Rapid Response Congressional Coordinator Training

A Rapid Response Congressional Coordinator Training was held March 5 - 7, 2008 in Atlantic City, NJ.

Pennsylvania State Rapid Response Coordinator, Bob McAuliffe welcomed the participants and invited them to get active in the challenges that lie ahead.

District 10 Director, John DeFazio opened the conference training and was followed with speeches from Assistant District 10 Director John Zanetti and Rapid Response Coordinator Steve Rasley.

The USW Director of Rapid Response, Tim Waters informed members that the Rapid Response Program was started in 1996 when the USW leadership decided to implement a program that would educate and mobilize the membership, to take action and inform elected legislatures of our position to specific pending legislation. He said, "We must keep the pressure on our elected officials." He stressed to keep our members informed as to what the issues are for the sake of workers in America and around the world.

Over the next two days the conference had many outstanding speakers.

Billy George, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, spoke with a passion that only Billy can do, about the upcoming 2008 elections and how we should prepare to get mobilized. He said that we must draw a line in the sand and show America what organized labor can do.

Mickey Bolt, Rapid Response Coordinator (PA-Congressional Dist.3) & ReUNION - a project that began as an effort to reach out to retirees on important public policy issues. ReUNION is now part of the Alliance for American Manufacturing.

Charlie Kernaghan, Executive Director of the National Labor Council, was introduced. He provided information on medical supplies are being shipped offshore, corporations that are investing millions of dollars in foreign countries and how workers are being exploited in those countries.