Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor Council

Convention 101

The 2025 Washington State Labor Council Convention will be held July 22 – 24th at the Vancouver Hilton in Vancouver, WA.

We want as many of our affiliates as possible to make their members’ voices heard at the Convention. With that in mind, we’ve put together this primer on how YOU can be an effective Delegate at any union Convention, and at the WSLC Convention in particular.

New articles will be added to this section regularly, and will be emailed to web site members. Be sure you’ve set up an account so you receive each article in the series – and please share these articles with your fellow union members. Encourage them to become active members in their unions, and to take on the role of Delegate at their union Conventions and our State Labor Council Convention.

What Is A Convention?

The Miriam Webster Dictionary defines “Convention” as a: the summoning or convening of an assembly b: an assembly of persons met for a common purpose. The “common purpose” of union conventions is to bring members and affiliated organizations together to guide our Labor organizations in their mission to serve working people.

What Is A Delegate?

A Delegate to a union or Labor Organization’s Convention represents a group of their fellow members or stakeholders. Their conduct and their vote at Convention represents the will of these members, and Delegates must take care to remember this as they interact with other Delegates and debate resolutions.

What Is A Resolution?

A resolution is the primary instrument members and stakeholders in an organization use to make their will known to the organization’s leadership. While each Convention may have specific rules on how a resolution should be formatted, generally a resolution is a document containing three parts...

How Is A Resolution Passed?

One of the primary ways Convention Delegates make their constituents’ voices heard is through the use of resolutions. Before a resolution can direct an organization, though, it must be passed by a majority of the Delegates to the Convention. There are several steps a resolution must take before it gets to that point.

Your Resolution Has Passed - What Happens Next?

A resolution may have passed at Convention, but once the closing gavel comes down it can be easy to slip back into “business as usual” for the members who have served as Delegates and the organization’s leadership. It is imperative that resolution supporters hold their leadership accountable and remind them of the resolutions adopted at Convention.

Page Last Updated: Jun 12, 2025 (15:50:00)