Aired on August 3, 2025

• Living Wages, Worker Safety, Labor Unions

A labor union is an organized association of workers in a trade or profession that is formed to protect and further the rights of those workers and advance common interests such as higher wages, better benefits, improved working conditions, job security, reasonable work schedules, and employment terms. Labor unions play a role in promoting social and economic justice, and some are involved in environmental and community initiatives. 
According to causeiq.com there are over 400 labor unions in North Carolina. These unions employ about 1300 people, earn more than $75 million in revenue annually, have assets of more than $150 million and include members such as steelworkers, machinists, state employees, educators, ​a​irline employees, ​firefighters, ​electricians and​ many others.

Grant Welch is the Legislative-Political Director for Communications Workers of America NC  and president of the NC Democratic Party Labor Caucus. He and the team have introduced and lobbied for multiple bills to keep call center worker jobs in NC, expand access to affordable, high speed broadband and repeal the ban on public sector bargaining. Grant is a 25 year member of CWA. He is active in his community through Rotary International. He is past president of the Rotary Club of Sanford and currently serves as Assistant Governor for Area 10, which includes Lee and Chatham Counties. 

“On The Porch” is hosted by Randolph ”Randy” Voller. He is also the publisher of Chatham County Line. Randy welcomes guests to the show who are from the communities of art, academia, business, and politics for friendly and informative conversations. “On The Porch” airs every Sunday at 11:06 AM, and is repeated at 5:06 PM and 8:06 PM on WCHL-FM 97.9. The show also streams on ChapelBoro.com
Current and previous shows of “On The Porch” are posted as on-demand, ad-free podcasts at ChapelBoro.com, Spotify and Apple Podcasts
To be a guest on the show or send us a comment, email: ontheporch@wchl.com