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CWA National Convention News
Your Local Delegates President Angela Guillory, Vice-President for Mobility John Richie, Secretary Karen Cook along with Alternate Chief Steward for Mobility Cheryl Dawson attended the District 6 Pre-Convention Caucus. There was discussion on the election process for the International Executive Board Officers and at-large members. We also discussed other convention meetings and the places those meetings would be held.
Your delegates and alternate attended the opening session of the 70th Convention. After the colors were presented and the singing of the National Anthems of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico the convention was handed over to the District 9 Vice-President. It is customary for the District Vice-President of the District the Convention is being held in to introduce the International Union President. This time was different because the District 2 Vice-President that is suffering and fighting against ALS or Lew Gehrig’s Disease came to the podium. Through his interpreting machine he praised President Cohen for his work in the Labor Movement and thanked the District 9 Vice-President for allowing him to introduce the President. The District 2 Vice-President is not running for another term due to his health and would not be in Washington D.C. next year to make his introduction. It was a very moving speech because ALS destroys the ability to speak and to express his thoughts. We then moved on to their business and heard a speech from the International Secretary/Treasurer Barbara Esterling on her retirement and what the Labor Movement has given her. She said that while things may not be good now, there are better days ahead. She retires after 57 years of service to the Labor Movement and her brothers and sisters in CWA. There was a resolution read that honored her service and it was adopted. Then we moved to a resolution to endorse Barak Obama for President of the United States. It was moved and adopted unanimously. We broke for lunch and when we returned we were joined by Senator Obama from New Mexico via satellite. He thanked us for our support and promised that he would put the working men and women of this country first and he would fight against corporate greed, and offer laws toward health care and employee free choice. There were then elections of the International Officers and sector Vice-Presidents. Then we elected the at-large members and District 6's own Claude Cummings, President of Local 6222 of Houston, was re-elected to the spot he was appointed to last year in Toronto. The convention was then put in recess to allow the Districts to go and elect their Vice-President. There was no opposition in District 6 and Andy Milburn was returned for another term. We then were in recess until tomorrow.
