Letter from LiUNA General President Terry O'Sullivan

TO ALL DISTRICT COUNCILS AND AFFILIATED LOCAL UNIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA 

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

The health and safety of our LIUNA members and their families are always our greatest concern and priority. Right now, we know coronavirus (COVID-19) poses a serious health hazard and is highly contagious. However, to our immense frustration, there is much we do not know, including the extent to which North Americans have already been exposed to the infection but have not yet been diagnosed or developed symptoms. The impact is not the same for everyone and some areas and places are under more immediate threat than others. Risks in particular places will change, possibly quite quickly, over time. In an effort to control the spread of this disease, health officials are increasingly advising aggressive action with respect to public gatherings. We have received inqumes from a number of affiliates about conducting regular monthly delegate and membership meetings. If we err, it will be on the side of caution to protect the health of Laborers. After speaking with our Regional Offices, I am granting a general constitutional variance authorizing District Council and Local Union Business Managers to cancel March and April delegate or membership meetings. Please notify Regional Offices immediately of any decision to cancel a delegate or membership meeting. Executive Board meetings of District Councils and Local Unions are not covered by this variance and will go forward as scheduled. Many affiliates have Local Union elections scheduled for this Spring. This variance does not affect that process. Accordingly, nomination meetings and other elements of the election process will continue according to the current schedule. Some Local Unions will be cancelling meetings at which election decisions would ordinarily be made, including the setting of dates for nominations and election. In these cases, Local Union Executive Boards are authorized to make those decisions in this election cycle. This variance is effective only for March and April. We will revisit this issue and advise affiliates later this month with respect to May or later dates.

With kind regards, I am Fraternally yours,

Terry O' Sullivan
General President

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