Clinton to Address Letter Carriers’ Convention; Over 8,800 Delegates Heading to Boston Event
Over 8,800 letter carriers are planning to convene in Boston July 21-25 as delegates to the 66th Biennial National Convention of the National Association of Letter Carriers — the largest convention among AFL-CIO unions.
The week-long event at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) will bring together unionized mail carriers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam. The 303,000-member union, founded in 1889, represents active and retired city letter carriers employed by the U.S. Postal Service.
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), who the union had endorsed for president, will address delegates on Monday, July 21. The NALC was among the earliest unions to back Clinton.
NALC President William H. Young will deliver a keynote address July 21 shortly after the convention convenes.
Young had abstained from voting – pending action by his convention – when the AFL-CIO recently endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). The NALC convention is expected to vote on an endorsement resolution on July 21.
NALC has cancelled the traditional opening reception initially scheduled for Sunday evening, July 20 at the BCEC in support of members of Local 26 of the UNITE-HERE union who are engaged in a bitter contract dispute with Aramark Corporation, the firm that handles food service at the convention site. The NALC also cancelled all food services at the Convention Center during workshops and general sessions throughout the week and has moved breakfast workshops to the Westin Boston Waterfront hotel.
During the convention, delegates will discuss issues critical to the future of the Postal Service including efforts to stop contracting out of letter carrier positions by the Postal Service, the work of special task force to evaluate postal delivery routes, and resolutions and constitutional amendments submitted by delegates.
In addition to Senator Clinton, speakers scheduled to address the convention include: Boston Mayor Thomas Menino; Reps. John Tierney and Michael Capuano, both (D-MA), and John McHugh (R-NY); American Postal Workers Union President William Burrus; Alan Kessler, Chairman, USPS Board of Governors; Michael Critelli, executive chairman of the board, Pitney Bowes Inc.; Bill Disbrow, president and CEO, Valpak; Philip Bowyer, deputy general secretary, Union Network International; Stephen Fitzpatrick, general secretary, Communications Workers Union, Ireland; and Dean Baker, co-director, Center for Economic and Policy Research.
Registration will be July 19 and 20. General sessions will begin Monday, July 21 at 10 a.m. and continue daily through July 25. Workshops will occur daily beginning at 7:30 a.m. prior to the session, and again in the afternoon following adjournment.