Thank you to all the delegates that attended our first virtual convention from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. A summary of the events and speeches is available here. We hope to see you in person at our next convention in 2022!
Wisconsin State AFL-CIO 31st Biennial ConventionWI AFL-CIO 31st Biennial Convention
1pm Wednesday, September 30th, 2020
Webcast Live from the Fiserv Forum
Home of the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley shares his support and solidarity for workers organizing @iammam_union @ibewlocal494 Colectivo coffee in Milwaukee. #virtual2020 #WIunion pic.twitter.com/mapk0saFBl
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) September 30, 2020
We just heard from Senator Tammy Baldwin about the importance of union power at the polls and voting booth in order to advance our shared values of justice and fairness for all.
Election Day is just around the corner on November 3, 2020. Union members are ready to work overtime and mobilize like never before to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House, as well as elect a host of pro-worker candidates to Congress and the state legislature for Wisconsin.
Sign-up to get involved with our Labor 2020 campaign at WI AFL-CIO Mobilize.
Our virtual phone banks will help union members register to vote, request absentee ballots, and get ready to safely vote in-person this November. When we vote, we win.
Request your absentee ballot at My Vote Wisconsin and return as soon as possible.
We encourage all delegates to get involved with our Labor 2020 union member mobilization program today.
Thank you Gov. Evers for joining the #virtual2020 convention live! Thank you for your work to protect the health and safety of Wisconsin's working people. pic.twitter.com/COk5hRo6JG
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) September 30, 2020
Welcome delegates. We hope you are enjoying the Virtual 2020 convening of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO.
We want to see how you are viewing and participating in our convention. Send in a selfie of your at-home set up, or send in a short video of why you are pumped up and ready to get to work to elect Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on November 3, 2020.
Pets, babies, and any at-home union pride displays are welcome! Send your set up to solidarity@wisaflcio.org.
The @PFFW Honor Guard Presentation of the Colors looks a little different in our virtual 2020 convention. pic.twitter.com/3glxS025KO
— WI AFL-CIO (@wisaflcio) September 30, 2020
Wednesday, September 30, 2020 01:10pm
Reports Are In
Report of the Rules Committee was read by George Walls, Communications Workers of America, and adopted by the delegates. The Report of the Credentials Committee was read by Mike Follett, IBEW Local 2150 and adopted by the delegates. Scott Van Derven, National Association of Letter Carriers, read the report of the Resolutions Committee and all Resolutions were adopted by delegates.
Delegates can view resolutions, and additional information on the delegate only section of the virtual 2020 website at URL.
Joining us today, both live and virtually, are invited guests including:
- Governor Tony Evers
- Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes
- Senator Tammy Baldwin
- Congressman Mark Pocan
- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett
- Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley
- AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka
- Attorney General Josh Kaul
- Author and labor reporter Steven Greenhouse
- Economist and author Gordon Lafer
- Wisconsin State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski
- Representative Gordon Hintz
- Laura Dresser, Associate Director of COWS
- Alex Lasry, Senior Vice President of the Milwaukee Bucks
- Sheila Cochran, President of the Wisconsin Regional Training Partnership
- Senator Janet Bewley
And Vice President Joe Biden!
Stay tuned for important updates and news from the Virtual 2020 Convention.
The 31st Biennial Convention of the Wisconsin State AFL-CIO kicked off Wednesday, September 30, 2020 by virtual live stream from the union-built Fiserv Forum. We are now live!
Delegates are ready to hear from elected officials, labor leaders, renown authors, thought and policy leaders, and more.
President Bloomingdale called the Convention to Order. Mahlon Mitchell, President of the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin, and members the Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Honor Guard presented the colors. Reverend Teresa Thomas-Boyd provided an Invocation. Pam Fendt, President of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council welcomed delegates.
This is an important time for all of us in the labor movement. The only way forward is to organize and build power for workers and our communities together as one united movement. The importance of having a voice on the job and strong unions is critical for the well-being of all of Wisconsin’s working men and women, our families, and our communities.
This year, 2020, has been a year that has seen great challenges for workers across our state and country. From a global health pandemic that has underscored the need for safe workplaces and healthcare access, to historic job losses impacting millions of Americans, to a reckoning with long-standing structural racism and injustice. Working people united through our unions remain the greatest force to deliver safety and equality at work, healthier communities with healthcare for all and social, racial, and economic justice.
Now is the time for us to come together safely in unity to organize and vote to strengthen our voices, build power, and advance the rights of all working people. We must put in the work to elect candidates this November 3 who will prioritize workers and our unions.
We must make sure all who can vote, do, and work to expand participation in democracy.
As Wisconsin union members, we stand together to fight for the health, safety, and freedom of every worker so that we can have a strong and stable economic recovery with an expanded middle class now and for the next generation to come.
Our Virtual 2020 Convention will address the issues of this moment and feature important speakers, Labor 2020 campaign news, updates on critical issues facing Wisconsin’s workers and more.
See you at the virtual convention!
EarthCam has released a time-lapse video of the construction of the union-built Fiserv Forum.
Many union men and women, including members of the Wisconsin District Council of Laborers, Ironworkers Local 8, Operating Engineers Local 139, Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 18, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 7, Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen of Wisconsin, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International Union, Boilermakers Union, Elevator Constructors Union Local 15, Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons Local 599, Heat and Frost Insulators Local 19, Plumbers Union Local 75, Sprinkler Fitters Union Local 183, Steamfitters Union Local 601, Roofers Union Local 65, Tile and Terrazzo Layers Protective Union Local 5 and more worked on this project!
The Fiserv Forum was built by union members! Completed in 2018 after just over two years of construction, it was building trades union men and women whose hard work, skills, and dedication took the site from rubble to wow.
A Project Labor Agreement was used to ensure good wages for local workers, project safety, and develop a career pipeline for skilled construction workers. The project was completed under budget and ahead of schedule.
Thank you to all the skilled union tradespeople that made this Milwaukee icon possible!
The Fiserv Forum is a multi-purpose arena. It is home to the Milwaukee Bucks NBA Team and Marquette Eagles basketball teams. The arena hosts concerts and live shows. The programs and shows of the Fiserv Forum are brought to life by union men and women.
Members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 18 work creatively behind the scenes on lighting, sound, stage set up, rigging and more to make the magic of live entertainment come to life. Members of the Milwaukee Area Service and Hospitality Organizations pour the beer, cook the food, provide security, usher fans to seats, welcome guests and more. SEIU Local 1 members also work at Fiserv Forum.
We look forward to when we can all gather and enjoy in-person events safely again. Until then, we will continue to support union members and all working people in every way we can. The Virtual 2020 Convention of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO is a union-made show!
For the continued health and safety of our members and our communities during the coronavirus pandemic, the 31st Biennial Convention of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO will be held virtually. We will be streaming live from the union-built Fiserv Forum on Wednesday, September 30, 2020 starting at 1:00 p.m.
All credentialed delegates will receive an invitation email with a unique login to attend the convention.
Get ready for exciting speakers, updates from our officers, and a great virtual gathering.
Download the latest version of zoom, follow the instructions outlined in your invite, and let our team know if you have any questions!
