SEIU Members to Raise Workers' Voices and Agenda at 2012 Democratic National Convention

Complete SEIU Agenda Below

Note to editors and reporters: Interviews can be arranged with SEIU leaders and members at the DNC Convention as delegates or with members on the ground in Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 100 members and leaders of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) will be at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte this week representing the interests and concerns of working men and women.

SEIU members are working hard to elect candidates who will support policies that help create good jobs, invest in vital services like healthcare and education, ensure corporations and the richest 1% pay their fair share and create a fair roadmap to citizenship for every immigrant worker.

SEIU's work at the DNC is part of SEIU's broad political program, which includes a large field campaign targeting union and non-union members -- with an emphasis on African American and Latino communities, younger voters, union households and other working people -- on an unprecedented scale. In eight battleground states, SEIU members have already had one-on-one conversations with 99,749 voters, identifying 58,832 supporters and registering 1,371 voters.

One of the SEIU members who will be in Charlotte will be Robert Ken Ming Chu, a SEIU Healthcare 775NW member from Vancouver, Washington. You can read more about why Robert is in Charlotte after the events schedule.

SEIU'S DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION PROGRAM

(All Times Local / All Locations Charlotte)

Monday, September 3

SEIU Participates in CarolinaFest 2012: An American Celebration at Center City

• When: 12:00 pm – 6:15 pm
• Where: Main Stage at Tryon & Trade

Wednesday, September 5

Moving America Forward: Health Care Visionaries and Voices from the Front Lines (Joint Forum with SEIU and Families USA)

Confirmed speakers include SEIU President Mary Kay Henry, Victoria Kennedy, U.S. House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), and U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA). Additional speakers that have been invited to the Wednesday, Sept. 5, event include U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), and U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-MN)

• When: 9:30 am – 11:30 am
• Where: NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum, 400 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard

Thursday, September 6

SEIU President Mary Kay Henry Participates in "Envisioning Prosperity" panel at PPL/The Big Tent

Ari Melber from The Nation moderates a panel on what an America for the 99% would look like. Can we achieve an economy that prioritizes the interests and financial security of working families first?

• When: 9:00 am – 10:00 am
• Where: PPL/The Big Tent, Packard Place, 222 S. Church St

For more information on SEIU's schedule and media opportunities please contact [email protected].

One of the SEIU members who will be helping SEIU in Charlotte will be Robert Ken Ming Chu, a SEIU Healthcare 775NW member from Vancouver, Washington.

Robert wears multiple hats for his family and his community. He is an in-home care provider for his mother, father of a four-year-old daughter and an extremely active member at the grassroots level in Washington State. He is currently helping to train fellow members for civic engagement activities.

"I really believe in grassroots participation," said Robert. "You can't complain about the system unless you are a part of changing the system. And, you can't change the system unless you get involved."

In addition to being active within his union, Robert is active in the Washington State Democratic Party as committee Chair for Clark County and Vice Chair of the 17th Legislative District. Through these positions, he believes he can move people to 100% involvement.

Legally blind, Robert believes that the Affordable Care Act is a key success of President Obama's first term and an important building block to a stronger American economy.

"President Obama's policies help people. The Affordable Care Act will help people. Families won't have to mortgage their lives. The truth is that nobody wants handouts, but good policies are just the right thing to do. When you're dealing with hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills, you can't buy a home, you can't contribute to your local economy, then your communities and the nation suffers," said Robert.

With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy. www.seiu.org

SOURCE Service Employees International Union

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