Delegates must register by July 23; event runs August 17-19
INDUSTRIAL SECTOR (IS) LODGES have until July 23 to register their delegates for the second annual IS conference, to be held at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas August 17-19. Conference planners report that the event will offer a wealth of information, with plenary sessions for all participants and break-out sessions targeting specific areas.
Delegates can sign up by completing the forms mailed to each industrial lodge in February. Registration can also be handled online. In addition, registration forms may be downloaded and printed. Choose the registration form link on the sign-up page. Once printed, completed, and signed, the form can be faxed and/or e-mailed to the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Industrial Sector Services Department, Attn: Erica Turney, 753 State Avenue, Suite 570, Kansas City KS 66101.
Hotel room reservations must be handled separately by each lodge. The IS Services Department only processes the conference registration. To reserve hotel rooms, call Caesar’s Palace at 1-866-227-5944 and request the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers’ rate of $125 per night.
Lodges that are planning to send delegates are urged to obtain membership approval promptly to avoid missing the July 23 registration cut-off.
Conference offers something for everybody
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS will hear from speakers on topics of broad interest to union members as well as presenters offering nuts and bolts information on carrying out the duties of local lodge offices.
The keynote speaker is Elaine Bernard, executive director of the Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School, which conducts labor research and provides education through the Harvard Trade Union Program. Bernard is known for her frank presentation style. She has written and spoken widely about labor issues. Her topic for the conference is “Lighting Fires vs. Putting Them Out.”
Also addressing the plenary session will be Phee Jung-sun, Materials Sector sectional officer for the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine, and General Workers Union. ICEM includes over 460 industrial trade unions which collectively represent more than 20 million workers in 132 countries. Jung-sun will discuss the importance of global involvement in dealing with multinational corporations.
The conference will feature several half-day workshops. Robert Schwarz, author of The FMLA Handbook, will provide in-depth information about the Family and Medical Leave Act. Schwartz’s handbook is the most widely-used publication of its kind for labor unions.
Don Taylor, an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin’s School for Workers, will lead a workshop on building union power. Taylor brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in such areas as mobilization, leadership development, union communications, and contract campaign planning.
Among the other topics to be addressed are:
- Financial management for secretary-treasurers and auditors (including bookkeeping tips and an auditing workshop);
- Railroad-specific sessions on United Health Care, Railroad Retirement, conducting investigations, and other areas;
- Canada-specific sessions on arbitration, national plans, and safety;
- Shipbuilding-specific sessions on safety, legislative news, federal personnel policy, and the Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act; and
- Boilermaker history.
Sessions will be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Tuesday through Thursday. Lunch will be provided, and there will be a reception on Monday evening before sessions begin. Delegates should arrange to check into the hotel on Monday, August 16, and leave Friday, August 20.
