Westin Convention Center Hotel
1000 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh PA 15222
April 29-30, 2008

To:  USW Local Union Presidents and Recording Secretaries in the U.S. Paper Sector

Greetings:

RE:     National Paper Bargaining Conference – April 29-30, 2008

After consulting with local leadership and staff, we have determined there is broad agreement about the need to convene a third Paper Industry Bargaining Conference to be held in Pittsburgh, PA on April 29 and 30, 2008.  The Council Chairs will be sending notice of scheduled Company Council meeting arrangements (day, time and meeting room) under separate cover. You should hold off on making travel arrangements until you receive notice of a Council Meeting which may be held before, after or in conjunction with the Conference. If your local is not affiliated with a Company Council and is therefore in the Multi-Employer Council there will be a meeting with the Multi-Employer Council on the afternoon of Wednesday, April 30 to listen to concerns and continue to develop strategy. Locals in the Multi-Employer Council should make flight arrangements for after 5:00 p.m. on April 30 or any time on May 1. 
 
            At this important conference, we will continue to provide expert information with you about the state of the paper industry’s finances and competitive standing, as well as the impact of globalization on our jobs and the future of North American production. We will also hear from each other on the successes our solidarity has secured in bargaining, will forge a strategy together for building on these successes while addressing the challenges that persist both at and beyond the bargaining table, including our safety and health at work.

Most importantly, from our briefings and discussions we hope to develop working strategies for continuing to build activist capacities within our locals for bargaining, communicating and safety/health initiatives, along with legislative strategies to combat threats to the paper industry posed by globalization – all essential steps for ongoing progress.

Conference Registration

In order to cover the conference costs and a reception, a registration fee of $50 per participant has been set.

To assist in planning, we ask that you register in advance through one of these three options: (1) internet; (2) fax; or (3) regular mail (see particulars below). The enclosed Registration Form must be completed and returned by April 4, 2008. 

To continue to build communication and bargaining capacity in the paper sector, we ask that you pay close attention to two items enclosed with this letter.  First, on the Registration Form, please provide us at least one e-mail address for your local union (and preferably an e-mail address for each local in attendance).  No company e-mail accounts please.  If your local does not have an e-mail address, you can create a free account at www.hotmail.com or www.yahoo.com.

            Second, due to continuous changes in the paper sector, we need to update our database as to product lines at each facility. Please be sure to fill out the enclosed Product Line Information Form on the primary, secondary and other product lines at each facility your local represents. Please return the Product Line Information Form WITH the Registration Form. If you have any questions, please call Karen Draper at (615) 831-6773.
 
Here are the particulars of the three registration alternatives:

1. Internet registration.  Go to the www.usw.org home page and click on Paper Conference Registration and complete the Registration Form. Then mail your completed Product Line Information Form along with your registration fees to USW District 2, c/o Joyce Russotto, 1244A Midway Road, Menasha, WI 54952.
   
   
2. Fax registration.  Complete the enclosed Registration Form and Product Line Information Form and fax them to (920) 722-7634 and mail your fees to the address above in (1).
   
   
3. Mail Registration.  Mail your completed enclosed Registration Form and Product Line Information Form along with appropriate fee(s) to the address above in (1).

Hotel Information

A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved at the Westin Convention Center Hotel, 1000 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.  The room rate is $110 per night (single/double). Please note that this hotel is non-smoking. The deadline for reservations is April 4, 2008.  Delegates should make their own reservations by calling 1-800-WESTIN1 and refer to the group rate for the USW Paper Conference. See the enclosed information on transportation options from the airport to the Westin Hotel. The cutoff date for room reservations is April 4, 2008.

Please use the following link to make your hotel reservation at the Omni William Penn

Airline Transportation

In cooperation with Gateway Travel Management, we have made special arrangements for air transportation to the Conference.  At your option, reservations may be made with Gateway by calling (877) 439-0374.  When calling, please identify yourself as a participant in the USW Paper Conference and refer to code G5157.