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UE News Updates

"Music Instills Power and Bravery": a conversation with Frontline Singer Anne Feeney

25 September, 2017
Pittsburgh

Delegates to UE’s 75th Convention in August were both inspired and entertained by Pittsburgh singer Anne Feeney. Feeney performed songs about corporate personhood (“corporations cannot pass the belly button test”), universal healthcare (“rich get richer and poor folks die”), and speedup in healthcare (“we are nursing as fast as we can”), which combine a passion for the struggles of working people with a sharp sense of humor.

UE Leaders Meet with Canadian, Mexican Unions to Build Continental Solidarity

21 September, 2017
Mexico City
Kari Thompson, UE Director of International Strategies

On September 13 and 14, UE and Unifor representatives participated in a series of meetings in Mexico City to facilitate continent-wide labor solidarity. UE was represented by General President Peter Knowlton and Director of International Strategies Kari Thompson, and the Unifor delegation consisted of Secretary General Bob Orr and Director of Human Rights and International Department Mohamad Alsadi.

UE members take action in solidarity with French workers

13 September, 2017

UE members took action on September 12 in solidarity with our union family from the General Confederation of Workers (CGT) in France.

UE members from around the country took photos while holding signs stating "Non à la loi travail XXL, solidarité avec les travailleurs français!" (No to the XXL labor law, solidarity with the French workers!). Local 506 members took photos while holding a lunch break rally telling General Electric to keep jobs in Erie.

Thursday Morning: Convention Concludes with Discussion of Retirement, the Environment, Civil Liberties and Foreign Policy

31 August, 2017
Pittsburgh

The final session of the 75th UE National Convention opened with a viewing of the video “Mouseland.” Mouseland is an animated illustration of a 1944 speech by Canadian politician Tommy Douglas, founder of the labor-aligned New Democratic Party and widely considered the father of Canada’s single-payer healthcare system. In it, Douglas tells a fable about a nation of mice who elect alternating governments of cats, until one day a mouse had the dangerous idea that mice should elect mice to office, with clear implications for workers who continue to elect alternating governments of bosses.

Wednesday Afternoon Session Elects Officers, Discusses Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

30 August, 2017
Pittsburgh

President Peter Knowlton opened the Wednesday afternoon session by introducing a series of amendments to the “Independent Rank-and-File Political Action” resolution suggested by UE Young Activists during the lunch break, to clarify UE’s commitment to independent political action for the working class.

Wednesday Morning Session Addresses Equity, Workplace Closings, Independent Political Action

30 August, 2017
Pittsburgh

On Wednesday morning, delegates to UE's 75th National Convention discussed resolutions addressing the need to fight for equity for immigrants, women, and people of color, the scourge of workplace closings, and the need for the working class to engage in independent political action. They heard a video address from Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and remarks from Larry Cohen, the board chair of Our Revolution.

Tuesday Morning Session Discusses Education, Hears from Unifor National President

29 August, 2017
Pittsburgh

President Peter Knowlton opened the Tuesday morning session of UE’s 75th National Convention by recognizing retiring UE News Editor Al Hart, who has served as Managing Editor of the UE News since 2006. Brother Hart joined the UE as a rank and file member of Local 506 over forty years ago, and later served on UE’s organizing staff.

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