Brothers and Sisters, I hope this finds you well.

The convention kicked off with a touching speech from our sister, who talked about how proud she is of her journey as an apprentice and the personal growth she’s experienced. We covered a lot about the challenges brought by COVID-19 and how IUPAT temporarily waived dues to help out members financially. We also heard about the importance of finishing an apprenticeship and becoming a journeyman, with Cristian sharing his own story of dealing with wage theft. It was great to celebrate the win of restoring glaziers’ pensions thanks to new legislation and to see progress in tackling worker misclassification and wage theft through new collective bargaining agreements. Jimmy Williams talked about the theme “one union, one fight,” stressing how important it is for us to stay united and work together. Liz Schuler from AFL-CIO shared updates on the women’s labor movement, and we also touched on how unions have held strong during the pandemic and continue to fight for better conditions in weaker union states.

We also had the privilege to hear Julie Su from the Department of Labor discussed recent improvements and efforts to boost worker rights. There was a lot of talk about why we need our own insurance company since we can’t rely on Wall Street. Terry highlighted the need to support labor-owned companies and elect Harris as President. We also talked about how different service departments work together and the key areas of focus, like training and keeping members engaged. Effective teamwork between labor and management was noted as essential for relevant training and meeting market demands. The final day featured upbeat discussions on contract progress and member involvement. Gregg Smith and Fred Redmond focused on the unique role of unions in protecting members and fostering inclusivity. Evelyn de Jesus emphasized the strength we get from staying united and pushing for better working conditions, while Tim Ryan talked about economic justice and the importance of organizing. Liz McElroy gave a shoutout to the government affairs team for their work on policy and keeping us all united.

If you have any questions, please reach out to me.

My phone number is: (702) 403-0700

Email: gustavo@dc16.us