On Friday, delegates finished consideration of resolutions dealing with several union matters, including an emphasis on the importance of using and funding political action in the U.S. and Canada.
The Resolutions Committee was chaired by Tacoma, Wash., Local 483 Business Manager Alice Phillips, with Folsom, N.J., Local 351 Business Manager Daniel Cosner acting as the committee’s secretary. The committee made the resolution recommendations that were acted upon by delegates on Friday morning.
Resolutions are non-binding, but they articulate the delegates’ beliefs on important issues and influence IBEW policy going forward. Below are actions taken on Friday after discussions by delegates.
Resolutions Passed
Delegates approved the committee’s recommendations of concurrence for the following resolutions:
Resolution 34: Encourages locals to use all available political tools provided by the AFL-CIO and IBEW International Office.
Resolution 35: Notes that the IBEW encourages all U.S. locals to cultivate fundraising programs to strengthen members’ participation in political action and to build the union’s national political fund. Seeks these locals’ commitment to raise at least $12 per member, per year, for the national IBEW PAC. Encourages all U.S. locals to negotiate a payroll deduction or political “check-off” with their employers with donations forwarded to the IBEW PAC for use in helping to elect candidates supported by locals. Discourages U.S. locals from operating their own PACs because of reporting requirements and the possibility of duplicate contributions, which could result in fines, and instead send contributions to the federally registered IBEW PAC. Notes that having one federally registered IBEW PAC shows IBEW members’ determination, strength, commitment and wish to create a U.S. where working people’s needs are prioritized over corporations, where millions have access to good, living-wage jobs, and where family-sustaining careers are the rule.
Resolution 36: States that the IBEW encourages all locals in Canada to cultivate fundraising programs designed to strengthen members’ participation in political action and to build up the union’s national political fund in that country. Urges all local in Canada to recommit to raising at least $10 per member, per year, to the IBEW First District PAC Fund.
Resolution 37: Encourages all IBEW members to receive The Electrical Worker newspaper electronically, and the International President to implement a policy requiring that all new IBEW members receive The Electrical Worker electronically.