Building Global Solidarity in the Chemical Sector

Steelworkers from the U.S. and Canada met with colleagues from the German chemical workers’ union IGBCE on August 3-5 to learn about the challenges each union faces in organizing and bargaining with multinational chemical companies.

The meeting included USW local leaders from Districts 1, 3, 9 and 13 who work for two big German companies, BASF and K+S, along with International Vice President Carol Landry and District 13 Director Ruben Garza.  The IGBCE delegation included leaders of the Works Councils at K+S and BASF. The program included a visit to the BASF plant in Geismar, Louisiana, hosted by USW Local 620.

Participants identified common challenges in areas including shortages of skilled workers, health and safety, and organizing.  They proposed to establish an ongoing dialogue and exchange of information between the workers at the two companies.