2009 Convention Site Changed to San Francisco

To: Chapter Presidents

Re: 2009 Convention Site Changed to San Francisco

Until now, the plan was that our 2009 Convention would be held in Baltimore. That has changed, due to the reasons that follow, and now the convention will be held in San Francisco, CA, August 10-13, 2009.

Delegates to the 2005 NTEU National Convention originally selected San Francisco as the convention city that for the NTEU 2009 Convention. However, when we began looking for hotels to host this event some three years ago, we could not find a union hotel with a rate less than $259 a night, and several were in excess of $300 per night. In addition, at that time, we could not secure the necessary meeting room space at any of the potential hotel sites.

As a result, we began to look for a suitable hotel in the city that the 2005 delegates selected second, behind San Francisco. That city was Baltimore, Maryland. Near the close of 2006, a suitable hotel in Baltimore was selected and a contract with the hotel was signed. Several months ago, we learned that this particular hotel was, and is, enmeshed in a two-year labor dispute with the union that represents its employees. Since the hotel was not able to commit that there would be a signed agreement with the Union by next July/August, we had no other choice but to use our contractual right to cancel the contract in Baltimore, at no cost to NTEU.

As we were learning of the hotel labor problems in Baltimore, we decided to take the prudent step of checking once more with hotels in San Francisco. That decision paid off. A lot has changed in the economy and the hotel and travelling world.

I am pleased to report that we have now signed a contract for the 2009 NTEU National Convention at the Westin St Francis Hotel, which is located on Union Square in San Francisco. The Convention will take place from the opening of Registration on Sunday, August 9, 2009 through the Banquet on the evening of Thursday, August 13, 2009. The contracted room rate is $172 per night, plus applicable taxes.

We will provide more details about the 2009 NTEU National Convention as we get closer to next August. Please mark your calendars now, and I hope all chapters are able to attend the 2009 NTEU National Convention in San Francisco.

Colleen M. Kelley
National President