To Make Your Hotel Reservation:

DIRECT LINK ONLINE:
The Wyndham Grand Hotel Reservations [3]

OR CALL: 1-888-317-0197 and identify as "UE National Convention"

Reservations Must Be Made By July 31, 2019

RATES: Single/Double $139.00 + 14% tax ($158.46) per night

To make reservations, you must either do so online or call the 888 number listed above and give your detailed information to the hotel as soon as possible. Cut-off date for reservations is July 31, 2019 at 5pm Eastern Time.  When calling, identify yourself as a UE member making reservations for the “UE National Convention” to receive the convention rate. Have all of your information handy pertaining to Check-in, Check-out, and type of room (single, double).

Reservations must be guaranteed with the hotel by using the following methods:

A major credit card;

Prepaying with a check. The check must be issued by your local, the hotel will not accept personal checks. Your check must arrive at the hotel two weeks prior to your arrival, or your check will not be accepted; 

(Note that if a debit card is used at check-in to pay for a sleeping room, the card will be charged immediately for the full amount and an additional $50.00 per night for incidentals.)

Charges for incidentals upon arrival

If you pay for the room by check, the hotel will still require $50.00 per night for incidentals which can be covered by cash/credit or debit. If using a debit card, the entire bill for incidentals will be charged immediately (if you are staying 5 nights, $250.00 will be immediately debited from your account). Any incidentals not used will be refunded to the debit card approximately 3-5 business days after check-out.

Check-in time is 4:00PM Consequently, morning or early afternoon arrivals may be subject to slight delays before room assignment. The bell staff will be happy to store baggage and appreciate tips.

Check-out time is 12:00PM (noon).

You will be charged for the first night if reservations are not canceled 24 hours prior to the 4:00 PM (EST) check-in time.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

The Wyndham Grand Hotel [4]
600 Commonwealth Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 391-4600   ||   Fax: (412) 467-3415

Convention Location

The Wyndham Grand Hotel [4]
600 Commonwealth Ave., Pittsburgh PA, 15222 (Google maps link [6])
Phone: (412) 391-4600 || Fax: (412) 467-3415

Transportation from Pittsburgh Airport (PIT) (30 min/17 miles)

Port Authority's Airport Flyer (28X) - a public transportation option, is available at the airport bus stop on the lower level for $2.75 one way and arrives twice an hour. Fare is subject to change and exact fare is required. The 28X schedule can be found at www.portauthority.org [7].

SuperShuttle (shared ride van service) - Airport to Wyndham Grand Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh: rates can vary, however a van share can be as low as $25.00.

To book a SuperShuttle, click this link [8] or download and use their SuperShuttle phone application. At the Pittsburgh Airport, baggage claim level/car rental area is the SuperShuttle ticket counter where you can ask questions directly.

zTrip [9] - Cab service from the Airport to the Wyndham is available. Call 412-321-8100 to book or book through their phone app, zTrip, where you can get a quote for your ride. Service rates may vary over time and gratuity is not included.

Driving Directions to the Wyndham Grand Hotel / Parking

Driving

From the NORTH — via I-79 SOUTH
Take I-79 S toward Pittsburgh     
Slight left onto I-279 S (signs for Pittsburgh)     
Take exit 1A on the left toward Fort Duquesne Blvd     
Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Ft Duquesne Blvd
& merge onto Ft Duquesne Blvd     
Turn right onto Stanwix St     
Take the 1st right onto Penn Ave    
Take the 1st right onto Commonwealth Pl - Wyndham Hotel will be on the right.

From the SOUTH - via I-79 N
Take I-79N to I-279 Pittsburgh.
Follow  “from the SOUTHWEST/Airport” directions.
    
From the SOUTHWEST/Airport - via I-79 N
Follow signs to I-279 N to PITTSBURGH (Fort Pitt Tunnel and Bridge).
Enter the Fort Pitt Tunnel in the left lane; stay in that lane.
At the light Turn LEFT onto COMMONWEALTH PL. - Wyndham Hotel will be on the right.

From the EAST - via I-76W & I-376W
Take I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike) and exit on to I-376W towards Pittsburgh.
Take the STANWIX STREET exit, EXIT 70D, on the LEFT.
Turn LEFT onto FORT PITT BLVD.
Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto COMMONWEALTH PL. - Wyndham Hotel will be on the right.

Parking

Parking rates differ lot-to-lot in the city. There is a great web app that you can use to look at an exhustive list of parking lots, spaces available, and rates here: www.parkpgh.org [10]

Wyndham Valet
Valet parking with in/out privileges is available for $35/day

Garage at Sixth and Penn
Allows for overnight parking for up to $18/day. This will require a short walk to the hotel.

The National Union, as approved by the General Executive Board (GEB) in January 2001, offers to eligible UE Locals convention hotel and lost time reimbursement for one delegate per local.

Remember, this is a reimbursement for expenses. Locals are expected to pay up front and the National Union will reimburse you for qualified expenses. See details below.

Qualifications

To qualify for the above convention reimbursement subsidies UE Locals must prove that they have no more than $10,000 in their General Fund accounts, which includes checking, savings and CDs. These eligibility requirements will be determined and verified with the information that is submitted on the Local’s quarterly audit report for the period April, May and June 2019. It is very important for all Locals to be up-to-date in the filing of these quarterly audit reports. There will be no other acceptable documentation for determining and verifying eligibility.

Reimbursement Subsidy Amount

Reimbursement will be made for four (4) days lost-time and four (4) days hotel room at the single/ double room rate of $135.00 + 15.5% tax. For delegates unable to drive in Sunday morning, a hotel subsidy will be paid for a fifth night. As in the past, the delegate must attend all of the convention sessions to have the subsidies paid.

To Receive Reimbursement

Subsidy forms will be available at the convention and Locals are to submit these completed forms with a voucher and hotel bill. Locals will have a 90-day time limit (from the last day of convention) to submit their subsidy reimbursement requests to the National Union. All requests received after this 90-day period will be denied.

Locals that are not in the financial position to follow these guidelines should contact General Secretary Treasurer Andrew Dinkelaker at 412-471-8919 to make special arrangements. Please remember that we must have your quarterly audit report for April, May and June 2019 for any special arrangements to be considered.

UE General Executive Board - January 23-25, 2019 - Previously approved by regions during their Fall 2018 council meetings

Anti-Harassment Principles

Building rank-and-file democracy and solidarity demands that we prioritize respect for each other so that all may fully participate in meetings, union activities, and the broader struggle.

All members, officers, and staff have the right to participate in the affairs of the union free of harassment and discrimination regardless of sex, gender identity, race, disability, age, religious views and any other status protected by state or federal law. Harassment within our union demoralizes and weakens the solidarity necessary among members and workers to collectively protect and defend ourselves against the organized forces of the system and employers that are against us. We all have an obligation to challenge and overcome behaviors that divide us as a working class. UE will not tolerate any forms of harassment, bullying, discrimination, or violence in any level of the union, and violations may result in actions being taken against members, officers, or staff.

Our Responsibility

It is all of our responsibility to create and preserve an environment of dignity and respect at all levels, and not to passively observe, nor encourage or participate in behavior which is unwelcome, unwanted, uninvited, inappropriate, or illegal. It is all of our responsibility not to partake in words or actions which humiliate, insult, or degrade any person. This may include, but is not limited to, unwanted comments, slurs, racist, sexist, transphobic, or homophobic jokes, offensive pictures or posters, bullying or intimidation, graffiti, non-consensual physical contact of any kind, inappropriate remarks about a person’s appearance or personal life, unwelcome sexual advances or demands, suggestive looks or gestures, mockery of religious practices or customs or desecration of religious imagery.

Anti-Harassment Procedures

Ombuds and the national office anti-harassment coordinator(s) shall be voluntary positions, as selected in the manner prescribed below.

Ombuds shall work during national conventions and regional council meetings or other national or regional meetings. The national office anti-harassment coordinator shall assist with complaints made in between meetings and may be, also, called upon to assist those situations which occur during national or regional meetings.

Expenses and per diem shall be paid for this work in accordance with UE Constitution and policy for GEB members.

Each person who agrees to be in one of these positions will receive the training necessary in order that the approach and the tools necessary for the work are done are in a manner consistent with the UE Constitution and UE Anti-Harassment Principles and Responsibilities.

If someone believes they are being harassed during, or in between, UE regional or national meetings because of their race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression they should take the following action:

1. If possible, make it clear verbally or in writing to the harasser that such inappropriate behavior is not welcome.
2. If the inappropriate behavior persists the individual harassed may approach the designated ombud(s), or national office coordinator if in between meetings, who will investigate and attempt to resolve the matter informally. Request for assistance from an ombud or national office anti-harassment coordinator may be asked for right away if the complainant is unwilling to approach the harasser directly.
3. Each incident will be handled confidentially and quickly. Where the safety of any individual is compromised or a criminal act is alleged to have occured, the appropriate authorities will be contacted.
4. When the matter cannot be resolved informally the person harassed may file a written complaint with the national office anti-harassment coordinator, who will issue a recommendation to the National Officers and/or the GEB to resolve the issue. In the event that an individual disagrees with the ombudsperson or anti-harassment coordinator’s determination of a matter, they may request a hearing which will be conducted in accordance with the principles described in Article 24, Section B. of the UE’s Constitution and By-Laws. Staff may use the grievance procedure available to them to dispute disciplinary action taken against them by the officers.
   Reprimands, suspensions, or expulsions from union office or membership, or in the case of UE staff discipline and discharge, in accordance with the procedures outlined in the collective bargaining agreement, may also be considered depending on the circumstances of the situation(s).
5. The national office anti-harassment coordinator and ombuds for the national convention and meetings shall be appointed by the General President subject to approval by the GEB, and for Regional Council and other regional meetings by the Regional President subject to approval by the Regional Executive Board.
6. The national union shall provide the designated ombuds with the training, forms and other material necessary to carry out this procedure. The ombudsperson or national office anti-harassment coordinator shall also provide those making a complaint with such forms and material.
7. During regional and national meetings the designated ombud(s) will be announced at the start of the meeting and these Principles, Responsibilities, and Procedures distributed to each attendee.

UE Policy is set by UE national conventions, which discuss, debate and adopt policy resolutions submitted by UE locals, regions and the General Executive Board.

Resolutions sent to the convention for consideration need not be complicated or written in imposing language. As in everything else, since “the members run this union,” the membership should feel free to help set the policies of the union through action taken by their own locals — and in their own words.

Each resolution consists of two parts — the body and the “resolves.” The body of the resolution explains why the issue is important, and the resolves are the action(s) that UE members wish to see taken on the issue.

The Body: Making Your Case

While other unions often use “whereas” to introduce each paragraph of the body, in UE we use simple paragraphs for the body. The body should make the case why this issue is important to UE members, and to working people in general. Elements that contribute to a persuasive body include:

1. A general statement of the problem or issue (“Privatization destroys unions which drives down wages, benefits and working conditions”).
2. Experiences of UE locals (“The members of UE Local 222, Sub-local 80 in the Woodbridge public school district won an important battle in 2011, overturning the actions of the local board of education in privatizing work previously done by four custodians represented by the union”). If your local or your members have direct experience with an issue, write about that experience! (though make sure you have permission before using any particular member’s name — UE policies go up on the UE website!)
3. Research or statistics, preferably from a reputable source (“According to a February, 2019 study by the Economic Policy Institute, raising the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2024 would lift pay for nearly 40 million workers”).
4. Recent events (“Wide public support for the wave of teacher strikes over the last two years demonstrates that Americans value the public sector, and will support unions that act in militant ways to defend it”).

The Resolves: Taking Action!

The resolves section should begin with “Therefore, be it resolved that this 76th UE Convention,” followed by a numbered list of actions that the convention wishes take on the issue, with lettered sub-points as appropriate. Generally, the actions take one of two forms:

1. Taking a position (“Opposes the privatization and contracting-out of public services and facilities” or “Supports state legislative moratoriums on contracting out public-sector work”).
2. Calling on the union to do something (“Calls on the union at all levels to educate our members and our communities about the expanding use of inmate labor to replace public sector workers”), or demanding that the government do something (“Demands that Congress declare a moratorium on all new federal privatization”). In some cases the convention will “direct” the national union to do something, but the convention cannot “direct” locals and regions.

Updating Existing Resolutions

If you are updating an existing resolution, you can copy the text from your local’s UE Policy book, or visit ueunion.org/ue-policy [14]. Here are some ideas for how to best update a resolution:

1. Read through the existing body, and remove or update anything that is no longer timely or accurate — a lot can change in two years!
2. Add an example or two from your own local to the body, or reach out to other locals who might have experience with the same issue.
3. Add or delete resolves based on your knowledge of bills or actions that are pending.

How to Submit Your Resolution

Resolutions must be sent to the General Secretary Treasurer so that they arrive no less than one month prior to the convention in order to be considered by the convention. The preferred format is to email a Word document to gst@ueunion.org [15]; however, resolutions can also be mailed to:

UE Attn: General Secretary-Treasurer
One Gateway Center, Suite 1400
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1416

Instructions

For convention delegates please read through the workshop descriptions below and fill out the form at the bottom of page by selecting one morning workshop and one afternoon workshop that you are interested in attending (or download the registration form [17] and mail to the national office). Please note that the arbitration workshop will take place in both the morning and afternoon, and that members participating in this workshop are encouraged (but not required) to attend both sessions. Online Workshop registration deadline is Wednesday, August 14, 2019.

Workshop Descriptions

Morning

Getting Your Message Out

Learn how to craft a compelling message for the public that helps you win your fights with the boss. Topics will include: creating your message, communicating your message in different settings, telling your story and talking to the media.

Organize: Fight for your rights!

Are you ready to help build your union? By organizing more workers into UE we have a stronger voice at the bargaining table and we build more power for working class people throughout the economy. How do you talk with nonunion workers? How can you search out and kick off the next organizing campaign in your area? Learn the basics of labor organizing from top organizers.

Winning in an Open Shop

How are our public-sector locals fighting back against the open shop after the Supreme Court’s infamous Janus ruling? What strategies and tactics are our public-sector locals which were always an open shop using to win victories for their members? What can we learn from one and another to build stronger public-sector locals going forward? These are some of the questions that we will tackle in this workshop. While this workshop is primarily for public-sector members, it is open to anyone who wants to learn how to fight back against the open shop and win today.

Uniting all Workers: Confronting member discrimination and harassment

When a member makes an off-color remark during a union meeting, how should you respond? When one member shares that another told an offensive joke at work, what should you do? What can locals do to implement our equity-focused resolutions when you return home? This workshop will provide members with strategies for creating the inclusive union envisioned by our preamble.

Afternoon

How to Fix Healthcare

Are you tired of fighting over health insurance costs with your boss every time you negotiate a new contract? Are you tired of paying more and more out-of-pocket costs and higher premiums? Do you have family members or friends who don’t have health insurance coverage? Then come to this workshop and find out how we can “fix healthcare.” In this workshop, you will learn about the new Medicare for All Act and how it can solve our country’s healthcare problems. You will also receive tools to take back to your local and workplace to help educate members and get them involved in the fight for Medicare for All.

Building a Better World for People and the Planet

What is the Green New Deal? What might it look like in your community and for your work if passed? What should workers, unions, and our communities be demanding as we transition from a fossil fuel to renewable energy economy? This workshop will explore how public investment in our communities can help us confront climate change while improving the lives of working people. Members will make a plan for including UE's interests in this legislation.

Strengthening Unions for Everyone: Learning from our International Allies

International solidarity is part of what makes UE a "Union for Everyone." Come learn from our international guests how their unions are expanding their representation and diversity in their leadership. We’ll also discuss how international relationships advance our interests as workers. We'll then explore how these ideas might inspire new work within UE.

Morning and Afternoon

Arbitration: Preparation is Key to Winning

This two-part intensive, interactive course is designed to provide members with an understanding of the nuts and bolts of labor arbitration and the advocacy skills required for state-of-the-art arbitration practice. In Part One (morning) members will briefly review the steps leading to arbitration, learn about recent guidance from the NLRB concerning the union's duty of fair representation, and learn the mechanics of presenting a grievance in arbitration. Part Two (afternoon) will feature a mock arbitration exercise in which members will play the parts of advocates, witnesses and arbitrators. The focus of the mock exercise will be on cross-examination. To get the most from this workshop, participants will receive materials in advance that should be reviewed before arrival at the convention. Members participating in this workshop are encouraged (but not required) to attend both sessions of this workshop.

Form

A fundraising event highlighting UE women's leadership.

Monday, August 26th during the lunch recess, at Gateway Two Conference Room (4th floor)

Featuring remarks from former General Secretary-Treasurer Amy Newell

Tickets: $20 each

Florence Criley was UE’s first woman International Representative. She was known as a tireless leader of the working class, beating back raids at UE shops, helping members orchestrate strikes, and always looking for new organizing opportunities. She was one of the founders of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, and was also a fighter for the rights of people of color.

This gathering will honor Sister Criley and raise money to develop leadership skills among UE’s women members by sending them to the union women summer schools held around the country each year.

All UE members are welcome to attend this event, but space will be limited — so purchase your ticket in advance! Tickets can be purchased online using the form below (a $1 processing fee will be added to online sales) or by downloading this form [18] and sending with a check made out to UEREF (UE Research and Education Fund) to:

UEREF
One Gateway Center, Suite 1400
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-1416