About the Fund

The Steelworkers Health and Welfare Fund is a multi-employer plan governed by a Board of Trustees appointed by the Executive Board of the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union (USW). The Board is comprised of USW International Union Representatives and local union officials. The Board of Trustees delegates the day-to-day management of the fund to the Executive Director who is responsible for all administrative and operational functions.

The fund provides a wide range of employee benefit plans to more than 45,000 participants and their families. More than 320 employer groups across the United States participate in the fund.  By leveraging the purchasing power of the USW, the fund is able to manage costs, maintain broad coverage and assure fair and responsible plan administration.

USW/Fund Relationship

The goal of the Steelworkers Health and Welfare Fund is to provide quality health and welfare benefits at a competitive cost to USW members nationwide. We cannot fulfill that mission without the support and dedication of the USW staff and local unions. The fund works closely with USW staff and local union officials to bring new groups into the Fund and to retain groups that currently participate in fund benefit plans.

The International Executive Board of the USW has adopted the following policy statement to support the Steelworkers Health and Welfare Fund:

“The International Executive Board should reiterate and enforce a policy, that, whenever possible in the United States, the union shall demand that all bargained benefits programs, including medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, life and disability coverage shall be provided through participation in the Steelworkers Health and Welfare Fund.”- USW Policy Statement, October 24, 2001

The Steelworkers Health and Welfare Fund is a very useful resource to the union in collective bargaining:

• The fund promotes the USW identity through sponsorship of benefit plans.
• By coming to the fund for benefit proposals, the union can approach collective bargaining from a stronger position, and can help simplify the bargaining process with respect to health and welfare benefits.
• After a group joins the fund, the union and the employer are equal partners with respect to the operation of the benefit plans and access to information.
• The fund ensures that all plans are administered fairly and without bias.

Fund Privacy Notice

To access the Fund's Privacy Notice, please click here.