United Steelworkers: News Articles

Steelworkers Ratify Groundbreaking Agreement with MeadWestvaco in Covington

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that the members of USW Local 8-675 in Covington, Virginia have voted in favor of a proposed new contract with MeadWestvaco. The overwhelming ratification vote took place on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.

The new agreement includes $2,600 in cash bonuses and over 16% in general wage increases over the course of its six-year term. Improvements to the defined benefit pension plan raise the multiplier to $58 per month for each year of service, meaning that an employee who retires with 30 years of service would receive a monthly benefit of roughly $1,740 per month, a high-water mark in for workers in the paper industry.

USW International Vice President Jon Geenen, the union’s top official with responsibility for paper bargaining, said that this groundbreaking new agreement will raise the bar for the entire industry. Further, Geenen pointed out that the ratification vote itself should end any speculation about which union is best suited to represent the hourly production and maintenance employees at the mill ... more

Fenton Art Glass to be featured on QVC July 4

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Fenton Art Glass - made by members of USW Local 508 - is scheduled to be featured on home shopping channel QVC this holiday weekend.

According to the QVC schedule, the glass will be sold on television on Saturday, July 4, from 1 a.m to 2 a.m. and from noon to 2 p.m.

Fenton Art Glass is a family-own glass company that has been making decorative and utilitarian glassware - vases, figurines, baskets and other colorful art glass - since 1905. The factory in West Virginia employs about 120 workers on one shift. At its height, more than 700 worked day and night. From day one, Fenton employees had a union – the American Flint Glass Workers - and now, the United Steelworkers Local 508.

You can find a photo slideshow from the Fenton plant below, and read more about the company in the latest edition of USW@Work.

Our Jobless Recovery

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

President Obama just told us that the economic stimulus plan has “already saved or created” 150,000 jobs and that another 450,000 will be “saved or created” by the end of the summer, including 125,000 summer-only jobs for students. It’s hard for us to see how this will be the case—we hope it is—but, more important, there’s a huge difference between a job that is saved and one that is created. Just ask the 30.2 million workers who are already unemployed.

Obama has spoken forcefully about laying a new foundation for the economy, one that creates good jobs and rising incomes and that moves us from an era of borrow-and-spend to one where we save and invest and are able to produce more at home than we consume. And we agree these are the right goals for the nation. However, we do not believe that the policies the administration is pursuing will get us there, nor is the administration’s economic stimulus plan likely to move us toward anything approaching full employment.

By the administration’s own estimate, the stimulus plan will “save or create”—there’s that phrase again—just 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. But this amount represents less than 30 percent of the unprecedented 14.5 million jobs that have been lost since the recession began in December 2007, and it is just 12 percent of the workers already unemployed ... more

Steelworkers Applaud ITC Remedy Vote on China Tire Imports and Seek Support to Save U.S. Jobs & Plants

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The United Steelworkers (USW) applauded today’s vote by the International Trade Commission (ITC) for a tariff remedy in the union’s Section 421 petition against a surge of low-priced and market disrupting consumer tires from China.

Leo W. Gerard, USW international president, declared: “Today’s remedy vote by the ITC is a great victory for the USW, its members and for all U.S. tire workers. The tariffs voted by the commissioners should remedy the market disruptive surge in Chinese tire imports that have caused harm to the domestic industry.”

The USW president says he anticipates when President Obama receives the final recommendations from the U.S. Trade Representative on Sept. 2, he will agree with the findings and support enforcement of the recommended tariff levels. “It is time for the promise of enforcing U.S. trade laws to be fulfilled,” Gerard said. Click here to read more.

Union Plus Awards Scholarships to USW Family Members

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

A higher education is more important than ever. But with real wages falling for working families, health care costs increasing and tuition rising faster than the rate of inflation, affording an education now is even harder.

To meet the growing need, Union Plus provided $200,000 in scholarships to 133 students from 41 unions this year, including five recipients representing the United Steelworkers (USW). The scholarship recipients will be furthering their education with financial assistance from the 18th annual Union Plus Scholarship Program.

“We understand what working families are facing,” says Leslie Tolf, president of Union Privilege, the organization that provides an array of benefit programs for union families, including the scholarship program. “Many of this year’s applicants made it clear that, without help from our scholarship program, they would have to put their dreams on hold or forget about college entirely.” Click here to read more ...

USW, other unions seek equity for former GM and Delphi workers in restructuring

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

USW International President Leo W. Gerard today released a letter transmitted by 13 Ohio congressional members and U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to U.S. Secretary of Treasury Timothy F. Geithner. The letter urges simple justice’ with equity in financial support for the future medical and life insurance benefits of GM retirees represented by the United Steelworkers (USW) and two other unions.

Nearly 50,000 former employees of GM or Delphi and their dependents stand to lose most or all of their medical coverage in the GM bankruptcy proceedings.

The USW represents 6,200 retirees and surviving spouses, saying the present value of the lost benefits is at least $424 million. According to the Communications Workers of America (CWA), the lost benefits of 41,000 GM Delphi retirees and surviving spouses they represent are valued at $2.87 billion. Other Delphi retirees are represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE).

Gerard said, “Along with the CWA and IUOE, we have filed objections before the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on behalf of the retirees and hope that our federal government will come to its senses on fairness for the former GM workers who contributed nothing less than the auto workers to the fortunes of the company.”

The Ohio congressional delegation’s letter emphatically stated to the treasury secretary: “In short, it is your representatives who have decided that these retirees will not have an opportunity for a decent retirement.”

Click here for more.

U.S. senator calls on trade commission to limit import of Chinese Tires

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Michigan, has sent a letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission calling on the agency to limit the number of tires imported from China.

"I am pleased the the ITC ruled by a 4-2 vote that the U.S. tire market was disrupted by a flood of Chinese imports. As you consider comments leading up to your vote on a remedy, I ask that you support good-paying middle class jobs and American businesses by supporting a remedy that limits tire imports from China," Stabenow wrote.

Click here to read the entire letter. And click here for background on the USW's major 421 trade case against the makers of Chinese tires.

Steelworkers Reach Tentative Agreement with MeadWestvaco in Covington

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Union Calls upon CPU to Drop Board Charges, Build Solidarity

The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that the union has reached tentative agreement on a new, six-year collective bargaining agreement on behalf of 900 hourly production and maintenance employees at MeadWestvaco.

The union also called upon the Covington Paperworkers Union (CPU) to drop charges it filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against the company earlier this month for bargaining with the USW, which remains the only Board-recognized bargaining representative of these workers at the plant ... more

USW Supports New WTO Case Filed By U.S, EU Against China

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The United Steelworkers (USW) today gave strong support for a new World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute filed by the United States and European Union, challenging China’s export restrictions on key raw materials and minerals used in manufacturing.

The U.S. and the EU have requested WTO consultations with the Chinese government regarding export restrictions placed on a variety of raw materials and minerals, including bauxite, coke, zinc, silicon metal, silicon carbide, fluorspar, yellow phosphorous, magnesium and manganese ... more

Workers Uniting Celebrates Bangladesh Denim Workers' Victory

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Workers Uniting, the world’s first global union, is celebrating a major victory for workers in the developing world. Late last week, Metro Group – the world’s third-largest retailer – announced it would keep work at the R.L. Denim factory in Bangladesh and drastically improve the treatment of the workers there.

For years young women at the R.L. Denim factory were trapped under prison-like conditions, forced to work seven days a week, beaten, denied maternity leave and paid as little as 11 cents an hour.

Now, because of the solidarity of Workers Uniting and others, the workers will no longer be beaten at work. They will be paid for overtime and maternity leave. They will have basic needs met and treated with respect.

For more details, click here to read the Workers Uniting press release. Click here for background on the global solidarity we showed the R.L. Denim factory workers.

Members of Congress, Senate praise ITC ruling in tire trade case

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The comments keep pouring in from members of Congress and the Senate regarding the big ruling in yesterday's U.S. International Trade Commission case. The commission affirmed the USW's claim that imports from Chinese tiremakers are surging, harming U.S. workers and plants.

U.S. Rep. Mark Souder welcomed the ruling that a dramatic surge in tire imports from China threatens domestic tire production jobs. Between 2004 and 2008, there was a 215 percent increase in Chinese tire imports by volume and a 295 percent increase in imports by dollar value over the five-year period. This led to sharp declines in domestic tire production and over 5,000 jobs lost.

The "decision is a step in the right direction,” said Souder, a Republican. “Trade works best when the rules are followed, but China consistently ignores the regulations to which they originally agreed.”

Congresswomen Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Mich., and Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y., praised the ruling.

Slaughter, chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, expressed hope that the ruling will pave the way for timely import relief.

“The failure to take enforcement seriously has hurt too many workers for too long. I hope the ITC’s ruling signals a shift in policy and fairer trade for American workers,” said Slaughter. "While I applaud the ITC’s decision, I believe the compelling facts in this case could have yielded no other conclusion. I am confident these facts will also lead to an effective remedy for tire workers in upstate New York and other places around the country.”

Kilpatrick said, “This is a great decision for workers and manufacturers in Michigan and across America.” Click here for Congresswoman Kilpatrick's entire statement.

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown also was pleased with the decision.

"The ITC recognized that an import surge of Chinese-made tires is destroying American jobs and threatening to eliminate an entire manufacturing sector," said Brown, a Democrat. “This affirmative vote at the ITC is a critical first step toward a stronger trade enforcement policy that preserves U.S. jobs and manufacturing. For too long, enforcement of trade laws has been ignored. Today, the ITC has given hardworking Americans a chance to compete on a level playing field." Click here for Brown's entire statement.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel, D-N.Y., and Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Sander Levin, D-Mich., issued a joint statement, which you can read by clicking here.

“While I am not pleased to see the U.S. tire industry struggling to compete against surging Chinese tire imports, I am glad that Congress had the foresight to enact a safeguard measure designed to address such situations,” said Rangel. “Democrats support shaping trade and the safeguard mechanism is an important element of our trade policy.”

“The Section 421 safeguard mechanism was an important provision governing China’s accession to the WTO. It was designed to address a key concern – that surges of Chinese imports would push U.S. companies out of the market,” said Levin. “The ITC has made its finding in the tires case. I believe that, unlike the Bush Administration, President Obama will decide the safeguard case on the merits, not on an ideological rejection of import relief.”

Sens. Evan Bayh, D-Indiana, and Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Rep. Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, also lauded the decision. Visit our tire page for more Congressional reaction to the important ruling, as well as background, a timeline, video and other material.

Steelworkers Reach Tentative Agreement with Robert Wood Johnson Hospital

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The United Steelworkers (USW) announced today the union has reached tentative agreement on a new, three-year collective bargaining agreement on behalf of 1,300 registered nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

The members of USW Local 4-200 will receive a mailing with the terms of the proposed contract at their homes, and there will be informational meetings held at the hospital all day on June 24 with all voting taking place on June 26, 2009 ... more

USW Celebrates 500+ 'Buy American' Resolution Wins

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

So far, more than 500 "Buy American" resolutions have been passed around the nation by cities, states, towns, boroughs, villages and other local governments.

USW members have introduced more than 1,000 resolutions across the country and are working hard every day to ensure U.S. tax dollars are kept at home to create good jobs at home. Read more of this story by clicking here. You can track where the resolution has been introduced and monitor their status on our interactive tracking page. Click here to download our "Buy American" resolution toolkit

USW lauds positive International Trade Commission ruling in China tire trade case

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The United Steelworkers is pleased about today's 4-2 International Trade Commission ruling that a surge of low-priced consumer tires from China is harming the domestic industry.

This import surge has caused major job losses and plant closures in the United States.

“Our domestic industries cannot survive unless our government enforces the trade laws that are designed to curb and dissuade anti-competitive practices that cause market disruptions,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “We anticipate that the remedies that will be delivered to President Obama will allow the time necessary to rebuild the U.S. tire industry.”

The President, who made a campaign pledge to ensure that China complies with its obligations to the United States under international trade agreements, will make the final determination on imposing trade relief.

Read more from our press release reacting to today's ruling here. And read more about the major tire trade case here.

Trade Commission expected to rule on major tire trade case today

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Today is a big day for the USW and tire workers. In a major trade safeguard case against Chinese tire imports, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is scheduled to announce whether such imports are a significant cause of material injury, or threat of material injury to the domestic industry producing passenger vehicle and light truck tires.

Under the statute, such a finding is called ‘market disruption.’

The ruling is an important step in an expedited proceeding that was initiated by a petition filed Apr. 20 by the United Steelworkers (USW) under Section 421 of the Trade Act of 1974. At a Jun. 2 public hearing, Leo W. Gerard, International President of the USW and 10 members of Congress made a strong case saying an import surge has caused a sharp decline in U.S. production and the loss of thousands of U.S. jobs.

Click here for more.

Steelworkers Endorse Trumka as AFL-CIO President

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The United Steelworkers (USW) International Executive Board has unanimously endorsed Richard Trumka as the next president of the AFL-CIO.

Trumka, the federation’s current secretary-treasurer, is looking to succeed retiring AFL-CIO President John Sweeney at its convention in Pittsburgh this September. Trumka was first elected AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer in 1995.

“Not only does Richard have the experience and the intellectual capacity to do the job, he brings great heart and passion to the fight for issues that matter to America’s working families,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard ... more

Steelworkers Testifying at Steel Caucus Want Industry Revitalized

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Representatives from the United Steelworkers (USW) union joined with steel industry experts and management today, urging Congress to take steps to stabilize steel production facilities and suggesting how Congress can help restore the industry.

“Operating levels are at such historic lows that the steel companies have had to consolidate operations, said USW District 7 Director Jim Robinson, who represents workers in Illinois and Indiana. “This comes hard on the heels of the prosperity achieved by the consolidated and restructured industry following years of struggle to both save the industry and accomplish that consolidation and restructuring” ... more

USW Participates in Congressional Steel Caucus Hearing on Stabilizing Steel

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

On June 16, the Congressional Steel Caucus held hearings on the current situation facing steelworkers and steel production facilities to determine how Congress can best help stabilize the steel industry. The caucus includes more than 100 members of Congress with steelmaking facilities and steelworkers employed in their districts.

Steel company representatives, economists, trade lawyers and USW local leaders will be among those appearing before the committee.

The purpose of the hearing is: “To listen to the concerns of local constituents, steel industry experts, and steel industry officials regarding the current situation facing steelworkers and steel production facilities and how Congress can best help stabilize steel.”

Below are the testimonies of

Jim Robinson – Director - USW District 7

Greg England – Rapid Response Coordinator – District 9

Mark Glyptis – President - USW Local 2911

Bernie Ravasio – Former President - USW Local 1190

Dan Simmons – President - USW Local 1899

Don Golden – President - USW Local 1104

Gerard awarded honorary doctorate degree

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

USW International President Leo W. Gerard has a new title - doctor.

Gerard was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Guelph in Canada in recognition of his contributions to social justice.

In a moving convocation speech Thursday, Dr. Gerard challenged the graduating students to engage in the social change needed in our society. Whether they are interested in social justice, environment or labor issues, Leo encouraged the next generation of leaders to actively work on behalf of the average citizen to make this a better world.

In a reception following the convocation, National Director of Canada, Ken Neumann and former International President Lynn Williams paid tribute to Gerard’s many years of fighting for working families, the labor movement, the United Steelworkers and many social justice issues.

In 2001, Canadian Leo Gerard, was elected international president of the United Steelworkers, North America's largest private sector union. He is also a vice-president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, the largest federation of unions in the U.S.

Under Gerard's leadership, the USW has had many victories: won major tariff relief that helped save the American steel industry; a Workers First law in Canada that gives workers top priority in corporate bankruptcies; and the landmark Westray Bill that makes corporations criminally accountable for deaths and injuries to their employees or members of the public. He has been a leader within the labor movement for health and safety, social justice and humanitarian issues.

As International President, Gerard has championed alliances with unions throughout the world, including Germany, Australia, Brazil, and Mexico. Leo’s international work has culminated in the creation of the first global union, “Workers Uniting”, with Unite the Union UK’s largest labor organization.

Leo Gerard also serves on the U.S. National Commission on Energy Policy and is a founding board member of the Apollo Alliance, a non-profit public policy initiative for creating good jobs in pursuit of energy independence.

The son of a union miner, Gerard started working at Inco's nickel smelter in Sudbury, Ontario at age 18. Inspired by a lifelong commitment to economic and social justice, Gerard rose through the ranks to become the first president of the new USW.

Prior to his election as USW President, Gerard served as the union's International Secretary-Treasurer (1994-2001), as National Director for Canada (1991-1994), and as Director of District 6 in Ontario (1986-1991). He was appointed a USW Staff Representative in 1977.

Leo married his high school sweetheart, Susan, and they have two children, Kari-Ann and Meaghan, and two grandchildren, Elyssa and Liam.

Trade Deficit with China Continues to Threaten Viability of North American Manufacturing

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

This week’s U.S. Commerce Department’s report of the $29 (B) billion April trade deficit highlights the continued threat China poses to a possible economic recovery fueled by a resurgence in industrial manufacturing.

While the 2009 imbalance to date remains below last year’s record pace, China is still responsible for more than half (57%) of the overall U.S. trade deficit in April, the most recent month for which data is available ... more

'Buy American' not the problem for Duferco

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The following Letter to the Editor was published in the trade publication American Metal Markets, addressing the issue at Duferco Farrell Corp., which claims "Buy American" requirements are forcing it to lay off workers. USW Vice President Tom Conway explains why that's just not true:

To the Editor:

I wanted to take a moment to discuss the June 5 story on the "Buy American" provision of the recently passed economic stimulus package as it relates to the requirement that steel used on infrastructure projects be poured and melted in the United States and the alleged difficulty that Duferco Farrell Corp. claims this is causing it in meeting its market and in supplying customers.

The company is seeking a specific exclusion from the "Buy American" provision by lobbying the Pennsylvania congressional delegation and the Office of Management and Budget, charged with implementing the legislation. It is also working hard with the likes of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others who have a stake in importing into the U.S. market to create an image that this provision is the worst thing in the world for America. It has quickly become the poster child for anti-Buy American sentiment around the country and it's frankly getting a bit old hearing this story out of the company when it tells only half the story—and then it's further compounded when AMM chooses to report on it in the same manner.

The company is a joint venture between Duferco Farrell and OJSC Novolipetsk Iron & Steel Works (NLMK) of Russia. Duferco Farrell largely imports Russian-poured and -produced slab for rerolling in its plant in Pennsylvania. NLMK also owns an electric furnace shop at the Port of Indiana, Beta Steel Corp., which has U.S.-based melting capacity. According to representatives of the work force there, they are on severely reduced operations, as is the case with the rest of the domestic steel industry. Beta Steel can supply slab to Duferco Farrell and meet the requirements of the "Buy American" legislation, but according to the company this isn't the "best solution" as it prefers a 10-inch slab as opposed to the 8-inch slab produced at Beta Steel.

The USW has been in contact with union leadership at Local 1016 in Pennsylvania as well as Duferco Farrell chief executive officer Paul Fiore and chief financial officer Bob Miller on a number of occasions, and we have also met with their lawyers and lobbyists in Washington to understand their concerns. We have further contacted two domestic steel companies who stand willing to supply the company the 10-inch slabs it wants, at the specifications it says it requires, at a market-based price. Both those firms have advised Duferco Farrell of those offers and those offers stand today (see related story, page 1).

We have also had a number of discussions with Duferco Farrell's main customer, Wheatland Tube Co., to discuss its ability to modify its specifications to accept the 8-inch slab produced in Indiana, and it has made that accommodation and advised Duferco Farrell of that adjustment. Duferco Farrell now complains to us that the shipping costs from Indiana, Maryland and Alabama are cost prohibitive, and that's why they need to ship the slab to Pennsylvania from central Russia. That's what this has been about since the first day this issue was raised.

This is exactly why the legislation was written. Here we find ourselves with a foreign-owned company with U.S.-based operations that are idled or running at less than half capacity and the company insists that having to use U.S.-produced slab on the infrastructure work—which is a narrow sliver of the overall steel market and which will be funded through U.S. taxpayer dollars and designed to put Americans back to work—is a tremendous burden on it and will force layoffs of up to 600 USW Local 1016 members. This unnecessary and unwarranted threat is despicable. Instead, U.S. taxpayers who are anteing up to finally rebuild the nations crumbling infrastructure are being pressured by Duferco Farrell's Washington-based operatives to include a specific carve out for "their imported slabs" so the company can get at the U.S.-funded projects with Russian-made slab while USW members are laid off and Local 1016 members are continually threatened by Duferco Farrell management that they will lose 600 jobs if the company doesn't get its way.

Enough is enough of this nonsense. Duferco Farrell management needs to secure the slab it needs here, from either its parent company or the other offers on the table, and quit wasting everyone's time and money running around the country hiring lawyers and lobbyists whining about this issue and start rolling out some coils.

Tom Conway,

United Steelworkers

International Vice President

New Video: Specter promises Free Choice solution will 'satisfy' workers

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter directly addressed working families this weekend at a rally in Pittsburgh, where Employee Free Choice supporters questioned the new Democrat about his support for the issue.

Specter addressed the rally along with USW International Vice President Fred Redmond. Video clips of both their speeches are below, or you can watch them on our multimedia section here.

"I've worked for jobs and I know this state like the back of my hand," Specter said. "But I know your number one issue is Employee Free Choice."

Click here to see real workers' stories about why it's so important to have the Free Choice Act. And click here for more info about this important legislation and how you can get involved.

"I'm working hard to find legislation, which is going to be a little different than the way it's proposed in Employees Free Choice, but will be enacted by the Senate," added Specter. "Trying to look for a fair solution on all sides is something which is good for government, and good government applies both to Democrats and Republicans."

Sen. Arlen Specter's speech video:

Here's a video of VP Redmond's rally speech:

Members: Thinking about running for office in your community? Take our survey

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

USW Members,

You have no doubt spent many hours over the past years fighting to protect worker’s rights by educating and mobilizing our members. Throughout that process, some of you may have thought about the possibility of running for office yourself, or are already an elected official in your community. This is not surprising seeing as our members are some of the most educated members of their respective communities.

Click here to take our survey!

That being said, the USW wants to continue the tradition of our great union by continuing to educate and mobilize our members. One way we plan to grow our program in the near future, is to identify members interested in running for office or currently holding office in their communities.

Click here to take our survey!

Our hope is to provide a variety of resources to those USW endorsed members running for office based on availability, need, and a commitment to USW issues. This is by no means an endorsement mechanism of the union. Endorsement should still be sought through the USW District structure.

Click here to take our survey!

If you are considering running for local, state, or federal office, or if you are already and elected official, please click here or on the links provided and fill out our survey.

Click here to take our survey!

Thank you for your continued participation in the USW and your commitment to our great union!

NLRB Complaint Cites Retaliatory Attacks on Los Angeles Carwash Workers

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Workers employed at a Los Angeles carwash who are seeking to improve their standard of living by forming a labor union with the United Steelworkers (USW) are one step closer to achieving victory following a complaint issued May 28 against Vermont Hand Wash Inc., by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

When some 40 employees decided in April 2008 to exercise their rights to organize a union to bargain collectively with carwash owner Benny Pirian, they became subject to threats, intimidation, humiliation, unlawful interrogation and surveillance, according to the NLRB’s complaint. Vermont Hand Wash management has been charged with targeting and firing three union leaders because of their union activities ... more

Steelworkers, Members of Congress, Tire Workers Testify at ITC

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0700

All Urge Commission to Stem China Tire Import Surge

United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard today asked the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to give the U.S. tire industry a “fighting chance” to survive the waves of low-priced and unfairly traded imports of consumer tires flooding the domestic market from China.

Gerard and other USW officers on the trade petition that seeks to stem those imports and rebuild the domestic industry. Members of Congress also testified and dozens of tire workers from affected plants sat in the hearing room.

Senators Robert Casey and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and other Democratic lawmakers argued before the commission that the case is a chance for President Barack Obama to chart a new course for U.S. trade policy ... more