Departments

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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