Staff report
The Register-Herald
More than 200 union members representing over 100 local union affiliates gathered in Charleston this week for the West Virginia AFL-CIO’s 29th Constitutional Convention to adopt policy and elect officers, selecting Josh Sword to a full four-year term as president of the organization.
“It is absolutely the highest professional honor of my life to be elected to serve in this capacity and to represent the wonderful people of the West Virginia AFL-CIO,” Sword said. “I look forward to leading the charge for the betterment of all West Virginia working families.”
In addition to electing the 16 members of the WV AFL-CIO’s executive board, the delegates to the convention also adopted numerous policy position papers specifying federal, state and local issues important to working West Virginians.
By unanimous vote, members spelled out goals for legislation to address such issues as the need for legislation to encourage the purchase of American-made goods; local hiring and fair wages on taxpayer-funded projects; protecting retiree pensions; urging state officials to address the personnel crisis within the corrections system; opposing tax changes that penalize working families to the benefit of the wealthy; and all legislation intended to weaken the voice of workers.
President Sword noted that a frequent topic of discussion during the two-day event was the recent passage of the road bond and the need to ensure that local workers are hired for those taxpayer-funded projects.
A graduate of University of Charleston with a degree in accounting, Sword first joined the WV AFL-CIO as secretary-treasurer in 2013. Prior to that, Sword, 41, was political organizer with the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia. Re-elected to four-year terms on the WV AFL-CIO Executive Board as vice presidents were Sterling Ball, UFCW; Bob Brown, AFT; Christine Campbell, AFT-WV; Joe Carter, UMWA; Mike Caputo, UMWA; Dan Doyle, AFGE; Dave Efaw, IBEW; Elaine Harris, CWA; Craig Harvey, LIUNA; Kathy McCormick, SEIU; Chuck Parker, IUOE; Dan Poling, IUPAT; Vern Swisher, USW; and Brian Wedge, USW.
