We are committed to creating cooperative relations with our parent union: the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and its affiliates. We also show our support and work with organizations that assist all minorities and support our shared objectives in promoting civil rights.
   Our efforts are focused on bringing the benefits of unionism to all working people and to promote the participation of minorities in our great Labor Movement. Therefore, we must educate our brothers and sisters on the importance of unions. In turn, the size and strength of our union community will grow. The quality of life will steadily become better for all working people. New energy and ideas and diversity will become the cornerstone of our leadership.
   We need to work with all our local unions and our great International to move our agendas forward so that we can meet the challenges of tomorrow. The Latino workforce continues to increase in numbers and in some cases the core industries that we represent, such as meat packing, food processing, poultry, retail grocery and now health care. Our size presents a great opportunity to strengthen the union movement throughout America and our neighboring countries.
   Our leadership at the International called for a national strategy to protect and enhance our members’ wages, benefits and employment conditions. In solidarity, the United Latinos will embrace this strategy.
   We have many talented young Latinos and Latinas who are ready and willing to assist in our quest to keep the UFCW on the cutting edge of the entire Labor Movement.
   Together, the United Latinos and the UFCW can help every American worker realize the importance of unions in the work environment.
   In front of us are opportunities that we must grasp. In our hearts is the courage that we must use. And in our minds is the vision we need to make the United Latinos and the UFCW all that they have the potential to be.
   In order to achieve that potential, we must vanquish the enemy that holds us back. That enemy is not our employers, union busters or even Wal-Mart. It is complacency, lack of vision, and the failure to commit ourselves to embracing unionism.
   Rather than worry about anti-union companies, let’s make them worry about us! Rather than focus on the past, let’s concentrate on the future. Union dues help to ensure strong campaigns, but enthusiasm helps to ensure a strong future.
   Show your enthusiasm on the job, at home and in the public eye. Enthusiasm is contagious and we need the entire UFCW membership infected.