Attendance at USW International Convention

Hello Members,

The Table Officers wanted to communicate proactively to members regarding the fact that the USW International Convention, which occurs every three years and which sets policy for the whole USW, is occurring next week in the United States. The USW is an international Union, with about two-thirds of its members being American, and about one-third of its members being Canadian, and so the USW always holds its Convention in Las Vegas. 

Because it’s an absolute necessity that Canadian members and Canadian interests be represented when the USW Convention sets the policies and positions of the Union, including the USW's position on tariffs, it’s a necessity that Local 1944 send a group of voting delegates to this Convention, as we always have done. 

 For instance, Local 1944’s Executive Board has passed a resolution to the International Convention strongly criticizing the US government’s tariffs, and calling for the USW International to continue to stand against US tariffs on Canadian products, and we will be speaking at the mic to advocate for this. But we can’t defend Canadian interests through speaking and voting on issues that matter to us if we aren’t there, and so the right thing to do is to attend, despite the Convention’s location. 

 USW Canadian Director Marty Warren has in fact sent out a bulletin calling for each Canadian Local to send its usual delegation of members to the International Convention. Otherwise, we would be leaving it to only the American USW members to set policy. 

 We haven’t heard any concern yet from members about this, but we wanted to be proactive in letting you know the important reasons for our attendance at our Union’s governing Convention in the US next week. 

 In Solidarity,  

 Michael Phillips, President 

Jenn Turner, Vice-President 

Ross Brown, Secretary-Treasurer