, organizing skills, argument, resources, hard work and a belief. It was made possible by women and men who believe working women have always been and will continue to be a critical element in organized labor’s ability to protect and promote the interests of working people.” – from Dan Leahy’s opening remarks to 55 trade union women from 18 different unions in 1987 at the very first school.

Between 1987 and 2010, the Labor Center had three executive directors, Dan Leahy (1987-1995), Helen Lee (1995-2000), and Peter Kardas (2000-2010). On July 1st, 2010 the Center moved from The Evergreen State College to the South Seattle Community College and became the Washington State Labor Education and Research Center.