Click here to download this Call Letter as a PDF.
We are excited to announce that 2026 USW Rapid Response, Legislative and Policy Conference will be held July 12–15, 2026, in Washington, D.C., at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.
Right now, Steelworkers across the country are actively engaged in the Balancing the Scales for Workers petition drive, delivering a letter to lawmakers that lays out our priorities and demands clear, written answers to key questions affecting working people. The central focus of this year’s conference will be holding legislators accountable for their responses or their refusal to respond.
Every law, policy, and regulation, whether it impacts our jobs, our benefits, or our right to organize, is shaped by government decisions. The question isn’t whether those decisions will impact us, but who they will serve. Through Rapid Response and our legislative work, we ensure those decisions reflect worker priorities, not corporate interests.
At this conference, we will come together as Steelworkers to learn, plan, and take action to defend and advance our union’s core values, and to rebalance the scales toward working people.
Participants will:
- Get up to speed on the key legislative and policy issues shaping our workplaces and communities
- Build practical skills to engage members and move them to action
- Meet directly with federal lawmakers to press for answers and accountability on our petition questions
- Connect with other activists to share ideas, strategies, and solidarity
Whether your local has been active in Rapid Response for years or is just getting started, this conference is built for you. Sessions will be offered for all experience levels, from grassroots mobilization to advanced legislative strategy.
Schedule
Sunday, July 12 – Registration/Optional Orientation: Conference registration will take place from 3:00-6:00 p.m. For those who are interested, orientation will be held at 7:30 p.m. We will share strategies to navigate Washington, D.C. and Capitol Hill, find landmarks and restaurants, and learn about the conference. This is particularly helpful for first-time conference attendees.
Monday, July 13 & Tuesday, July 14 – Registration/General Sessions and Workshops: Conference registration will take place from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on Monday. Following registration, the conference will begin at 9:00 a.m. General sessions and workshops will continue throughout Monday and Tuesday.
Wednesday, July 15 – Lobby Meetings/Closing Reception: In the morning, we will head to Capitol Hill for a day of fighting for our agenda and meeting with elected officials. That evening there is a special closing reception in appreciation of your hard work.
Registration
Please pre-register online, by mail, or by fax before June 15, 2026. There is a registration fee of $300 per delegate. Checks should be made payable to USW Secretary-Treasurer. Please be sure to specify your shirt size on your registration. Although there is no guarantee for your shirt size at arrival, this will help us order properly.
- Online Registration: Click here to register online. Payment can be made online or by mailing a check to the address below.
- Mail Registration: Click here to download the registration form. Mail the registration form and your check to: United Steelworkers Rapid Response, 60 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.
- Fax Registration: Fax the registration form to the USW Rapid Response Department at 412-562-2266, then mail checks to United Steelworkers Rapid Response at the address above.
Hotel & Air Transportation Information
Hotel: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. Attendees should make their hotel reservations by calling the hotel and referring to the USW Rapid Response Conference. The hotel will accept reservations until Tuesday, June 16, 2026. Our conference hotel always fills up, so to ensure availability, please make your reservations as soon as possible.
The room rate is single and double occupancy $259 a night plus tax, triple occupancy $279 a night plus tax, and quadruple occupancy $299 a night plus tax. A credit card will be needed to reserve the room. If a reservation must be cancelled, please do so 48 hours before arrival or your card will be charged. Check-in is 3:00 p.m. and check-out is 12:00 p.m. Hotel parking is valet-only at a discounted conference rate of $55 daily.
Omni Shoreham – Washington, D.C.
2500 Calvert Street NW,
Washington, DC, 20008
Reservations: 1-800-843-6664 (Please reference the USW Rapid Response Conference)
The hotel direct number is (202) 234-0700.
Note: For any guests pre-paying via check, please send full payment to the address above. The check should be made to the attention of Accounts Receivable and must include the guests’ name(s), arrival and departure dates, confirmation number, and conference name. Additionally, payments being remitted by check should arrive no later than 10 business days prior to arrival. A credit card will still be required at check-in for incidentals.
Air Transportation: In cooperation with Direct Travel, we have made special arrangements for air transportation to the conference. Reservations may be made by calling 1-877-499-1149 and selecting prompt “4” (group meetings). When calling, please identify yourself as a participant in the 2026 Rapid Response and Legislative Conference. Please call between 8:00am and 5:00pm EST, Monday through Friday; otherwise, an after-hours transaction fee of $16.00 will apply if the call is outside of these regular business hours.
In accordance with our established policy, the International Union will not be responsible for the cost of delegate(s) participation. Your local union must bear any expenses for attendance, including airfare and hotel fees.
Stay Connected
Join our conference mobile alerts by texting USWRR2026 to 69866 (standard messaging and data rates may apply).
If you have any questions regarding the registration process or conference details, please contact the Rapid Response Department at 412-562-2291. We look forward to your local’s participation in what promises to be a very exciting conference.