Convention Activities

The first official event of the convention will be the Welcome Reception, which will be held in the Platinum Ballroom in the convention center on Sunday evening from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. This Reception is a good place to break the ice, socialize with the other delegates, make new friends, and meet ND officers, staff, and representatives.

In addition to nominating candidates for ND Office for four-year terms beginning January 1, 2023, the other primary responsibility of convention delegates is the consideration of resolutions to amend the BLET Bylaws. Bylaws resolutions properly submitted pursuant to Section 38 – National Division Rules (“NDR”) of the BLET Bylaws can propose to add new Brotherhood law or amend existing law. All resolutions properly and timely received at the ND are collated, organized, and referred to the Bylaws Committee for recommendation. Deliberation over resolutions takes up the lion’s share of convention time. BLET delegates are worked hard, and they sometimes work long hours. You are either in convention assembled, eating or sleeping, for the first few days, anyway. There is much work to be done and not a great deal of time to do it.

The BLET has five (5) standing convention committees, which are comprised only of delegates: The Credentials Committee; the Salaries Committee; the Bylaws Committee; the Legislative Committee; and the Work Committee. There also is a sixth – the Arrangements Committee – which is constituted to assist the officers, staff, and delegates in performing the many duties incidental to the convention. If you need any help or have any questions while at the convention, look for an Arrangements Committee member, who will be wearing a red vest.

NDR Section 43(a) requires that the convention’s morning sessions run from 9:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., and afternoon sessions run from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. For your convenience, a continental breakfast and a box lunch service, as well as mid-morning and mid-afternoon refreshments, will be provided every day the convention is in session, at no cost to you. Additional details – and meal tickets – will be provided in your Delegate’s Kit at registration.

While the Bylaws limit the length of the convention to four (4) consecutive calendar days, it is impossible to predict exactly when the convention will adjourn. We anticipate that the work ahead of us should take us into Thursday’s session to complete. Should the convention complete its business early, you may leave upon adjournment. However, delegates who shorten their reserved stay may be subject to an early check-out penalty assessed by the hotel, and changing airline reservations can be costly.

When the Day is Done

Although the convention is 90% hard work, delegates, their families, visitors, and guests will be able to relax at the BLET Dinner/Dance on Wednesday, October 12. Tickets will be on sale when you register as a delegate and will be priced at $50.00 per person.