Since our inception, we've held the support of working people and labor as one of our core values. There's no closer ally to the progressive movement than labor, so given the assault being waged on working people across the country, it's vital that we stand up for our union brothers and sisters.
As many of you know, we considered Providence for our 2011 convention but could not hold it there because of an ongoing labor dispute at the Providence Westin.
We're happy to share with you that the dispute has been settled and we'll be hosting Netroots Nation 2012 there next June 7-10, 2012.
Click here to get your earlybird ticket now for only $195.
Last year, the owners of The Westin Providence cut salaries by 20 percent and increased employee contributions to health care by 43 percent. And this was done overnight, with no warning.
So we took the unusual step of going public with our intentions and started a petition in the hope that it would move the hotel owners back into negotiations with its workers. That didn't happen in a timely manner, so we chose to book our 2011 conference in Minneaplis. But the workers prevailed in negotiating a new contract in time for us to book our conference for 2012.
Providence is a great city that shares our progressive values. It's in the heart of the political action for 2012, with Sen. Whitehouse running in Rhode Island and 5 important contests in neighboring states. And it's a fun and interesting town, just a short drive or train ride from many communities on the East Coast, with compact, convenient convention facilities. And both the city and venue prioritize accessibility, sustainability and energy efficiency.
In case you missed it, here's a short clip of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse announcing our pick at Netroots Nation 2011.
As we move forward to 2012, there's no fight more important than creating a future that supports and empowers working families and creates jobs.
Unfortunately, we often need to remind our elected leaders of this, and our selection for 2012 gives us that opportunity.
So we hope that you'll be join us in Providence next summer, and don't forget to snag that early bird rate while you can.
Oh and one more thing, check out this video from our first announced keynote speaker for NN12.
See you in Providence!
5:13 PM PT: Quick update: if you're looking for room details you can find those at http://www.netrootsnation.org/...