Although they were unable to gather in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic, over 100 delegates from across the U.S., along with guests from the U.S., Canada and Mexico, held a successful virtual convention from September 20-24, 2021, with all of the inspiration, education, democracy and solidarity of a regular UE convention.
Video of convention speakers, organizing reports, and greetings from international guests is available on the UE YouTube Channel (youtube.com/UEtube). Please hit the “SUBSCRIBE” button while watching UE videos on YouTube, so you get notified when we post new videos!
During discussion of the resolution “Defend Our Civil Liberties,” Local 506 President Scott Slawson called on “our national, our regions, our locals and our members to take up the task of coming up with a plan to beat back all the bullsh-t we are facing from those that challenge our civil liberties and our very existence.”
As part of the cultural programming for the UE 77th Convention, the National Union asked retired UE NEWS Managing Editor Alan Hart to compile a selection of photographs from the last decade and a half of UE history.
Holding a successful online convention required a substantial amount of work by UE staff and leaders. As General President Carl Rosen noted at the conclusion of the convention, “Although we had made plans in the spring on how we would do a virtual convention if we needed to, it's one thing to have plans and it's totally another thing to carry them out, as we learned.”