EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT: Members Make Region V Conference a Success

On March 24 – 26, 2022, the UWUA held the first of its 2022 regional conferences with Region V members in Redondo Beach, California. The conference was very well attended with over 100 members who participated. Attendees included approximately 50% first-timers and a very diverse group of members, including an impressive number of women.

In addition to reports by each of the four National Officers of the UWUA, the conference included presentations from various National staff and four training workshops. Other speakers included Art Pulaski, chief officer/executive secretary-treasurer of the California AFL-CIO, and California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo.

National staff reports included the following:

• Director of Renewable Energies Jim Harrison reported on the activities of the UWUA in renewable energy developments including on-shore and off-shore wind, solar, battery storage, and hydrogen. As Jim said, his role is not the promotion of renewable energy but to ensure that the UWUA is engaged in the advancement of renewable energy technologies, looking for future organizing opportunities, and working to ensure that current and future renewable energy jobs are quality union jobs.

• Director of Governmental Affairs Lee Anderson reported on how the UWUA approaches its interaction with politicians and the legislative process. As Lee said, it is not about Republicans and Democrats, it’s about the goals and interests of the UWUA and what any politician can do to help advance those.

  

• Director of Communications Erin Bzymek reported on how the National UWUA and locals can work together to advance communication throughout the membership. Erin urged the locals in attendance to share successes with her so that they can be included in various forms of communication to inform the membership.

Training included workshops by General Counsel David Radtke, who presented on the fundamentals of labor law; Safety Director John “Scotty” MacNeill presented on members taking control of safety; labor consultant Steve Wyatt and Special Counsel to the President Mark Brooks presented on how members can mobilize to take direct action; and a panel of national labor leaders presented on the concept of bargaining for the common good.

Although all speakers, presentations, and workshops were very well received, the stars of the conference were the members of Region V. The members of Region V who are members of, or participate in, the UWUA’s member committees stole the show. The UWUA member committees include the Women’s Caucus, the National Safety Committee, the Young Workers Initiative Committee, the Human Rights Committee, and the Veterans Committee. These committees have members from each of the UWUA’s five regions and work together nationally and within their respective regions to advance the goals and projects of their committee.

Each committee was responsible for presenting on its activities and did so through their Region V members. For many of these members it was their first time reporting out in person and in front of members outside of their own local, but watching them you would have never known that. The level of leadership, professionalism, and confidence was truly impressive and inspiring. Based on what I saw in these presentations, the UWUA does not lack for leaders, and the future of the union is bright.

Finally, the members in attendance were able to recognize two recent retirements. John Duffy retired after 15 years as National vice president and 48 years as a member of the UWUA, and Region V Senior Representative Jerry Acosta retired after more than 40 years in the utility industry, most of them spent serving the 5,000 UWUA members of California Locals 132, 522, and 483 at SoCal Gas. Both John and Jerry had strong ties to Region V and were life-long leaders with the UWUA and the labor movement. Although they will be sorely missed, the members joined together to thank them both and wish them great retirements.

Future regional conferences include Region II & III meeting in Cleveland, OH, June 2 – 4; Region IV in Chicago, Illinois,  August 11 – 13; and finally Region I in Providence, Rhode Island,  September 14 – 16. For details check with your local union as your conference approaches.