Metro area labor leaders began the process of charting the Metro Washington Council’s future at a strategic planning session earlier this week. “With so many challenges facing working families, the Council’s mission to organize the community to promote social justice for all working people is more critical than ever,” said Metro Council president Jos Williams, whose impending retirement early next year was the impetus for the session. The group, which included the Council’s Executive Board and other key labor leaders, reviewed the Council’s strengths, weaknesses and evaluated opportunities and threats to the local labor movement. They identified top priority areas for action, including politics, communications, community engagement, and education and training. The focus of the session was how to make the Council a more effective organization for building economic and political power for working men and women, maximizing participation by affiliates and allies. Committees will be developing specific proposals over the next few months for consideration by the Council. Williams plans to retire at the end of his current term, in February, 2016, and Metro Council Political Coordinator Rick Powell plans to retire by the end of 2015. photo by Chris Garlock