Strengthening bargaining policy and member activism to support it, improving health and safety, playing an active role in policy issues that affect the industry, while building stronger international ties were the focus for the Aug. 17-19 United Steelworkers (USW) paper sector conference here that drew more than 400 delegates.

“Our members are committed to aggressively moving our agenda forward in the paper industry,” said USW International Vice President Jon Geenen, who heads the union’s paper sector. “They exchanged information, discussed problems and developed strategies to strengthen our contracts and the industry.”

The delegates met separately with their company councils to devise action plans to increase communication between the locals and to mobilize the membership around collective bargaining and other industry issues. Each council also elected a delegate to a standing policy committee that will meet periodically to discuss progress and ideas and suggest course adjustments if necessary ... more