Departments
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Region 8 Civil/Human Rights
Conference
LUPA 3520/Jeff Hicks
The Region 8 Civil Rights Conference was held
May 15 and 16 2007 in Charlotte North Carolina. Locals from all
over the region sent a number of delegates, which packed the Holiday
Inn Conference Room.
The Conference was coordination between the Region’s Education
Dept and Region 8 Civil/Human Rights President Ricky McDowell.
The Conference had a host of Speakers with loads
of information. Some of the speakers were James Andrews President
NC AFL-CIO, Billy Sanders Supervisor EEOC, Margie Worthy APRI,
Woody Woodard President Statesville NAACP, Millie Smith Civil/Human
Rights Dept. and Vice President Terry Thurman. Of course, you
can’t have a conference in NC without a presentation from
the Smithfield Workers.
VP Thurman gave a presentation on organizing in the South and
the difficulty the International is facing. Terry gave Region
8 Director Gary Casteel high praise on his recent efforts, which
he has done with organizing. Terry’s presentation pointed
out the goals and the shops that the UAW is looking at organizing.
Terry stressed the importance of allowing workers to organize
without the intimidation from the Boss. “Every organized
worker’s living standards are much better than the unorganized.”
After 2 days of Speakers, Reports, Presentations, and Raffles
for V-CAP, Region 8 Director Gary Casteel gave his personal speech
to all the delegates. He spoke of the uncertainties that some
locals are facing and his mission on growing the membership in
the Region 8 jurisdiction. He spoke on the status of some of the
organizing drives and which ones, he felt that was ready for a
Vote. After the dismissal, the Delegates boarded a bus, for a
short trip to Rock Hill SC. The
trip to Rock Hill allowed the delegates to eat at the Historic
Old Town Bistro, which has the original White-Only counter; that
the Friendship Nine sat at, in pursuit of their Civil Liberties
in the 60s. According to delegate Gene Holleman from Local 3520,
“It was a very moving experience to actually meet 2 of the
original nine who sat at the counter.”
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