Our Mission
The Labor Education and Research Center serves Washington workers by helping them know, exercise, and expand their workplace rights. The Center’s programs build the skills and confidence needed for working people to become leaders in efforts to improve their work lives and promote a just economy through collective action.
The LERC produces the WA Workers’ Rights Manual and a variety of rights-related training materials, runs courses for worker-organizers, provides capacity building for unions and other organizations, teaches workshops to apprentices and students at the Seattle Colleges, conducts policy research, and has a book, film, and training materials library available for public use.
The LERC serves workers across the entire State of Washington and conducts extensive traveling programs in partnership with local organizations and educational institutions. Through its online, night, and weekend classes, the LERC works to ensure maximum accessibility to working people from diverse communities and industries.
Our Staff
Bo McClung, Program Specialist
Bo (he/him) brings to the WA-LERC a lifetime’s experience of being a worker in both anti-union right-to-work states, and union protected jobs in facilities maintenance at the University of Washington and as an educator for Seattle Public Schools. Bo has a full range of firsthand knowledge to draw upon from working in highly exploitative and dangerous minimum wage jobs, working in the nonprofit environmental policy sector, and working in understaffed essential state services while putting himself through school to earn his BA in anthropology with an unfinished MS in infrastructure planning. He has been a dedicated union shop steward for AFSCME Council 28 and a delegate to the King County and Washington State labor councils where he has utilized his training and insight to gather valuable worker econometrics for more equitable COLAs for workers. Bo brings his wealth of know-how to the WA-LERC as a program specialist where he will assist the department in executing the logistics and financial deliverables of projects, worker trainings, materials, policy work, managing the Will Parry Labor Library and other aspects related to the WA-LERC’s mission and goals.
James Oliveros, Labor Educator
James (they/them) is a Labor Educator at the Labor Center. Prior to joining the team, James served as Education Chair of Anakbayan Seattle, a youth organization focused on liberation and National Democracy for the Philippines and its people. James has also worked as a community organizer with groups like Washington CAN, the International League of Peoples’ Struggle, and various local mutual aid efforts in Seattle. In their education efforts at the Labor Center, James is committed to building workplace solidarity with community members and defending every worker’s right to dignity, fair wages, and a fulfilling livelihood.
Cassidy Butler, Labor Educator
Cassidy (she/her) a recent UMass Amherst graduate, Cassidy earned her M.S. In Labor Studies and looks forward to bringing lessons learned through her coursework back to workers in Washington State. Cassidy worked as a Teaching Assistant for the university, where she taught undergraduate courses on the history of work and labor in America. She also worked as a Researcher with the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenter’s where she supported the organizing team in building strategic campaigns. Cassidy has an extensive background in labor organizing and education with many unions, including UFCW, IUPAT, IBEW and UAW. In these roles, Cassidy took on the role of educating, mentoring, and training young workers on how to organize their workplace, their rights on the job, and how to win strong contracts. While at UMass, Cassidy researched the impact of providing union education to young workers in temporary employment like those she organized. In addition, Cassidy developed trainings and guides for union staff on organizing practices and techniques for organizing non-traditional and new industries. Cassidy is passionate about identifying, uplifting, and connecting worker leaders with opportunities to realize their potential to build collective power and meaningfully change conditions at their jobs and in their communities. She looks forward to continuing this important work with the LERC as a Labor Educator!
Mara Rafferty, Director
LERC Director Mara Rafferty (she/her) is an equity-focused educator and community organizer who most recently served as Lead External Organizer for United Autoworkers Local 4121. As an organizer, she led and contributed to mass campaigns that saw thousands of workers win new collective bargaining rights and first contracts. A strong believer in the leadership of rank and file workers and the power of open and transparent bargaining, Mara has witnessed the ways that democratic decision making in unions can lead to mass participation and unprecedented wins for workers and communities. Before joining the UAW, Mara worked for several nonprofit and community organizations where she helped develop policy research and participatory civic education programs. As an experienced researcher with degrees in International Relations (BA) and Economics (MA), Mara brings a strong grounding in qualitative and quantitative research skills, which she uses to help workers develop strong bodies of research to support their campaigns. Mara is a proud queer, transgender woman and a passionate advocate for the LGBTQ+ rights inside and outside of the labor movement. Outside of work, Mara can be found painting, playing music, baking, and spending time with her family.
LERC Advisory Committee
The Labor Center’s Advisory Committee is appointed for three-year terms. The current committee was appointed in September 2022.
Alex Miller
Bio coming soon!
Andrew Hedden
Andrew Hedden is Associate Director of the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies and Affiliate Lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Washington. He is a historian of urban and labor history focused on the Pacific Northwest. His work has been published most recently in the Journal of Urban History and a chapter in the book Seattle’s Working Waterfront, 1884- Present. He also leads regular walking and bus tours of Seattle history for students, activists, and educators, and serves as a trustee of the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association. He earned a PhD in History from the University of Washington in 2023.
Cherika Carter
Cherika Carter (she/her) was elected Secretary Treasurer of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO in 2022. She is a certified Pharmacy Technician by trade and has been a union member for over half of her life. As a graduate of THE Ohio State University, she is a forever Buckeye, but the evergreen state is home. When she isn’t thinking about growing political power or fighting for Washington’s working families, she’s on a quest to find the perfect Sunday brunch spot with friends.
Conor Casey
Conor Casey is head of the Labor Archives of Washington at the University of Washington. A certified archivist, they hold a US history MA and an MLIS. Conor served several terms as co-chair of the Society of American Archivists’ Labor Archives Section (2012–21, 2025-26), vice president of the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association (2017–20), and president of the Northwest Historians Guild (2014–16). From 2019–23, Conor helped unionize libraries and press employees at UW, helping to win a first contract. Conor has served on the Council of the Society of American Archivists, releasing a first album with their band, and semi-successfully navigating the Seattle rental market.
Emmanuel Flores
Emmanuel Flores (he/him) is the Workforce Development Director at the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO (WSLC), based in Olympia. The WSLC, widely considered the “voice of labor” in Washington, represents more than 600,000 union members through 650 affiliated union organizations. The WSLC’s Workforce Development team leads efforts to support working families from workforce entry to career transitions and job loss. Before joining WSLC in 2018, he worked as an electrician and served in leadership roles with IBEW Local 73, including Recording Secretary and Registrar. He was elected and served as WSLC Vice President in 2016 and chaired its Economic Development and Transportation Committee. He serves on the LERC Advisory Committee as WSLC representation, is active in his union as a shop steward, co-chairs OPEIU Local 8’s Race Equity and Social Justice Committee, and serves as Local 8’s Vice-President.
Karen Estevenin
Karen Estevenin has proudly served as the Executive Director of PROTEC17 —a labor union representing more than 10,000 public-sector workers across Washington and Oregon—since May 2019. Over the past two decades, she has dedicated her career to the labor movement, working with CWA/WashTech, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) 3000, and Teamsters 117. In her current role, Karen leads the union’s vision, strategic direction, and day-to-day operations. Karen deeply believes in continuing learning, growth, and development for all people in our labor movement, and stives to uphold and practice these values every day. She is proud to represent PROTEC17 on the advisory Board for the Washington Labor Education and Research center. In addition, Karen currently serves on the Seattle Social Housing Developer Board as the Labor liaison, and as a Trustee for MLK Labor.
Larry Cushnie
Larry Cushnie is a tenured faculty member in political science at South Seattle College. He earned his bachelor’s degree at UC Santa Barbara, his master’s at the International Institute for the Sociology of Law in the Basque Country, and his doctorate at the University of Washington. His teaching includes more than a dozen courses across multiple disciplines at the University of Washington, Seattle University, Bellevue College, and South Seattle College. Larry’s research interests focus on radical American political resistance. His writing and teaching cover anarchism, social movements, labor activism, radical environmentalism, the carceral state, drug policy, and civil rights. When not engaged on campus, Larry is busy raising his weird twins, collecting records, puzzling, and enjoying live music.
Dr. Ligaya Domingo
Doctor Ligaya Domingo is currently the Senior Racial Justice Director for SEIU Healthcare 1199NW where she has worked for nearly 20 years. She leads the local’s Racial Justice transformation efforts including integration into all of the programs of the union and racial justice analysis building through education, development, training, and development for members and staff. She has developed expertise in this area over the last fifteen years. She has also extended this work into collaborations across SEIU, within MLK labor, The Washington State Labor Council, and through a fellowship with the Center for Innovation in Worker Organization at Rutgers University’s School of Management and Labor Relations. She also sits on various boards including the SEIU Healthcare 1199NW Multi-Employer Training Fund, the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance Seattle Chapter, MLK Labor, Washington State Labor Council, the Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies Advisory Committee, Washington State Labor Education Research Center, Healthcare Apprenticeship Consortium, and the SEIU Racial Justice Committee.
Marc Auerbach
Bio coming soon!
Michael Laslett
Michael Laslett spent 37 in the labor movement in many different roles, including rank-and-file member; elected local union officer; union reformer; internal organizer and contract negotiator; external organizer; organizing, division and strategic campaigns director; global campaigner; and education and leadership development director.
During his career, Michael worked at SEIU, the Teamsters (IBT) and Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU), the UFCW and AFSCME. His work took him across the United States and Europe. His last position was as the national Deputy Director for Offense in SEIU’s Public Services Division, from which he retired in 2024.
Sarah Bright
Bio coming soon!
Shaunie Wheeler
Shaunie Wheeler is the Deputy Executive Secretary-Treasurer of MLK Labor, representing over 100,000 workers across 150 unions in King County. A seasoned lobbyist and coalition-builder, she turns complex policy into real wins for working families. With more than 15 years in labor and public policy—including leadership roles with the Teamsters and IBEW—she champions equity, narrative power, and unapologetic worker advocacy. Shaunie also serves as Secretary-Treasurer of LCLAA, advancing Latinx and BIPOC worker leadership. Off the clock, she’s a vintage lover, Marvel fan, and mom of four, bringing the same grit and flair to every fight for economic justice.
Tina Morrison
Bio coming soon!
Jacqui Cain
Jacqui Cain is President of AFT Washington. Prior to being elected to this role, she taught English and Humanities within the community and technical colleges and was a proud member of Pierce College, AFT Local 4821. Jacqui Cain also serves as a Vice-President for the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
Peter Campbell
Peter Campbell works as a Contract Administrator and member education specialist for SPEEA, IFPTE Local 2001. In 2014, Peter co-founded the Union of Pitt Faculty, a successful seven-year campaign to organize 3500+ fellow professors into the largest new US faculty union in 10 years. Now based in Seattle, Peter is a proud rank-and-file member of Teamsters Local 763, the Transit Riders Union, and Organized Workers for Labor Solidarity. He earned his PhD in Speech Communication from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013.
Ali Diaz
Bio coming soon!
Madison Zack-Wu
Strippers are Workers
Madison Zack-Wu (she/her) is a political community organizer, sex worker, and researcher. Her scope focuses on labor— primarily sex work— and anti-violence. She led Strippers Are Workers to the WA state legislative win that created the first-ever Strippers’ Bill of Rights. This historic law won workers’ rights, addressed power differentials that perpetuate exploitation, and decriminalized nudity and alcohol within WA strip clubs. Her research article “Undue Harms Against Adult Dancers” addresses systemic oppression of sex workers and its manifestations within the regulation of strip clubs. She currently works for four sex worker rights and anti-trafficking organizations. Additionally, Madison guest lectures at local universities and community colleges regarding intersectional social justice, grassroots organizing, and sex work.
Our History
The LERC was established in 1987 by the Washington State legislature to provide opportunities for workers and union members to learn labor history, participate in organizing trainings, and increase their capacity to bargain collectively in Washington State. Initially established at The Evergreen State College, the LERC moved to South Seattle College in July of 2010 to be more accessible to workers throughout the Puget Sound region and to establish a closer relationship students and workers in Georgetown Campus’s apprenticeship programs. The LERC is the only labor center in the country housed at a community college rather than a four-year university, and it’s one of only three labor education institutions in the entire northwestern United States.