To USW Local 608 President and Executive Board,

On the evening of Wednesday, June 25 there was a registration, social and meet and greet time.  Classes started first thing Thursday morning. During the next three days we took in many speakers from Leo Gerard, USW International President; Jim Coleman, USPA Executive and conference planner; Ken Neumann, Canadian National Director; Van Tenpenny, President of the USPA and Marco Trbovich, USW assistant to the President.

Classes and Break-out sessions included Building Communication Networks from Wayne Ranick USW Communications Director; Robert Borosage, President of the Institute for Americas Future, presented “Labor’s Role In Forging a Progressive Majority”; “Critical Analysis of a Newsletter” from Jim McKay and Connie Mabin, USW Executives; “Critical Analysis of a Website” from Jim Coleman and Scott Weaver, USW Executives; “How Working Americans View the Presidential Candidates” from Celinda Lake, President of Lake Research Partners; Two from Michael Byrne, Past Executive Director Massachusetts ALF-CIO and current Senior Advisor to Tricom Associates :  “What Message are your Local Leaders sending Members” and “Writing Effective Opinions- Editorials and Letters to the Editor”; Computer Programs to use; Legal advice from Corporate Attorney Richard Brean on “Fair Use of Material and Labor Law”; USW Execs Connie Mabin and Scott Weaver teamed up to present: “Web 2.0 and what it means to you – the new USW interactivewebsite”;  inspiring words from the USW National Political Director Chuck Rocha “Ramping Up for the Elections”; with a very inspiring and emotional lunch speaker, the director of the National Labor Committee, Charles Kernaghan “Sweatshops”.

This has to be the most informative conference, to date, that I have attended. I hope to bring some of the knowledge and ideas to use in the months to come, working on the news letter and website.

Thanks to the Executive board who voted on sending to this Biennial Conference. As President Gerard said …Communications should become a priority in our Locals… there were 12 members to the USPA when he started his term, this year there are around 300, at the next conference, in two years, “I would like to see 400 members and publications. Keep up the excellent work.”

Thanks again

Jeff Welle,

USPA Communicator;

Local 608

Editor – Website/Newsletter