It is only the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, but the leadership and political activists of the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades have already been hard at work in the days leading up to today’s official open.
On Saturday, IUPAT General President Kenneth Rigmaiden served on the Convention Rules Committee with a number of other union and political leaders. Among one of the more debated issues was the passing of the Unity Amendment. The purpose of this initiative is to create a commission to examine the nomination process and delegates, more specifically the superdelegates. General President Rigmaiden called on his fellow members in the committee pass the amendment.
Then, on Sunday afternoon, members of the IUPAT delegation attended a rally with fellow union members where AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka directed union members and leaders to bring the message of the labor movement to the rest of the convention delegates, and how organized labor will make the difference in this election.
“Nobody works harder than the labor movement, and nobody does it better,” said Trumka. “We are the American labor movement and we won’t be denied!”
Today, the IUPAT delegates attend a number of events to unite the organized labor movement to put Hillary Clinton in the White House. One of the featured speakers on Monday evening is North American Building Trades Unions President Sean McGarvey. The IUPAT will be there!