International Staff Conference focuses on 2018 Growth Target

UFCW International President Joe Hansen talking to the union’s international staff about the importance of organizing and their role in achieving the 2018 Growth Target.

National President Wayne Hanley highlighting UFCW Canada’s organizing efforts at the union’s Growth Retreat in Silver Springs, MD.

Over 250 UFCW International staff representatives from across North America recently gathered in Silver Springs, MD to participate in a special international staff conference called the Growth Retreat.

The three day conference took place at the National Labor College just north of Washington D.C. and focused on the role of strategic organizing campaigns in achieving the 2018 Growth Target, which mandates the union to double its membership over the next 7 years. The 2018 Growth Target was unanimously endorsed by delegates to the union’s Sixth Regular Convention, held three summers ago in Montreal.

The Growth Retreat featured several panel discussions and presentations about national and international campaigns, including OUR Walmart, Fix Fresh and Easy, and the Retail Action Project, or RAP for short.

The conference participants also took part in a series of workshops that offered international staff a number of helpful tips and insights on effective messaging, new technologies, research and the law.

“The Growth Retreat was a great opportunity to find out what the union’s international office is doing to help workers across North America to empower themselves and improve their lives through collective action,” says UFCW Canada National President Wayne Hanley, who attended the international staff conference with several other members of the UFCW Canada national staff.

“The ideas, energy and enthusiasm of the conference really demonstrated why the UFCW is a leading force in the modern labour movement, and the presentations, in particular, showcased a number of strong campaign strategies and approaches that certainly have the potential to support our efforts in Canada,” adds Brother Hanley.

Vol. XI No. 22 • May 30, 2011