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5/1/2025 — Dear NOLSW UAW 2320 Members:
Happy Spring! As a reminder, you should be in the process of conducting elections for your National Joint Council delegates. This step is required in order to register.
Under NOLSW Bylaws, each unit is entitled to send two (2) Representatives to the National Joint Council (NJC), one of whom is subsidized by NOLSW. In the event the Unit Chairperson is unable to attend, the unit may elect and appoint an alternate representative to be subsidized. Units may send Additional Representatives based on availability, who must be elected by the membership and whose attendance will be sponsored by unit funds. Elections shall be by a majority of those votes cast, and contested elections shall be conducted by secret ballot.
Election Guidelines for NOLSW Units
In order to conduct elections, first ensure that you have all unit members’ personal emails. Elections cannot be done using work emails. You can, however, use your work emails to request that members send you their personal email address. You may request from Management a current membership list and compare it to your existing list. Only members in good standing (still employed and paying dues) may participate in elections. You may then solicit nominations from membership. Following the confirmation of nominations, you may announce the election to your unit members. Elections should be conducted via Opavote or ElectionBuddy providing two weeks’ notice, emailing members to announce the election and at least one more time with a reminder. Email unit treasurer and chair for reimbursement of any expenses. Announce election results with the membership over email and at the next meeting.
If your unit has already completed elections for the 2025 NJC delegates, please remind representatives to register here. Following registration, details for booking travel and reserving a hotel room will be sent directly. Lastly, please do not forget to respond to our Lobby Day survey.
Resources:
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TO: NOLSW UNIT OFFICERS AND MEMBERS FROM: PAMELA SMITH
DATE: APRIL 11, 2025
Dear Members:
Every eighteen months, we gather as a community to educate ourselves, organize our members, and activate key issues affecting NOLSW and the communities we serve at the National Joint Council (NJC). We are excited to announce that this year’s convening will take place at Live! Casino & Hotel in Maryland, from July 20 to July 23, 2025!
We are currently curating plenary sessions and workshops that focus on strengthening our union and building our communities. As our democracy and human rights face increasing attacks, it is urgent for us to renew our solidarity with one another. These past few months have only emphasized the need to sharpen our tools and leverage our collective power against the growing influence of billionaire interests.
The Trump administration continues to implement policies that disproportionately harm working people and those most vulnerable, particularly immigrants, people of color, and women. With efforts to roll back protections and escalate deportation measures, immigrant workers and their families face increased risks of exploitation, discrimination, and limited legal recourse. It is crucial that we stand firm in advocating for the rights of these communities—many of whom form the backbone of the labor movement in the United States—and ensure they have access to justice. There has never been a more important time to apply the union values of solidarity and unity than now.
We recognize that many of you are already actively engaged in opposing these harmful measures. So many of our members work in organizations that are supported through federal grants or other potentially impacted funds that allow them to defend clients against eviction, to support the needs of unaccompanied minors, and to provide necessary mental and physical healthcare services for vulnerable populations. Any reductions in federal funding for the programs where our members work would have a devastating impact on our members and the communities they serve. For our union colleagues working with federally funded programs, please know that we are fully committed to
safeguarding the vital work you do in supporting your clients, and that all NOLSW members stand with you.
To that end, we are planning a Lobby Day in Washington, D.C., during the 2025 NJC. This will be an opportunity for NOLSW members to meet with lawmakers, advocate for increased funding for our programs, and push back against corrupt interpretations of the law. Please have your members complete this survey and interest form on lobbying issues.
We hope to see you there, ready to engage, strengthen our collective voice, and take bold action for the future of our union and of the working class at large.
If you have any questions, please call your unit organizer or the national office at (800) UAW-2320.
In Solidarity,
Pamela L. Smith
UNIT REPRESENTATION AT THE NATIONAL JOINT COUNCIL
Under NOLSW Bylaws, each unit is entitled to send two (2) Representatives to the National Joint Council (NJC), one of whom is the unit Chairperson. Units may send Additional Representatives based on availability. All Representatives, other than the Unit Chairperson, must be elected by the membership. Election shall be by a majority of those votes cast and contested elections shall be conducted by secret ballot.
Subsidized and Additional Representatives have voting rights, as determined by their delegation, up to the total amount of votes provided in the Bylaws of NOLSW, UAW Local 2320.
Subsidized Representatives: NOLSW will subsidize one Representative from each unit. The registration fee for the subsidized representative is $250 which includes NJC materials, some meals during the NJC and airfare. The unit is responsible for paying for the hotel and other incidental expenses. Subsidized unit representatives must use the union designated travel agent to purchase airline tickets.
Additional Representatives: The registration fee is $500 which includes NJC materials and some meals during the NJC. The unit is responsible for the travel costs, hotel and other incidental expenses. Additional Representatives may use the union designated travel agent to purchase airline tickets, but must provide their own method of payment or designate on the registration form that the airline tickets and/or registration fees may be deducted from the unit's Centrally Maintained Account. Authorization to deduct fees from the CMA must be signed by the Unit Chairperson and Unit Treasurer.
Guests: The registration fee for pre-approved guests is $500 per adult or $250 for children ages 7-18 (children under the age of 7 are free) which includes some meals during the NJC. The guest is responsible for their own travel costs, hotel and other incidental expenses during the NJC. Guests may use the union designated travel agent to purchase airline tickets, but must provide their own method of payment. All guests must be pre-approved by NOLSW President or Financial Secretary-Treasurer consistent with conference capacity.
Hotel Costs: NOLSW has negotiated a reduced rate of $164 per night plus tax (14%) at the Live! Casino & Hotel located at 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Suite 7777, Hanover, MD, 21076. A major credit card will be required when making a reservation. All representatives must stay at the Live! Casino & Hotel. Unit representatives will not be reimbursed for charges at any other hotel.
Registration: Linked is a Registration form that must be completed by the Unit Chair or Unit Treasurer for each Representative (Subsidized or Additional). Registration fees must be paid at the time the form is submitted unless the unit requests them to be deducted from their Unit’s Centrally Maintained Account.
We are in the process of setting up an online portal for booking your travel directly along with a link for reserving your hotel room. We hope this system will facilitate your NJC planning and we appreciate your patience as we finalize these last steps. Please keep an eye out for more details and instructions on accessing the portal in the next several weeks!
If you have any questions, please call your unit organizer or the national office at (800) UAW-2320.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS MAY 30,2025
AIRLINE RESERVATION DEADLINE IS JUNE 6, 2025
HOTEL RESERVATION DEADLINE IS JUNE 6, 2025
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