Chicago & Midwest

 

 Regional Joint Board

 

  

Convention Platform

 

May 16-18, 2008

 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

For three great days in Milwaukee, the delegates to the most recent Joint Board Convention discussed and debated the important issues of the present and proposed a program that will shape our future. Together we drafted the platform presented here to guide our work in the coming year of such profound importance to our country and our Union. My thanks to everyone who worked so hard to draft this blueprint for building a strong, unified Joint Board.

 

Noel Beasley

Executive Vice President

Manager

 

Who we are:

 

o  We are powerful, united families of workers who care about each other.

 

o  We are from different communities; we are from all over the world, with different cultures, languages and religions.

 

o  We accept our differences and stand united as one UNITE HERE!

 

o  We fight the same fight for a better future for ourselves, our families, and our co-workers.

 

o  We are 45,000 strong -- and growing.

 

o  We are the Chicago & Midwest Regional Joint Board of UNITE HERE!

 

 

Our values:

 

o  We stand for unity and solidarity.

 

o  We respect the diversity of our membership and have the courage to defend that diversity.

 

o  Our members’ stories are powerful, personal, and life-changing.

 

o  We unite around principles, not personalities.

 

o  We are rebuilding the union for the future.

 

 

We’re going to be:

 

o  Stronger, more active, and more powerful;

 

o  More politically active and visible;

 

o  Strengthen the union through education;

 

o  Building allies in our communities,

state, nation and internationally;

 

o  Growing – developing more members, leaders, community activists, and members involved in politics.

  

We’re going to create:

 

o  Hope for future generations;

o  Less disparity between rich and poor;

o  Better health care for all;

o  Equal opportunities and rights for all workers – native born and immigrant alike.

  

To get there, we will:

 

o  Communicate through newsletters, phone calls, leaflets, word of mouth, and by breaking down barriers;

 

o  Educate our co-workers in all aspects, including informing them about and building political power;

 

o  Identify leaders and activists who can represent, organize, and inspire others to restructure the union to the needs of workers today.

 

o  Increase the visibility of union leaders at the worksite;

 

o  Increase participation in all union activities, including union meetings;

 

o  Grow the union through organizing;

 

o  Encourage our brothers and sisters to build political power by contributing to TIP;