#ue78th

78th Convention Celebrates Strike Power

Octubre 8, 2023

From September 17-21, nearly 200 delegates, guests, and staff gathered at the Wyndham Grand Hotel in downtown Pittsburgh for UE’s 78th Convention. Held under the theme of “Building Strike Power,” the convention celebrated UE’s many victories over the past two years.

Many of those victories illustrated the importance of the convention theme: the successful ten-week strike by members of UE Locals 506 and 618 that concluded in August, the six-day “stand down” by city workers in Durham, North Carolina at the beginning of September, and the first contract won by UE Local 256 (MIT-GSU) the week before convention, won after MIT graduate workers demonstrated their willingness to strike to achieve a first contract that met their demands.

Independent Political Action for a Just Economy

Noviembre 3, 2023

In their discussion of several resolutions throughout the week, convention delegates made clear their desire for a just economy and society, where all people have decent working conditions, adequate social support, a dignified retirement, health care and education. They were just as clear that making that vision a reality will require independent political action by working people.

International Guests: “Our solidarity is without borders”

Octubre 8, 2023

On Tuesday afternoon, convention delegates were joined by international guests from Japan, Mexico, and Quebec. Takeshi Takeshita and Keisuke Fuse, both deputy secretaries-general of Japan’s militant labor federation Zenroren, described the “long history of friendship and solidarity” between Zenroren and UE. That history included Zenroren taking action to put pressure on Japanese multinationals such as Kobe Steel and Hishi Plastics when their workers in the U.S. sought to join UE.

Bernie Sanders: “We refuse to live in an oligarchic form of society”

Noviembre 15, 2023

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) addressed the convention over Zoom on Monday morning. 

“Let me thank all of the UE workers for standing up year after year against corporate greed, and demanding that the working class of this country receives the respect and the dignity which it deserves,” he said.

“Decade after decade, the UE has been a leader in the struggle for economic justice. You have been one of the great unions in American history, and I am so proud to be saying a few words to you today at your convention.”