A Growing Party
With Big Plans

The Labor Party is on its way.

The party’s successful First Constitutional Convention in Pittsburgh Nov. 13-15 approved plans for electoral activity and recruitment and launched major national campaigns for national health care and workers’ rights.

The nearly two and a half years of growth and activity since the founding convention resulted in more delegates: 1,414 from 46 states, compared with 1,365 at the June 1996 founding in Cleveland.

More than half of these delegates came from union ranks, including six international union delegations and 177 affiliated locals and regional bodies. The Labor Party convention was the largest single gathering of union leaders since the AFL-CIO convention, which took place in the same hall in September 1997.

UE PRESENCE

UE was very much in evidence. With 106 delegates, UE boasted the second-largest international union delegation. The delegates came from almost 50 UE locals and every district.

Genl. Sec.-Treas. Bob Clark, who serves as co-chair of the Labor Party’s Interim National Council, welcomed delegates to Pittsburgh; pictured at right is OCAW Pres. Bob Wages, who was a convention co-chair. Clark said the convention sent a clear message to politicians that working people cannot be taken for granted.

UE rank-and-filers served on convention committees (listed below) and went to the floor microphones during debate. Genl. Sec.-Treas. Bob Clark, a co-chair of the party’s Interim National Council, greeted delegates on behalf of the party leadership and his union. Dir. of Org. Bob Kingsley emceed the rally that launched the LP campaign for Just Health Care. Genl. Pres. John Hovis spoke up for solidarity.

UE staff, too, played an important role in convention committees and the detailed work of such a huge undertaking — a fact noted by London, England’s Independent newspaper.

The news media came from far and near to cover the convention and had plenty to report. Speakers like consumer activist Ralph Nader, crusading film maker Michael Moore and Canadian Auto Workers President Buzz Hargrove supplied quotable quotes. The march and rally made good "copy," too. And then there were the delegates.

Interviewed individually or quoted while speaking on the floor, they were forceful, committed, passionate — and sometimes downright argumentative. And at this democratic convention, every point of view had its say.

UE Members and Staff
Who Served on Committees

UE members and staff serving on committees were District Two Pres. Judy Atkins, Local 1193 Pres. Mindy Williams, Intl. Rep. Carol Lambiase and Shirley Houston of District 11 on the Resolutions Committee; Local 111 Pres. Duane Yaindl and Ed Bruno, Organizing Committee; and Audrey Neff of the UE Legal Dept., Constitution Committee.

Contents

Previous - Next

UE News Labor Party Convention Coverage

From a UE perspective, here's a look at the Labor Party's First Constitutional Convention ...

Page One
Overview

Page Two
Strategies, Campaigns and Growth

Page Three
Just Health Care (rally and campaign)

Page Four
Speakers (Ralph Nader, Michael Moore, Buzz Hargrove, Cecil Roberts, Henry Nicholas, George Becker

Page Five
Solidarity Highlights Struggles, Champions

All photos
© Ron Flowers

More Info
Labor Party Convention Summaries

Here are the event-by-event summaries distributed to the delegates attending the Labor Party's First Constitutional Convention.

Index

Chapter Convention

Day One Summary
Convention Opens

Day Two Summary
Campaigns Launched ...

Day Three Summary
Finalizing the Convention