District 10 Director Recognizes the Importance of Educating Next Generation Members

pump2On Thursday, March 6, District 10 Director Bob McAuliffe welcomed a group of 20 rank-and-file members at the United Steelworkers’ International Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a tour and day of solidarity organized by District 10 Next Generation. 

Upon welcoming the group, Director McAuliffe said:

“It is critical that our young members understand the history of our union and that our district play a larger role in educating our next generation of activist and leaders.  Our union recognizes the importance of educating young members. Local Union leaders need to provide the guidance and encouragement that our young workers will have a vital role in the future of the union.”

In the morning the group learned about the structure of the union and were able to meet several Vice Presidents and Executive Staff while taking a tour of the union’s headquarters.

pump3After lunch the group traveled to the Pump House in Homestead, Pennsylvania.  In 1892 hundreds of workers and community members converged on the Pump House after Henry Clay Frick (Chairman of Carnegie Steel Company) called for a lock out of the workers in an attempt to break the union. Three hundred Pinkerton agents were called upon by Carnegie Steel to break the workers’ strike, resulting in the death of 7 workers and 3 agents.  By July 12, nearly 8,000 state militia arrived and by November the strike was broken. 

The United Steelworkers’ union has led efforts to commemorate the Pump House and its history because the Homestead Strike is one of many stands taken by workers that laid the groundwork for the formation of the United Steelworkers Union in 1942. 

Reflecting on the day, Alan Campbell and Dominic DeMarco (Local 1016 Next Generation members) said that it was a “valuable learning experience.”  “We learned a lot about the history of the union, what we need to bring to the table in the future, and what is happening in the present.”

pump4“I think that the Next Generation Program is a valuable asset to the future of our union,” said Jean Matrazzo (Local 993 Next Generation member).  “Next Generation offers young members like me an opportunity to take the next step forward in becoming more active within my district and better educated on the various areas of the union that I may want to pursue in the future.  I feel we need more people to step up to the plate and get involved to ensure that we keep or improve the working conditions that our union brothers and sisters before us fought so hard to achieve.”

To find out more about the union’s Next Generation program, sign up at www.usw.org/nextgeneration or text NextGen to 47486.

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