Rebuilding Labor`s Power

Labor Notes
7435 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48210
Join a thousand activists from unions,
worker centers, and grassroots movements
for the conference that’s putting the
movement back in the labor movement!
Non-Profit
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Detroit
ALLIED
MAILING
Permit
# 1939
& PRINTING
Rebuilding Labor’s Power
Labor Notes Conference
April 11-13, 2008
Dearborn, Michigan
www.labornotes.org
Conference Details:
Schedule: Early workshops and special interest meetings begin 1 p.m. Friday, April 11, with the opening main
session at 7 p.m. Events continue until 3 p.m. Sunday, April 13.
Registration: $115 ($120 Cdn). Get $35 OFF if registered by February 15! Includes Saturday banquet. Some
scholarships available. Please support the scholarship fund by registering as a sustainer or making a contribution.
Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel, Dearborn, Michigan: a union hotel near the Detroit Metro Airport.
Room Rates: Single/double $111, triple $131, quad $151. You must mention “Labor Notes Conference” for these
rates. To reserve, call 313-593-1234 or book online at http://dearborn.hyatt.com/groupbooking/d005.
Air Travel: Fly Northwest Airlines and get 7% off if you book your ticket by March 8 (5% discount after March
8). To book online go to www.nwa.com and select the “NWA Discount Travel E-Cert Redemption” link on the flight
search page. When prompted for “E-Cert Fare, electronic voucher or meeting agreement” select “Meeting Agreement/
WorldFile Number” and enter the promotion code NMDCZ. Northwest provides reservation assistance at 1-800328-1111. Labor Notes will periodically send information on other discounted flights from major U.S. cities over our
email list. Go to www.labornotes.org/eblast to sign up.
Childcare: Available for a fee for children over 1 year. Request by March 1.
For More Info: Call Labor Notes at 313-842-6262 • conference@labornotes.org • www.labornotes.org
Register Now! Get the Early Registration Discount ($35) before February 15.
Name
_________________________________________
Address
_________________________________________
City/State/Zip
_________________________________________
Union/Organization
_________________________________________
Phone
_________________________________________
Email
_________________________________________
£ Enclosed is the registration fee of $115 ($120 Cdn) or $80 ($85 Cdn)
if registered before February 15. Checks payable to Labor Notes.
£ Enclosed is the sustainers registration fee of $150 ($160 Cdn).
£ I would like to sponsor a low-wage worker to attend the conference.
Enclosed is my donation of $__________.
£ Charge my: £ Visa £ MasterCard £ AmEx £ Discover
$__________ Card Number_______-_______-_______-_______
Expiration Date (Month/Year) _________ Security Code _______
£ The registration rate includes the Saturday night banquet.
I prefer a £ vegetarian or £ vegan meal.
£ Please send me ____ brochures to recruit others.
£ I want help recruiting others in my area. Please contact me.
£ I will need childcare for ___ children, ages ____________.
(A fee will apply. Must register by March 1.)
Only partial refunds will be made after March 30.
Return to Labor Notes, 7435 Michigan Ave., Detroit, MI 48210 or register online at www.labornotes.org
Conference themes include:
• The Workplace: What does organizing on the
shop floor have to do with rebuilding labor’s
power?
• Fighting Concessions: With companies
everywhere crying broke we will discuss what
we can do to fight back rather than give back.
• Organizing: Organizing strategies that work to
increase our numbers.
• Health Care Now: How can labor respond to the
problem of our broken health care system?
• Grassroots Solidarity: How do we build lasting
connections between unions, workers centers,
and other labor activists?
• Immigrant Rights: How can the labor
movement deepen our alliances with
workers fighting for a right to live and work
free of government harassment and employer
intimidation?
• International Solidarity vs. Competition:
Overcoming the race to the bottom by building
solidarity across borders.
It’s energy like this that
keeps labor activists
coming back to the
Labor Notes Conference,
year after year. This is
our chance to celebrate
our victories, take stock
of our setbacks, and
prepare for the future.
Over 40 workshops including:
• Labor History
• Flyers and Newsletters
• Assertive Grievance Handling
• Internal Organizing: Key to a Strong Union
• Getting Ahead of Globalization
• Taking Control of the Workplace: A "Continuous
Bargaining" Approach
• Contract Campaigns
• Fighting “Blame the Worker” Health and Safety
Programs
• Running for Local Union Office
• Dealing with the Media
• Strategic Planning: Building a Strong Local
• Creative Tactics
• Pension Crisis 101
• Strike Strategy
Rebuilding Labor’s Power
Participants include*:
Leonard Riley, ILA Local
Local 1422;
1422; Elena
Elena Herrada,
Herrada,Centro
CentroObrero
Obrero
Detroit; Christine Newman-Ortiz,
Newman-Ortiz, Voces
Voces de
de lalaFrontera;
Frontera;Patricia
Patricia
Campbell, Independent
Independent Workers
Workers Union,
Union, Ireland;
Ireland;Ashaki
AshakiBinta,
Binta,
United Electrical Worker
Worker Local
Local 150/International
150/InternationalWorkers
Workers
Justice Campaign; Todd
Todd Jordan,
Jordan, UAW
UAW Local
Local 292;
292;Ed
EdMichaels,
Michaels,
Rail Workers United;
United; Louis
Louis Rocha,
Rocha, CWA
CWA Local
Local9423;
9423;Ellen
Ellen
David Friedman, Vermont
Vermont Progressive
Progressive Party/Vermont
Party/VermontWorkers
Workers
Center; Anton Marcus,
Marcus, Free
Free Trade
Trade Zone
Zone and
and General
GeneralServices
Services
Employees Union, Sri
Centers
Sri Lanka;
Lanka; José
José Oliva,
Oliva, Workers’
Chicago Interfaith
Network
Interfaith
Worker
Justice;Jr.,
BillCenter
Fletcher
Center
Workers' for
Rights
Center;
Bill Fletcher
for Jr.,
Labor
for
Labor Rose
Renewal;
Ann California
DeMoro, California
Nurses
Renewal;
AnnRose
DeMoro,
Nurses Association;
Association;
York University/retired
assistant
to
Sam Gindin,Sam
YorkGindin,
University/retired
assistant to CAW
President;
CAW
President;
Baldemar
Farm Labor
Organizing
Baldemar
Velásquez,
FarmVelásquez,
Labor Organizing
Committee;
Peter
Committee;
Peter
Rachleff,at
Labor
Education
at Macalester
Rachleff, Labor
Education
Macalester
College;
Beatriz Maya,
College;
Beatriz
Maya, Farm
Labor Organizing
Committee;
Farm Labor
Organizing
Committee;
Amirul Haque
Amin,
Amirul
Amin,
National
GarmentBangladesh;
Workers Federation,
NationalHaque
Garment
Workers
Federation,
Lakesha
Bangladesh;
LakeshaLocal
Harrison,
Local 3299;
Chrisfor
Harrison, AFSCME
3299;AFSCME
Chris Ramsaroop,
Justice
Ramsaroop,
JusticeMark
for Migrant
Workers;
Mark Dimondstein,
Migrant Workers;
Dimondstein,
American
Postal Workers
American
Postal
Union Local
771; International
Yanira Merino,
Union Local
771;Workers
Yanira Merino,
Laborers'
Union
Laborers’
International
Union
of North
America;
of North America;
Phyllis
Walker,
AFSCME
LocalPhyllis
3800...Walker,
join us
AFSCME
and other
activists
and and
and other Local
union 3800...
activistsjoin
andusleaders
fromunion
the U.S.,
Canada
leaders
the U.S., Canada and all over the world!
all over from
the world!
* Affiliation
only
Affiliationfor
foridentification
identificationpurposes
purposes
only
Members to attend from:
Teamsters for a Democratic Union; New Orleans Worker
Center for Racial Justice; Jobs with Justice; Rail Workers
United; CILAS/Labor Research Center, Mexico; Association for
Union Democracy; Black Workers for Justice; Transnationals
Information Exchange; Coalition of Immokalee Workers;
Justice@Smithfield Campaign; Student Labor Action Project;
TEL/Labor Studies Center, Argentina; Longshore Workers
Coalition; United Workers, Baltimore... and many more!
Meet and strategize by union, industry,
or interest:
Meeting of auto workers, Teamsters, longshore
workers, worker centers, Canadian labor activists,
young workers, teachers, telecom workers, public
sector workers, non-majority unions, airline
workers, cross-union building trades activists, laborcommunity alliances and many more.
Labor Notes Conference • April 11-13, 2008
www.labornotes.org
Rose Ann DeMoro • Executive Director, California Nurses Association
“Labor must be in the forefront of the broad social movement we need to win single-payer health care reform. For unions,
it is the only solution to the escalating employer demands for health care takeaways and cost shifting, and the best way to
fight outsourcing of jobs to other countries. The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee is
a longtime critic of corporate, insurance-based medical care and incremental reforms. We look forward to working with
other labor activists at the Labor Notes Conference on this fundamental campaign.”
José Oliva •Workers’ Centers Network for Interfaith Worker Justice
“You bet I’ll be at the 2008 Labor Notes Conference! Since the mad media looks at immigrants as scapegoats and unions
as greedy and ineffective, it’s a great opportunity for workers centers to build ties with low-wage workers and union activists to stop this continued onslaught. Labor Notes is where the best ideas I’ve heard come from and where I am reminded
why we’re still fighting!”
Todd Jordan • Member, UAW Local 292
“I’ll be at the Labor Notes Conference because after this year’s contract talks with the Big 3 auto companies, it’s more important than ever that auto workers, particularly newer members, have a chance to meet one another and strategize about
how we can work together for better contracts.”