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4 July, 2011
The ICEM-affiliated Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO, celebrated its 29th Constitutional Convention on 22-25 June, in Las Vegas, USA. The Convention was conducted under the motto “Shaping Our Future, Building Our Industries”
The UWUA were able to celebrate a successful four-year period since the previous Convention, in which time the union has organised increased strength and industry density, successfully influenced national elections in 2008 and 2010, and was elected to the AFL-CIO’s Executive Council for the first time. During the period the UWUA also achieved a number of significant collective bargaining successes, in a time of increased corporate aggression. A key victory was at Covanta Energy in April 2010, where a first union contract was won for workers at the plant in south-eastern Massachusetts. (See the ICEM report on Covanta here)
ICEM General Secretary Manfred Warda, addressing the Convention, wholeheartedly congratulated the UWUA for the success in the two-year struggle at Covanta, “It has been inspiring to many of our affiliated unions in their struggle against greedy companies and unfair labour practices … We are proud to have contributed to that campaign, with PSI, by mobilising unions in Canada, Ireland, the UK, and Netherlands to block Covanta expanding in their countries until it accepted the rights of workers in the US.”
Guest speakers at the Convention included Dr. Steven Chu, US Secretary of Energy; and David Foster, Executive Director of BlueGreen Alliance.
Among the numerous important Convention resolutions on occupational health and safety, union rights, and sustainable jobs, the Convention adopted a resolution on International Labour Solidarity in which the UWUA resolved to continue to support international solidarity struggles throughout the world, and to continue active participation in the ICEM and PSI. The resolution also resolved to push the US Congress to ratify Core ILO Conventions 87 and 98.
The ICEM congratulates the UWUA elected Officers, who were all re-elected at the Convention.