#ue77th

The COVID-19 pandemic has made unions even more important for defending the interests and the very lives of workers, delegates to UE’s 77th Convention reported. UE leaders from across the country reported on their locals’ efforts to protect the health and safety of UE members — and, in many cases, the communities they serve.

Convention delegates overwhelmingly approved resolutions on Independent Rank-and-File Political Action and Medicare for All, recognizing, as the resolution on independent political action states, that “We need to continue to fight and organize independently from both major political parties and unite all workers around our class interests as workers.” Both resolutions embody long-standing UE policy.

“It's very important that we unite and come together and have conversations and talk about [topics that] none of us should be afraid to talk about,” said Antwon Gibson, Local 610, speaking on the resolution “Fight Racism.” That resolution, along with resolutions on the rights of women, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ people, passed by overwhelming majorities. The resolutions inspired dozens of delegates to share their experiences and thoughts about the many ways that bosses use differences in skin color, gender, sexual orientation and national origin to divide working people, and how best to fight for working-class unity.

Because of UE’s commitment to member education, workshops made up a large part of Wednesday, the third day of convention.

On Wednesday afternoon, convention delegates watched video messages from UE allies from Japan, Italy, Quebec and Mexico. All of them reported how working people in their countries have had their lives disrupted by the pandemic, but are fighting for safe jobs and a secure future.