USW National Policy Conference

USW National Policy Conference 2027 (Feb. 23-26)

Chair: National Director Marty Warren

National Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Conference (Feb. 21-22)

Prior to the National Policy Conference, our retirees will get together for a two-day conference to discuss and plan their many upcoming actions and activities.

NextGen Conference (Feb. 22)

In what has become an important National Policy Conference tradition, our Next Generation of Steelworkers will spend a day building solidarity, discussing issues affecting young workers and making plans for organizing our next generation. Our NextGen delegates will also prepare a report back to the Policy Conference. Federally Regulated Workers Conference (Feb. 22) This special one-day conference will bring together our members in telecommunications, rail, transportation, airports and other industries, to name a few of the federal sectors where we have an increasing membership. They will have an opportunity to discuss specific issues in the federal sector and build solidarity in bargaining and political action.

Policy and issue discussions and resolutions

The heart and soul of the National Policy Conference is the engaging discussions about the accomplishments of our union and the issues facing our members, our communities and Canadian workers. Following the discussions on each of these policy areas, there will be time to debate the resolutions and set the union’s direction over the coming years.

The policy areas will include:

• Building our economic strength
• International trade
• Industrial strategy
• Member engagement and organizing
• Education
• Equity
• Advancing Indigenous rights
• Environment and climate
• Maintaining our health and safety priorities
• Building international solidarity

Equity caucus meetings

The conference agenda will include time for all our equity caucuses to convene. The meetings will be held before the plenary (a light breakfast will be served) on two conference days to ensure strong participation and access for all delegates from equity-deserving groups.

Special guest speakers

As in past years, delegates will hear from our key political allies, inspiring guest speakers and our union’s leadership, including International President Roxanne Brown. Keep an eye out on the conference web page as our special guest speakers are confirmed!

International guests

As always, the National Policy Conference will attract many international guests from the trade union movement across the world. The conference is always an exciting time to build solidarity across borders, and the conference will feature lots of time to meet and talk to our international allies.

Our economy, our future.

Sticking with our theme, we will feature discussions on building our economic future, from industrial strategy and trade to advancing working class power. We will also hear from members about their work in bargaining, political action and elsewhere. At the NPC, we will spotlight our work on international collaborations on building global solidarity. The policy conference will also provide space to hear about the accomplishments of the union over the past several years and to look ahead to develop union priorities for the future and to build off of those in your locals and districts.

Special sessions

Conference location

Hotel reservation deadline is Jan. 25, 2027, but please book ASAP to guarantee hotel room availability.

Registration fees and deadlines

Registration fees

• All registrations must be completed online at usw.ca/npc2027
• Once registered you can print a confirmation sheet, as well as an extra copy to attach to your cheque
to mail in, or you can simply write your confirmation number on your cheque.
• Cheque must clearly show delegate name(s).

Resolutions

• One topic each, 200 words max.
• All resolutions must be submitted online at usw.ca/npc2027resolutions.
• You will need to enter the date, time and location of the local union meeting that approved submitting
the resolution.
• Guidelines, sample and template can be found online at usw.ca/npc2027.
Deadline for resolutions is Nov. 13, 2026.

HOTEL & TRAVEL

Le Centre Sheraton Montreal

Room Rates

$255 for a Traditional room

Conference rates are available from Feb. 19 to Feb. 27, 2027 (subject to availability)

Reservation deadline is Jan. 25, 2027

Parking and public transit

Self-Parking at hotel approx. $35/day (2026 rate); max height 1.8 m; Metro: Bonaventure or Peel

Check-in is at 3 p.m.

Check-out is at 12 noon

Reservations must be guaranteed with first night room deposit. Cancellation: three days prior to first night’s stay.

Official travel agency of the National Policy Conference
WE Travel – Voyages

Ottawa: 1-888-676-7747
Karen – karen@weuniontravel.ca
Ariane – ariane@weuniontravel.ca
Stephanie – stephanie@weuniontravel.ca
Lorie – lorie@weuniontravel.ca

Vancouver: 1-800-667-4703
Jaime – jaime@weuniontravel.ca
Maureen – maureen@weuniontravel.ca
Carolyn – carolyn@weuniontravel.ca
Oralee – oralee@weuniontravel.ca

Discount codes are available for anyone booking travel to
Montreal for the conference:
Air Canada promotion code for NPC: GMYJEYEI
WestJet promotion Code for NPC: 5I3D8SO
Via Rail promotion code for NPC: 16144

WE Travel will book air travel for this conference for a flat fee of $62.50 + tax in addition to the cost of the ticket.

Districts, Locals and friends of the United Steelworkers are invited to participate in the National Policy Conference through sponsorship of various conference events. This is the perfect opportunity to bring recognition to your district, local union or to the services that your organization provides to the Steelworkers.

Sponsorship cheques to be made payable to “United Steelworkers” and sent to:

Alexandra Eshelman, USW National Office, 234 Eglinton Ave. E., 8th Floor Toronto, ON M4P 1K7, aeshelman@usw.ca, 416-544-5968

How do we shape our economic future in today’s political and social climate?

The USW National Policy Conference is your opportunity to present, discuss and debate priorities on, for example, building our domestic industrial economy, defending and strengthening workers’ rights at home and abroad, the protection of our health, safety and environment and advancing our agenda for equity and human rights.

Resolutions are to be submitted online at usw.ca/npc2027resolutions, no later than Nov. 13, 2026.

A resolution must deal with one topic only and be limited to 200 words. For help in submitting your resolution(s), review the sample resolution below.

Note: Each resolution must be adopted by your local union membership. For your resolution(s) to be considered, you must include the date, time and location of the local union meeting where the resolution was passed.

For more information, contact: conference@usw.ca

WHEREAS Canadian forests are a natural, renewable resource that not only contributes $23 billion to Canada’s national GDP, but also employs over 210,000 people across Canada, while supporting the existence of 600 communities; and WHEREAS there are continual pressures to conserve more lands and take them out of the active, productive forest resource; and

WHEREAS direct employment in the forest sector has been in decline for the last several decades.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the USW will lobby the federal government as well as provincial governments to implement an intergovernmental forestry strategy aimed at ensuring a healthy and sustainable forest for future generations, while creating jobs for today.

Name of President: ____________

Name of Recording Secretary: ____________

Local number: ____________
Date: ____________
Time: ____________
Location: ____________

National Policy Conference – Feb. 23-26, 2027

NextGen Conference – Feb. 22, 2027

Federally Regulated Workers Conference – Feb. 22, 2027

Wood Council Meeting – Feb. 22, 2027

Registration for the USW 2027 National Policy Conference and related conferences must be done online. This includes delegate registration, accessibility needs, on-site child care, as well as resolution submission.

There is no limit on the number of delegates a local union may send to the National Policy Conference or to the related conferences.

There is no registration fee for the NextGen Conference, Federally Regulated Workers Conference or the Wood Council Meeting.

Local unions can receive up to $1,000 in reimbursement per eligible delegate for relevant expenses – see the Family and Community Education Fund (FCEF) Bursary section of this package for details.

Click here to register

Registration deadline is Jan. 29, 2027
**Early registration deadline (for reduced registration fee) is Oct. 30, 2026**

For questions regarding registration:

Dani Mahmoudi
USW National Office
234 Eglinton Ave. E., 8th Floor
Toronto, ON M4P 1K7
(416) 487-1571
conference@usw.ca

Free, on-site child care will be provided at this event from Monday, Feb. 22 at 8:00 a.m. to Friday, Feb. 26 at 12:30 p.m. Kids receiving care will be supervised by bilingual registered early childhood educators. Children will receive lunch and snacks for the duration of their care and, with parental approval, may be taken on daytime excursions.

If delegates would like to sign up for this service, they will need to do so on the online registration page by Dec. 18, 2026.

The USW Family and Community Education Fund (FCEF) has bursaries available for eligible delegates who meet at least two of its criteria: new and/or young and/or equity-deserving. Up to $1,000 of actual costs will be reimbursed to locals per member.

• Local unions will be reimbursed up to a maximum amount of $1,000 per delegate for actual amount of receipts for transportation, registration, and hotel, provided they register for and attend the National Policy Conference in full. There are three categories of eligibility:

1. 1. Activists who are 35 and under AND members of equity-deserving groups (e.g. woman; racialized worker, Indigenous person; person living with a disability); OR
   2. Activists who are 35 and under AND new activists (have been USW members for two years or less AND/OR have not attended a USW conference); OR
   3. Activists of any age who are new to the union AND members of equity-deserving groups.

• All costs must be paid by the local and receipts submitted to the FCEF for reimbursement after the conclusion of the conference.
• To qualify as NextGen, members must be 35 years old or under as of Feb. 26, 2027
• After the conference, locals must submit hotel receipts showing name of delegate, arrival and departure dates, conference registration, and transportation receipts showing name(s) of delegate(s), itinerary and cost for any air, bus or train travel, as well as any taxi receipts between home and airport/station and between airport/station and hotel.
• Those driving will be reimbursed mileage at 73 cents/km (or applicable rate for 2027) up to a maximum equivalent to the cost of economy airfare. Gas receipts must be submitted as backup and the mileage travelled each way clearly indicated.
• No lost time will be reimbursed.
• Submit claim on an FCEF reimbursement form that must be signed by the delegate and a LU officer. Blank claim forms will be available on our website at usw.ca/npc2027. No reimbursement will be made to individuals.

For more information about the bursary, contact:
Family and Community Education Fund (FCEF)
USW National Office
234 Eglinton Ave. E., 8th Floor
Toronto, ON M4P 1K7
fcef@usw.ca