Steelworkers’ Convention Opens Monday in Las Vegas With Pelosi & Reid On the Agenda

August 12th 2011 · 0 Comments

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Over 3,000 elected United Steelworkers (USW) local union leaders from across North America will meet with top international officers and executive board members for an International Convention Aug. 15 to Aug. 18, at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. The local union leaders are from a wide range of industries including metals, mining, rubber, paper and forestry, oil refining, chemicals plus education, office, technical and service workers in health care, security, hotels and municipal governments and agencies.

The theme of the convention is “Stand Up, Fight Back.”

Convention proceedings begin on Monday, Aug. 15. USW International President Leo W. Gerard will deliver his opening keynote address at approximately 10:30 a.m., following an invocation and the national anthems of the United States and Canada.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will address the convention at 2:30 p.m. that afternoon following a video greeting from U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, (D-Nev).

Each day of the USW convention will have guest speakers and resolutions. The opening day starts at 10 a.m. (PDT). Days two, three and four begin at 9 a.m.

Tuesday’s focus will be the delegates determining the policies and future direction of the Union. Tuesday is also scheduled to include International affairs and the USW’s work around the world. That will include updates on the USW’s cooperative efforts with Los Mineros, the major mining and steel union in Mexico; rubber plantation workers in Liberia; the United Kingdom-based Unite the union, the USW’s partner in Workers United, the first transatlantic labor union; and the USW-backed Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights.

Speakers will include International Metalworkers Federation (IMF) General Secretary Jyrki Raina; Unite General Secretary Len McCluskey, and Artur Henrique dos Santos, president of Brazil’s largest trade union, known by its acronym CUT.

Wednesday morning’s scheduled keynote speakers are AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress. U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, will also speak to the delegates in the afternoon

President Barack Obama is set to address the convention by video on Wednesday afternoon. The morning speaking schedule includes columnist and author Bob Herbert and U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards, (D-Md.). A video, featuring Jack Layton and Canada’s New Democratic Party will be shown.

Fight Back Awards will be presented Wednesday afternoon to state legislators from Indiana, Wisconsin, Nevada and Ohio.

The convention closes on Thursday, Aug. 18. Highlights include the presentation of the USW’s annual Wellstone Award to actor and social activist Danny Glover and broadcast commentator Ed Schultz. The award is named for the late U.S. Sen. Paul David Wellstone, ( D-Minn.)

via PRNewswire-USNewswire.