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When Nellie Caraballo began working for the City of Lorain, Ohio, in September 1986, she was in the early stages of rebuilding her life while going through a divorce and serving in the U.S. Army. She had a toddler to raise, and she was eager for the good wages and benefits that would help her do that. Perhaps even more importantly, she would now be able to retire with a pension and health care.

This isn’t to say her start in the public sector wasn’t without challenges. In fact, Nellie spent the first half decade dealing with daily harassment from a foreman. The experience made her dread coming into work every day, and five years in, her local union president visited Nellie in her office. He said he knew she’d been experiencing problems and wanted to know why she had never come to the union for help.

“He encouraged me to file a grievance, and I asked what that was going to do for me,” Nellie said. “He looked at me and said, ‘I’ll show you.’” 

The Making of an Activist

Within weeks, Nellie and her local president settled the dispute. Nellie was transferred to a different department and the foreman was no longer allowed to enter her office or be near her while she was there.

“This sparked my interest in the union,” said Nellie. “How did this guy come into my office and resolve within weeks what I couldn’t resolve in five years? I wanted to know what this was all about and learn whatever I could.”

This marked Nellie’s involvement and commitment to her local, a decision that would eventually evolve as she expanded her activism into the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), her Central Labor Council, and, of course, Women of Steel. Sixteen years into her career with the city, she joined the USW as a staff representative in District 1.

The Fight Continues

Now, as a retiree, Nellie continues serving the union as a SOAR activist. But she is also holding space for the next generation of leaders, who she believes is going to play a major role in transforming the idea of justice and progress.

“Young people are out there educating themselves, and it warms my heart,” Nellie said. “They’re going to change Americans’ thinking, and I truly believe they’re going to change the world and make it more inclusive.”

Nellie said that the fights younger workers are facing are, in many ways, the same fights her generation endured.

“We’re still fighting division because there are factions that want to take us back, to erase history, so we still have to fight to just keep what we have,” she said. “We have to fight for our kids.”

Nellie also knows that there are always new fights. The one she is currently focused on is taking action on the Social Security Fairness Act.

Last month, the U.S. House passed a bill to eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), both of which reduce Social Security benefits for certain retirees who also receive pension income, including public sector workers.

SOAR activists like Nellie are spreading the word and asking union members to email a pre-written statement to their senators encouraging them to support the bill, which is likely to come up for a vote before the end of December.

“This is the farthest this legislation has ever come in Congress, Nellie said. “We have very little time to act.”

Click here to learn more and take action today!

On Wednesday, December 11, 2024, the U.S. Senate rejected the confirmations of two nominees to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) by voting 50 to 49 against current Chair Lauren McFerran and canceling the vote scheduled for Josh Ditelberg. This rejection has significant implications for the functioning and balance of the NLRB, which oversees critical issues related to labor disputes, union elections, and workers’ rights.

Click here to see how your U.S. Senators voted.

Immediate Impact:

• As of December 16, 2024, there will be two vacancies on the five-person Board. Historically, the NLRB avoids significant case decisions when operating with only three Members.
• These vacancies hamper the Board’s ability to oversee union elections and make decisions on conflicts related to organizing and collective bargaining, such as when an employer engages in illegal tactics during a strike or during negotiations.

Upcoming Challenges:

• Our nation faces the possibility of an extremely anti-worker and inactive NLRB. USW members should be prepared for the following:
• Recent decisions could be reversed, such as the banning of captive audience meetings; the expansion of remedies for workers illegally fired; the reduction of delays in union elections to counter employer stalling tactics; and so much more.
• Trust for the Board could be undermined. The ability for workers to collectively bargain could be weakened, and an environment where worker protections are effectively sidelined could be created.

Next Steps:

• Continue to engage in Rapid Response to learn and take actions on worker related policy decisions – good or bad!
• Build relationships with your union siblings to talk about policies impacting workers and our right to collectively bargain.

Back in July, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled in Mothering Justice v. Attorney General that the Legislature violated the state constitution in 2018 by using a shady tactic known as “adopt and amend” to undermine two citizen-proposed statutes. These rulings should pave the way for significant progress — one law to raise Michigan’s minimum wage and another to guarantee paid sick leave for workers.

But right now, the Michigan House is considering two dangerous bills, HB 6056 and HB 6057, that aim to undercut this critical ruling. If passed, these bills would strip Michiganders of the wages and benefits they’ve been unfairly denied for the past six years — money and protections workers are owed by law.

The clock is ticking! With the legislative session nearing its end, anti-worker forces are rushing to push these bills through. We cannot let this happen. They must hear from YOU, loud and clear: Protect Michigan workers. Stop these harmful bills.

TAKE ACTION NOW: Your Voice is Critical!

Send an Email to Your Michigan Representative TODAY!

Click HERE to send a prewritten email to your state representative. Michigan has a proud legacy of fighting for the middle class. These bills — HB 6056 and HB 6057 — are a direct attack on that legacy and on the working people who need fair wages and benefits the most.

Don’t wait. Act now to demand justice for Michigan workers. Together, we can stop this attack on our progress.

For additional information, please contact District 1 Rapid Response Coordinator, Sue Browne at sbrowne@usw.org or 269 - 838 - 5956.

Throughout 2024, particularly since Labor Day, USW members and retirees worked tirelessly to ensure our core values were on the minds of voters as they prepared to cast their ballot.

In our conversations with fellow union members, our families and community, we spoke passionately about collective bargaining, workplace safety and health, job security, domestic economic issues, health care, and retirement security.

We also did everything in our power to remind union voters of the following:

·       Our union’s endorsements are a recognition of shared values. As with any election, the USW only endorsed candidates who clearly demonstrated their support for protecting and strengthening unions. If a candidate was anti-union, they didn’t get our support. It’s that simple.

·       Who you vote for is a personal decision, and the central role of our member-to-member voter mobilization effort is to ensure union members and our families know which candidates share our values, as well as those who don’t.

While the union’s endorsed candidate for president, Kamala Harris, was not victorious, we are thankful for the number of USW-backed candidates who prevailed in presidential battleground states, including:

·       Arizona: Voters elected Ruben Gallego to the United States Senate.

·       Michigan: Voters opted to secure a labor-friendly majority to the state supreme court with the election of Kyra Harris Boulden and Kimberly Ann Thomas. Additionally, our friend Elissa Slotkin prevailed in her campaign for the U.S. Senate, along with labor-friendly candidates in competitive Congressional Districts including Hillary Scholten (MI-3), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-8), Haley Stevens (MI-11), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13).

·       Nevada: Our efforts were key in securing reelection for U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, while also assuring victories for Dina Titus (CD-1), Susie Lee (CD-2) and Steven Horsford (CD-4).

·       North Carolina: Union ally Josh Stein was elected Governor.

·       Ohio: Voters reelected incumbent labor allies including Greg Landsman (OH-1), Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Emilia Sykes (OH-13). We are still awaiting the final outcome in Ohio’s 9^th Congressional District where our longtime friend, Marcy Kaptur, is currently leading.

·       Pennsylvania: Voters opted to keep a labor-friendly majority in the state house while also delivering victories for union-endorsed candidates including Chrissy Houlihan (CD-6) and Chris Deluzio (CD-17).  

·       Wisconsin: One of our closest allies in the U.S. Senate, Tammy Baldwin, prevailed in her reelection campaign while labor-friendly allies made inroads in the newly redistricted state legislature.

This is far from being a complete list of all the victories our efforts helped secure in the 2024 elections. But, we wanted to bring attention to these wins because we are proud of the tireless work of USW members who helped ensure an election outcome that will mean working people will continue to be well represented in local, state and federal government.

Urge Your U.S. Senators to Bring the Social Security Fairness Act to a Vote Now!

Retirement is a key priority for every Steelworker, and our union fights tirelessly to protect it. Each year, nearly four million Americans retire, relying on Social Security benefits they’ve earned. However, many public employees, including thousands of Steelworkers, are denied their fair share.

What’s the issue and solution?

• Due to bad policy choices made by past elected leaders, many public employees have their Social Security benefit reduced or eliminated.
• Our union represents thousands of workers in the public sector, including librarians, crossing guards, public school custodians, emergency medical service (EMS) personal, bus drivers, and so many other folks who serve our communities.
• Certain laws, commonly known as the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), hurt public employees in 26 states by making it harder for them to retire.
• GPO reduces or eliminates Social Security benefits for public employees who earn a government pension and are also eligible for Social Security benefits from spouses, widows, and widowers.
• WEP penalizes workers who have paid into Social Security, but also receive a government pension or disability benefit.
• For decades, working class families have fought to end the GPO and WEP by passing H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act.

What is H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act?

• The bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act will guarantee that millions of public employees can retire with dignity by repealing the GPO and WEP.
• H.R. 82 would restore fairness by ensuring that public employees receive the full Social Security benefits that reflect their contributions.

What’s the process for passing H.R. 82 into law?

• Earlier this year, H.R. 82 passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 327 to 75.
• Now, it’s the Senate’s turn! 62 Senators co-sponsored the legislation, which is more than 60 needed to clear any filibuster.
• However, the 118th Congress is nearing the end of its term. The Senate needs to schedule a floor vote on H.R. 82 before the end of the 118th Congress.

**To view USW’s International President David McCall’s letter to the Senate regarding this issue, please click HERE

Tell Your U.S. Senators to Bring the Social Security Fairness Act to a Vote!
Click HERE (usw.to/56n) to send a prewritten email to your Senators to urge them to bring H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, to a vote before the end of the 118th Congress.

You can also call them and be directly connected by using our toll-free number below. Tell them who you are, where you are from, and to support H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act.

Senate Toll-Free Number: 1-877-607-0785
(Remember to make two calls to be connected with both your Senators.)

Is there anyone who really believes that an insurance company that exists to make a profit for the owners/shareholders of the company wants to provide you with excellent coverage for little to no cost? Why would these companies hire people to call us, spend money mailing us literature, or hire actors and former athletes to make commercials to influence us to purchase their product?

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), the gross profit margin per enrollee in the Medicare Advantage market for 2023 was $1,982. This report highlights that older adults represent the largest group of healthcare consumers, generating significant revenue for insurance companies. The top five health insurance companies offering Medicare Advantage products in 2023 reported a combined profit of $44.5 billion!

Additionally, AARP states that people with Medicare will have access to an average of 15 Part D plans and 34 Medicare Advantage plans that include prescription drug coverage next year. With so many choices, along with confusing terminology and high-pressure sales tactics, it’s no wonder that navigating the best plan can be frustrating.

In September, President-elect Trump mentioned that he has a "concept of a plan" for improving medical care. Hopefully, this concept addresses the findings from a study published in 2023 in JAMA Network Open, a monthly open-access medical journal published by the American Medical Association, revealing that 20 percent of older adults do not take their medications as prescribed due to cost. This plan should prevent seniors from falling into bankruptcy while trying to cover their medical expenses. It should ensure that seniors receive the prescriptions their doctors recommend rather than being limited to those that their insurance will cover. Furthermore, it should allow seniors to seek treatment at facilities of their choice rather than restricting them to those within the insurance carrier's network.

With one party poised to gain control of the government’s Executive and Legislative branches, it will be evident how committed they are to addressing these critical and often life-threatening issues, as well as their proposed solutions. In the meantime, you may be able to save money or find better coverage by shopping around and comparing different Medicare Advantage or supplemental programs to cover the costs not paid by traditional Medicare.

Note: Your SOAR Executive Board does not endorse any product or claim any plan superior to another. However, we will continue to provide information on these types of plans to the best of our ability so that our members can decide what kind of plan best suits their needs.

Please stay safe and enjoy this holiday season! And thank you for all that you do to promote and support SOAR.

-SOAR President
Bill Pienta

In our conversations with fellow union members, our families and the community, we spoke passionately about collective bargaining, workplace safety and health, job security, domestic economic issues, health care, and retirement security.  

We also did everything in our power to remind union voters of the following:

• Our union’s endorsements are a recognition of shared values.  As with any election, the USW only endorsed candidates who clearly demonstrated their support for protecting and strengthening unions.  If a candidate was anti-union, they didn’t get our support.  It’s that simple.

• Who you vote for is a personal decision, and the central role of our member-to-member voter mobilization effort is to ensure union members and our families know which candidates share our values and those who don’t.  

By midnight on November 5, it was clear that our union’s endorsed candidate for President, Kamala Harris, would not be victorious.  

However, we’ve been thankful for the number of USW-backed candidates who have prevailed as votes continue to be counted in the battleground states, including:

• Arizona:  Voters elected Ruben Gallego to the United States Senate;

• Michigan:  Voters opted to secure a labor-friendly majority in the state supreme court with the election of Kyra Harris Boulden and Kimberly Ann Thomas.  Additionally, our friend Elissa Slotkin prevailed in her campaign for the U.S. Senate, along with labor-friendly candidates in competitive Congressional Districts, including Hillary Scholten (MI-3), Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-8), Haley Stevens (MI-11), and Shri Thanedar (MI-13);

• North Carolina:  Union ally Josh Stein was elected Governor;

• Ohio:  Voters reelected incumbent labor allies, including Greg Landsman (OH-1), Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Shontel Brown (OH-11) and Emilia Sykes (OH-13).  We are still awaiting the outcome in Ohio’s 9^th Congressional District, where our longtime friend, Marcy Kaptur, is currently leading; 

• Nevada:  Our efforts were key in securing reelection for U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen while also assuring victories for Dina Titus (CD-1), Susie Lee (CD-2) and Steven Horsford (CD-4); 

• Pennsylvania:  Voters opted to keep a labor-friendly majority in the state house while also delivering victories for union-endorsed candidates, including Chrissy Houlihan (CD-6), Chris Deluzio (CD-17), Nick Pisciottano (SD-45), Rob Matzie (HD-16) and Arvind Venkat (HD-30); and,  

• Wisconsin:  One of our closest allies in the U.S. Senate, Tammy Baldwin, prevailed in her reelection campaign while labor-friendly allies made inroads in the newly redistricted state legislature.  

Outside of these battleground states, our union is celebrating a growing list of victories for pro-labor candidates in local, state and federal elections, including those who won in competitive elections for the U.S. House of Representatives, including Frank Mrvan (IN-1), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), and Eric Sorenson (IL-17).

This is far from a complete list of all the victories our efforts helped secure in the 2024 elections. But, we wanted to highlight these wins because we are proud of the tireless work of our USW and SOAR members who, against all odds, helped ensure an election outcome that will mean retired and working people will continue to be well-represented in local, state and federal government.

Rest up during the holidays! And get ready for our ongoing efforts to continue this vital work in 2025.  

-SOAR Director
Julie Stein

The following article is part of the Women of Steel "Sister Stories" series.

Veronica Bragassa will soon be celebrating her 28th year as a member of USW Local 560L at Arrowhead Products in Los Alamitos, Calif.

As a resistance seam welder specialist, her job is physical and demanding. It’s an environment where many women may not feel comfortable, as it is a male-dominated field, but Bragassa said that because of her collective bargaining agreement, her rights and dignity as a woman at work are protected.

“Seniority and having a willingness to learn and a good work ethic will get a woman any job here that a man can have,” she said.

Bragassa currently serves as a steward and as co-chair for the local’s Women of Steel (WOS) committee. She is also a WOS facilitator, leading workshops and trainings on issues impacting women on the job, including health and safety concerns.

She said she has discovered so much about herself and others by participating in Women of Steel, including the importance of networking and being open to learning new things.

“Knowledge is power,” Bragassa said, “and like iron sharpens iron, to be amongst strong women is encouraging and helps me to be more confident in stepping forward.”

The Women of Steel program, she said, is an incredible opportunity for women to simply connect and find hope.

“Knowing you’re not alone is huge,” said Bragassa. “It’s amazing to know that support is just a phone call away.”

If Bragassa could tell her younger self one thing, it would simply be to enjoy the moment.

“There was something to enjoy at every stage of life,” she said. “What’s important is to keep a positive perspective and a good attitude.”

In preparation for the Nov. 5 election, USW@Work asked members from across the United States to share their thoughts on those and other important issues.

To learn more about the issues and find more information about the election, visit uswvoices.org.

SAM MENDEZ

Local 338
Kaiser Aluminum
Spokane, Wash.

LABOR RIGHTS, FAIR TRADE

“I want to make sure people understand what’s at stake. The rights of union members are on the ballot. Our wages and our pensions are on the ballot.

“Kamala Harris doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk. She pounds the pavement with union workers who are on the picket line. That shows what she stands for – she stands for us. If she is willing to make that effort to support us, then I’m willing to make the same effort to support her.”

THE FACTS: Kamala Harris walked a picket line with striking autoworkers in 2019 and canceled an appearance in 2023 to avoid crossing a picket line. She has taken on price-gouging corporations, and she has spoken out and voted against unfair trade that harms workers. Harris has been vocal in her support for the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.

ANDY JERGENS

Local 5282
Olin Chlor Alkali Products
Henderson, Nev.

AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE

“Harris and Biden have done so much for working people. The Inflation Reduction Act is a perfect example of how they have fought for everyday Americans. That legislation capped the cost of insulin for diabetic patients on Medicare, which hits very close to home for me. My wife is diabetic, and insulin is not cheap. That is life-changing for a lot of people.”

THE FACTS: In 2022, Kamala Harris cast the deciding vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, providing financial relief for millions of Americans, including those on Medicare, by expanding benefits, lowering costs, and strengthening the program for future generations. Specifically, the law capped the cost of insulin at $35 for a month’s supply.

BOB  TRIBBLE

Local 1014
U.S. Steel
Gary, Ind.

INFRASTRUCTURE

“The most important thing is educating members on the issues and making sure that they get out to vote. The infrastructure bill alone has made a huge difference in our plant. We make structural steel, and that has kept us busy. It has meant that we are hiring, not pulling back, and it has meant steady employment for Local 1014 members.”

THE FACTS: The Biden-Harris Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided $1.2 trillion to upgrade U.S. roads, bridges, railways, water pipes, electrical systems, broadband networks and other crucial needs, supporting good jobs for USW members and other workers through strong Buy American provisions. The law is estimated to support more than 700,000 new jobs per year over 10 years.

EARKIEL EATON

Local 593
Aurubis Copper Foundry
Buffalo, N.Y.

SAFER WORKPLACES

“Kamala Harris has already helped us build the middle class with legislation like the CHIPS and Science Act, which has supported a number of USW employers, like those of us in the copper industry. She will work to strengthen the National Labor Relations Board and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to make our workplaces safer. All workers deserve to come home safely at the end of the day.”

THE FACTS: Through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), the Biden-Harris administration has fought for numerous safety and health standards, including rules limiting exposure to silica dust and extreme heat, and expanding workers’ rights during workplace inspections.

DAVE SMITH

Local 2660
Keetac Iron Ore Mine
Hibbing, Minn.

CREATING GOOD JOBS

“I like to support candidates that support our union’s core values – things like good jobs, workers’ rights, secure retirements, safe workplaces, health care, fair trade. I will oppose people who want to take those things away from us.

“Those of us in labor, we want clean water and clean air, too, because we live in these communities. We have to have both – good jobs and a clean environment. It’s a challenge, but we have to meet it, because our future is at stake.”

THE FACTS: Kamala Harris cast the deciding vote for the Inflation Reduction Act.  The law’s clean energy and climate provisions have created more than 170,000 clean energy jobs already, and companies have announced more than $110 billion in clean energy manufacturing investments in the past year alone, including at many USW workplaces.

NICOLE ROTTMAN

Local 889
Penreco, Calumet Karns City Refining
East Brady, Pa.

UNION ORGANIZING 

“Kamala Harris comes from the working class. She has been a big part of one of the most pro-labor administrations of our lifetimes. She stands up for workers’ rights, she fights for affordable health care, strong retirements. She is bringing a new energy to the campaign and has breathed new life into the labor movement.”

THE FACTS: Kamala Harris led the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, focusing on removing barriers for workers across the United States who want to form unions, and creating more good-paying union jobs. In the first half of 2024 alone, union election petitions increased 35 percent.

CLINT BLAKE

Local 13434
Clean Harbors Environmental
El Dorado, Ark.

PRO-WORKER LAWS

“Look at the pro-worker legislation that has been passed, and the choice could not be more clear. Kamala Harris helped pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the American Rescue Plan, the CHIPS and Science Act. That’s enough to make it clear to those of us in labor that she’s with us.”

THE FACTS: The Biden-Harris CHIPS and Science Act allocated $280 billion to boost semiconductor production, chip manufacturing, research and education. It strengthened supply chains and bolstered U.S. manufacturing. The administration also created a national manufacturing policy and supported legislation to raise wages, make child care affordable, and expand the child tax credit.

DEBORAH RICHARDSON

Local 7600
Kaiser Permanente
Fontana, Calif.

HEALTH CARE WORKERS

“As a health care worker, it’s important to me that Kamala Harris has fought hard to make sure that Americans can get the health care they need at an affordable cost. It can be a real struggle for a lot of people, whether it’s for physical health care or mental health care, and it’s important to have a strong leader who stands up for people.”

THE FACTS: As a U.S. Senator, Kamala Harris sponsored legislation to make it easier for Medicare beneficiaries to receive mental health services and to help mental health professionals repay their student loans. She also led efforts to curb racism in health care settings and to improve maternal health.

NOLAN TOME

Local 10-326
Smurfit Westrock
York, Pa.

SECURE RETIREMENTS

“My dad’s pension would have been insolvent by 2031, if not for the Butch Lewis Act. He plans to retire soon, and he would not have been able to think about that if not for that legislation. Without that pension, he would not have much retirement savings at all.”

THE FACTS: Kamala Harris cast the critical tie-breaking vote for the American Rescue Plan of 2021, which included the Butch Lewis Act, saving the pensions of more than a million workers, including 120,000 active and retired USW members.

JIMMY BEACH

Local 1693
Hussey Copper
Louisville, Ky.

A FAIR ECONOMY

“Kamala Harris understands that when we stand together as union members, we can fight for fair wages and safe working conditions. Her support for legislation that strengthens unions gives me hope that our voices will be heard and that we can negotiate for better benefits and protections.

“Kamala Harris understands our struggles and is willing to fight for us. I believe that under her leadership we can create a more just and equitable economy where working families are valued and have a real shot at success.”

THE FACTS: The Biden-Harris administration established a national minimum staffing requirement for Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes. In the U.S. Senate, Kamala Harris fought for legislation to raise wages, cut costs for families and address workplace violence. As California’s attorney general, she cracked down on corporate greed and defended vulnerable workers against wage theft.

“It was amazing,” said Cavanaugh, who works as a USW staff representative in Calgary, Canada. “Our hosts were phenomenal. Everyone within Unite was good to us.”

During the weeklong event, Cavanaugh attended an Organizing in the Workplace workshop series, which allowed her to see how much workers in the United States have in common with workers around the world. She said it is vital for the union to be involved in global partnerships like this in order for everyone’s experiences to improve.

“It’s great to share our struggles and our wins; we feed off of each other,” Cavanaugh said. “I was able to get information from there that I could take back with me. It’s about getting a different perspective.”

Cavanaugh also said the workshop helped open up each attendee and instill a newfound sense of confidence.

“By the end of the week, everyone had a light on their faces,” Cavanaugh said. “The whole week really provided motivation and knowledge of what we all need to do moving forward.”

Cavanaugh, who believes getting involved in Women of Steel always felt like a natural fit, got her start in the labor movement as a screener at an airport and a member of Local 1-417. She also served as steward and vice president.

She understands that not every woman is naturally assertive and willing to enter leadership positions. However, she believes every woman has what it takes; they just need to take the first step.

“So many women decide we’re not going to do things. We wait to be invited,” she said. “We don’t need to wait anymore. Just do it.”

Click here to watch a video of highlights from Women’s Week.

Anita Bevins is part of five generations of family who have worked at the Portsmouth nuclear site in southern Ohio.

For nearly 35 years, Bevins has worked at the site operating cranes and has trained hundreds of workers on crane operation. She works alongside two of her children, two grandchildren and two sons-in-law who are also employed at the plant.

As she looks forward to retirement, Bevins credits the facility with helping to protect U.S. national security, to ensure energy independence, and to build a strong, secure future for herself, her loved ones and her community.

“It has helped me raise my children,” said Bevins, one of about 900 members of Local 689 who are part of six units spread across the sprawling 3,777-acre site in Piketon, about 70 miles south of Columbus.

Local 689 is one of seven local unions that are part of the USW’s Atomic Energy Workers Council (AEWC), which represents a total of about 3,000 members.

Barry Sexton is one of the longest-tenured USW members at the Portsmouth site. After a stint in the U.S. Army, he joined a work-study program and now has been at the site for more than 45 years.

“Talk about luck,” he said.

Herman Potter, president of Local 689, himself a second-generation atomic worker, noted that the site is among the largest employers in the region and, thanks to the USW-negotiated wages and benefits, also one of the best places to work.

Focus on the Future

That is unlikely to change any time soon, especially now that the site is home to a project that represents the future of U.S. nuclear energy.

A year ago, Centrus Energy, one of a half-dozen contractors that employs USW members at the federally owned Portsmouth site, launched the first new U.S.-owned and operated uranium enrichment production in 70 years.

Inside one of the two identical, massive buildings designed to house the project are a series of tall white cylindrical towers, each containing centrifuges that produce the enriched uranium that will power the next generation of nuclear reactors. Today, there are 16 towers, but hundreds more are expected to fill the space over the next two years.

“We are looking years down the road to make sure we remain here,” said Potter. “We are going to need more people, and we’re going to need to train them.”

Because that training and the necessary security clearances take roughly 18 months to complete, and the company expects to hire as many as 500 people by 2027, Potter said, the search for new workers is already getting underway, and the union is exploring the possibility of establishing a regional training center at the local hall.

Potter credits the local union’s strength in part to its relationship with political leaders, including U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and former Sen. Rob Portman, who invited Potter to be a guest at the State of the Union address in 2016. The Ohio legislators, he said, helped ensure the site would have a strong future.

The expansion in Portsmouth comes with increases in federal funding and the strong support of the Biden-Harris administration, which has earmarked $2.7 billion in funding to establish a reliable domestic supply of fuel for the nuclear power industry, part of the White House’s stated goal of achieving energy independence and generating 100 percent carbon-free electricity by 2035.

In July, USW Atomic Energy Workers Council President Jim Key, who also serves as an appointee to the U.S. Department of Labor Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker’s Health, witnessed President Joe Biden sign into law theAccelerating Deployment of Versatile, Advanced Nuclear for Clean Energy (A.D.V.A.N.C.E.) Act.

The bipartisan bill sets forth provisions to incentivize the development and deployment of domestically produced advanced nuclear fuel technologies and to clean up hazardous land. Key expects the new law will help bring scores of valuable new union jobs to the atomic sector, including the Portsmouth site.

USW District 1 Director Donnie Blatt, who oversees the union’s work throughout Ohio, said the proud USW members at Portsmouth are eager to grow their local as more jobs come to the area.

"Portsmouth has been vital to our nation’s atomic energy, and our USW members are key to its future,” said Blatt. “With the new uranium enrichment project, we're not just creating jobs – we're ensuring energy independence and economic growth for our community. Our members' dedication and skill will continue to drive this critical work forward."

For America, By Americans

The promise of a strong future for the atomic industry is good news for USW members and others in the region, who rely on the ripple effect of the good jobs at Portsmouth to fuel the local economy.

“It’s promising,” said Delbert Reisinger, who has worked at the site for 16 years. “It feels good to know we’re using American technology to make a product for Americans.”

Reisinger said he’s noticed an uptick in small business activity and other economic growth in the area since the new uranium enrichment work began, and that he expects the growth to continue as the site expands.

“We’re ready,” he said. “We’ve proven it time and time again.”

Aaron Howard, a chemical operator at the site and daytime union steward, said that the future of the plant will be critical for sustaining the community long-term.

Piketon’s population hovers at around just 2,000, and while many who work at the plant commute in from surrounding towns, it is by far the largest employer in the area.

“We’re talking about a large economic influx of thousands of jobs,” said Howard. “It means a lot for the people here.”

Matt Snider, manager of the new centrifuge plant, said he was thankful for the company’s strong working relationship with the USW.

“Centrus is proud to be leading the effort to restore American leadership in uranium enrichment, and grateful for the USW members in our Piketon plant who are making it happen,” Snider said.

Health and Safety Essential

The new uranium enrichment project at Portsmouth is, in a way, a throwback to the past for a work site that for 45 years was home to a gaseous diffusion plant that enriched uranium – first for use in the nation’s nuclear weapons program and, later, for commercial nuclear reactors. Those operations ended in 2001, and for the past three decades, USW members have performed complex decontamination and decommissioning work there.

Fluor-BWXT, the contractor that oversees the decommissioning, custodial, plant protection and other work at the site, is the largest employer of USW members in Portsmouth, with about 650 on its payroll. 

Greg Wilkett, site manager for the company, said the most important aspect of his work with the union is ensuring that everyone goes home safe at the end of their shift.

“You don’t get that unless you have a great partnership,” Wilkett said. “We have a common interest.”

Sam Carver said wages and benefits are a small part of what USW membership provides to the workers in Portsmouth. Having a strong voice on the job, particularly on issues of health and safety, is essential, he said.

“It’s about knowing that they have your back,” Carver said. “We know that when we bring something up, they’re not going to take it lightly.”

Phil Budnik, a unit president and safety representative, said the membership works closely with management at the site on a number of issues, including safety and ensuring adequate funding from the federal government.

“We are good at protecting our work force,” said Budnik, who served in a management role at a previous job. “It has given me perspective.”

USW members in Portsmouth also have found opportunities to change direction in their careers. Paige Cisco, a second-generation atomic worker, began working at the Portsmouth site during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as a janitor, and for the past three years has worked in process operations. 

Cisco quickly became a leader within her local, stepping up to become unit president, a full-time safety representative, a sergeant-at-arms and a worker-trainer who now travels around the country providing Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) trainings for fellow USW members.

Cisco’s mother, who also worked as a process operator at the site, now works with the Worker Health Protection Program through New York’s Queens College, which partners with the USW, the Department of Energy and other agencies to offer free health evaluations to atomic workers for conditions related to radiation, asbestos, beryllium, noise, solvents, and other potential exposures.

Cisco attended the USW’s Health, Safety and Environment conference held in August, where she and other USW members in the nuclear sector had the chance to discuss their health and safety concerns in a special session for atomic workers. 

“I care about our health and safety at Portsmouth because it’s personal for me,” said Cisco, whose father suffered from three different cancers while employed at the site in Piketon. “The people I work with aren’t just my coworkers – they are my family.”

Trent Smith has worked at the Portsmouth site for 31 years doing a variety of jobs. For Smith, the strong connection he feels with co-workers and the members of his community make it a special place to work and live.

“There’s a brotherhood. There’s no denying that,” he said of his USW siblings. “They are the community in my eyes.”

Legacy of Innovation

As the Portsmouth site evolves, it stays grounded in its rich legacy while embracing a promising future. 

“The new uranium enrichment project marks a pivotal step forward, ensuring that Portsmouth remains at the forefront of America’s nuclear energy future,” said International Vice President Roxanne Brown, who oversees bargaining in the USW’s atomic sector. “This enduring partnership between USW members, industry, and community honors our history while building a brighter future for the nation.”

(Pittsburgh) – Union leaders representing thousands of workers at Dow, DuPont, Corteva, IFF, and Trinseo locations from the United States and around the globe met last week in Pittsburgh to discuss common issues, devise strategies and pledge their unity.

“As workers continue to experience challenges, both locally and globally, union members around the world and in the U.S. will be working together to ensure our best interests are represented,” said Kent Holsing, chairperson of the Dow DuPont North American Labor Council and president of USW Local 12075 in Midland, Mich.

“The chemical industry is critically important and its workers are a vital part of that,” Holsing added. “Faced with economic uncertainty, the push for sustainability, digitalization and consumer confidence, we know all too well that corporations don’t stop making decisions and acting in the best interest of their shareholders.”

“We must protect workers, not only those in our unions but also non-union employees who don’t have that voice.”

The union leaders, over a three-day period, shared collective bargaining data, identified mutual obstacles and determined potential solutions to concerns like short staffing, excessive overtime and increased workplace fatigue, lack of proper training, and workplace and community safety.

The council also discussed Dow’s flawed decision and the ramifications to abruptly close the Puerto General San Martin, Argentina location, the future of company-union relations, and the financial strength of each company.

The labor leaders strengthened their unions’ international connections, and their interactions boosted mutual respect and understanding across the six companies’ unionized worksites in the U.S. and globally.

Representatives from these unions participated in the annual meeting: The United Steelworkers (USW); the International Union of Operating Engineers; Texas City Metal Trades; the International Chemical Workers Union Council/United Food & Commercial Workers; National Conference of Firemen & Oilers; the Ampthill Rayon Workers Incorporated (ARWI); the Dow Chemical European Employee Forum; the Dow Chemical-Stade Works Council (Germany); UNITE the Union (United Kingdom); the Global Union Federation IndustriALL (Geneva, Switzerland); the Union of Workers and Employees Petrochemicals States-SOEPU (Argentina) and the Petroleum Chemical and Rubber Industry Workers’ Union of Turkey-Lastik-İş (Turkey).

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

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Union contracts can be a powerful tool in addressing mental health among members and their families, and USW bargaining committees must push for progress on that issue just as they would any other health care language.

That was the central message of a daylong educational program for rank-and-file USW leaders this summer at the union’s education center at Linden Hall in Pennsylvania.

Health and Safety

For Mayson Fulk of Local 2699-09 in London, Ontario, efforts to improve workers’ mental health are a natural part of the work that USW local leaders do on behalf of all of their members.

“We are a health and safety union,” Fulk said, “and that includes our mental health and safety.”

Aside from simply providing affordable and accessible mental health care, unions can fight for language on numerous topics that can address members’ mental health needs, including limiting excessive overtime, providing adequate vacation time and paid sick leave, and ensuring safer workplaces free from danger.

Dangers in the workplace, Fulk noted, can include both physical hazards and psychological hazards such as bullying and harassment. The threat of both can lead to mental health challenges, but bargaining for affordable health care coverage that takes mental health needs into account is the first step to addressing the issue, Fulk said.

“We can tell our members and our employees all we want that mental health matters, but if we aren’t bargaining for access to mental health care that our members can afford, it does no good,” said Fulk, who serves as unit chair as well as local president, co-chair of the District 6 Human Rights Committee, District 6 Trans Liaison and as a member of the international’s 2SLGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee.

Common Problem

During the Linden Hall program, which was packed with several dozen USW members from across North America, facilitator Waleed Sami, a professor of psychology at the City College of New York, asked participants to raise their hands if they had dealt with a mental health-related issue in their workplace. Every member’s hand went up.

“Many of the elements that contribute to better mental health are things that a union can improve,” said Sami, who wrote his 115-page doctoral dissertation on the relationship between union membership and mental health.

“Income inequality and poverty exert a profound health and mental health cost on the citizens of the United States,” Sami wrote. But the strong wages and benefits that union membership provides can help to combat those factors, not just for workers but entire communities.

Besides good pay, unions, in general, provide workers with increased job security, greater work-life balance, more opportunity for advancement, more flexible scheduling and safer environments than non-union workplaces. All of those factors can be improved through contract bargaining, Sami said.

Voice on the Job

In addition, unions provide workers with an avenue to address concerns about their working conditions in a way that non-union workers don’t have, which also can lead to improved mental health, said Tom Woodgate of Local 2-585 in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

“The contract gives our members a concrete way of managing their lives, working conditions, wages, benefits. Negotiating a contract can be stressful, but not having any contract is more stressful,” Woodgate said. “Having the union gives us the strength to stand up.”

In addition to providing a voice for workers, union contracts offer a degree of certainty about the future, Woodgate said, which gives workers feelings of comfort and safety.

“There are rules, and the mechanisms of the contract give people stability, and a clear process on how things work,” he said. “This gives people a sense of agency in their workplace, that even in small ways, or not-so-small ways, they can make informed decisions about their lives and livelihoods.”

Paid Time Off

Specific contract provisions also can contribute to the mental well-being of workers, said Sederick Wilson, vice president of Local 9558 at Howmet Aerospace in Hampton, Va.

One of those provisions is adequate bereavement leave so that workers have time to process their grief after the loss of a close loved one, Wilson said.

“You really don’t know the impact until you go through it,” he said.

Another helpful provision is paid family leave that allows workers flexibility when they are sick or caring for a sick or terminally ill family member.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought into stark relief the need for such policies across all workplaces. Still, union contracts are the best way to ensure those benefits, Woodgate said.

Employee Assistance

Providing workers who are dealing with post-traumatic stress, depression or substance abuse, or who are facing violent domestic situations or other threats, with the support, time off and flexibility they need to change their lives can be among the most important provisions in a union contract, Woodgate said.

Many USW locals bargain contract language for employee-assistance programs (EAPs) that offer benefits such as counseling, legal aid, education and training opportunities, child care, financial assistance, housing placement and other help to workers struggling with a host of issues that can negatively affect their mental health.

“These types of issues can require a lot of patience and guidance,” Wilson said.

In recent years, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recognized issues of mental health and stress as workplace hazards and begun to provide resources and tools for workers and managers to address those problems. For more information, members can visit osha.gov.

Raising the Bar

The idea of addressing issues of domestic violence and other forms of abuse through the union’s collective bargaining process led to the creation of the recently updated “Action Guide for Raising the Bar on Women’s Health and Safety,” a handbook to give union leaders tools, including model contract language, to better address members’ needs through bargaining and union activism.

In addition to violence and abuse, the guide provides members with help in addressing other issues, including harassment, gender identity, ergonomics, work-life balance, restrooms and change rooms, uniforms, personal protective equipment, and reproductive health. Members can find the guide at: usw.to/raisingthebar.

“The job of any union is to recognize the needs of workers and their families and do everything we can to help them meet those needs,” International President David McCall said. “Ensuring the health, safety and security of workers and families is something we should be fighting for every day, in our workplaces and in our communities.”

Besides the benefits that their contract language or an EAP may offer, Sami said, unions provide workers with other, less tangible benefits that positively affect mental health, including feelings of friendship and community that may be less prevalent in non-union workplaces.

Sense of Belonging

Holding union-led events such as picnics, holiday parties, charity drives and other social gatherings, Sami said, can give members a feeling of purpose and a sense of belonging that they may not get elsewhere.

“Being a part of our union can give you something to get involved in, a chance to help others around you and in your community, a network of folks across North America that genuinely care about your well-being,” Fulk said.

All of those factors can contribute positively not only to workers’ mental health, but that of their families, Woodgate said.

“Just having a union,” he said, “gives you hope that things will improve.”

Members of the USW 3M Council, who met in Niagara Falls, N.Y., on Oct. 8-9, continued strategizing around 3M’s announcement last January that it would freeze U.S. pension plans for nonunion employees at the end of 2028.

USW Collective Bargaining, Research and Benefits Director Chad Apaliski expects 3M will try to make changes to members’ pensions, shifting to a 401K structure instead. “Luckily, we have time,” Apaliski told the council, urging them to start planning ways to organize as a united front against the potential push. “This pension issue is unique in that it involves every one of our shops in one way or another.”

USW International Secretary-Treasurer John Shinn, who oversees bargaining in the chemical sector, urged the locals within the council to utilize USW resources to educate, communicate and build solidarity amongst their membership around the pension issue.

“We need to walk out of here understanding that we need to be united, and we need to engage our members,” said Shinn. “There is never a better time to utilize our strategies and resources at HQ in Pittsburgh to be proactive.”

Health and Safety Issues Key

Secretary-Treasurer Shinn began the conversation on health and safety by presenting statistics from the USW’s Health, Safety and Environment Department, noting that seven fatalities and 82 injuries have occurred to USW members in the chemical sector over the last 10 years. Of the injuries reported to the USW, more than half were due to exposure to toxic chemicals.

Shinn said some sites in the chemical sector lack any substantial health and safety language.

“Management says they want to talk about safety, but when it comes down to spending money, they won’t do it,” said Jay Zyduck, a council representative from USW Local 2-0666 in Wausau, Wisc.

Members of the council cited accidents like fires, loss of fingers and chemical splashes that could have been prevented with better health and safety training and stricter safety practices.

“The company is always going to blame the worker when an accident happens, and we need to hold them accountable,” said Heath Ver Bockel, USW staff in District 7 who services the 3M workers in Wausau.

Representatives from the various 3M locals shared ways their unions have improved practices around chemical safety at their sites. Each local union represented in the council had regular health and safety meetings that met quarterly or even monthly. A major point of discussion was how members at the sites have advocated for “stop work authority” so workers are empowered to stop work when conditions are unsafe.

“Your industry is dangerous,” said Shinn. “Stop work authority is important to not only us, but to the community.”

Shinn to Step Down

Shinn informed the council he’d be stepping down as secretary-treasurer at the end of this year, but will continue to work into next year as a special assistant to the president until he wraps up ongoing projects – including chairing the chemical sector – and helps train the next generation of the union’s leadership.

“I’m impressed with the council and what we’ve been able to accomplish,” said Shinn. “I take a lot of pride in the work we’ve been doing.”

The 3M Council plans to meet again under new leadership in Spring 2025. Stay tuned for announcements regarding a date and location.

For Danielle Aunkst, a Registered Nurse at Pediatric Specialty Care Medical Day at Danville, the decision to organize was motivated by a desire to continue to show up at her best for the population of vulnerable children in her care. 

Aunkst and her colleagues work as RNs, LPNs, childcare workers, and more at a pediatric care center in Danville, Pa. The children in their care have chronic lung disease, genetic disorders, seizure disorders, feeding intolerance, and other medical conditions.

After months of organizing and a grueling campaign with an employer that forced workers into two separate union elections, Aunkst and her colleagues unanimously voted to join the USW in August. 

The tight-knit group of 23 was motivated by their desire to build a better future for the center's health care workers, children, and families. 

“This is what it comes down to: if we can’t have our own health and safety concerns taken care of, how can we take care of these kids?” asked Aunkst. “We’re trying to care for medically fragile children, and we don’t have paid sick days or affordable health insurance.”

Aunkst and her colleagues are most excited that unionizing grants them the voice on the job they’ve desperately needed. They also look forward to bargaining over paid time off policies, affordable health insurance, and various employer-sponsored benefits as they prepare to negotiate their first union contract. 

“We’re a very close-knit facility, and the employer couldn’t break us down,” said Aunkst. “We care about these kids. They are our main focus, and they can’t take that away from us.”

As president of Local 1327, Jennifer Beard represents the production workers at Domtar’s paper facility in Ashdown, Ark.

This August, she got her first opportunity to join her USW siblings from across the industry at the union’s paper bargaining policy conference, where they set a new agenda for their industry and prepared to meet those goals with a schedule packed with training sessions and discussions on the future of their craft.

“We have to continue to produce quality products in a sustainable way,” Beard said. “And we must continue to be innovative by finding ways to produce products or ways to use our products that will set us up for a positive future.”

Those items were on the agenda for Beard and her colleagues at the four-day conference, which included 500 members from across North America. The union’s 10th paper bargaining conference, with the theme “The Power of Paper: We Matter,” brought together a diverse group of workers from one of the union’s largest sectors.

For Beard, the conference offered a chance to network with union leaders from across the USW who, despite working in other states or for other companies, shared many of the same issues on the shop floor.

“The conference is a way for us to share commonalities and learn from one another,” she said.

Aside from kitchen table issues like wages, benefits and retirement security, the conference included presentations and panel discussions on legislative issues, the sector’s efforts on “Raising the Bar for Women’s Health and Safety,” the importance of adding domestic violence leave language to union contracts, and updates from the union’s global allies in the paper industry.

In his role as USW international vice president, Luis Mendoza oversees bargaining for about 80,000 members across 550 paper locals and 30 bargaining councils. Fighting for safer and healthier workplaces for each of those members is the most essential aspect of union leadership, he said.

“There’s nothing more important than making sure workers get home safely at the end of their day,” Mendoza said. “Fighting for safer workplaces is our most important mission as union leaders.”

In addition to Mendoza, the conference included remarks from International President David McCall, International Vice Presidents Emil Ramirez, Kevin Mapp and Roxanne Brown, and Directors Larry Burchfield of District 13, Donnie Blatt of District 1, Cathy Drummond of District 11 and Daniel Flippo of District 9.

Randall Child, president of 9-738 at the International Paper mill in Riegelwood, N.C., was attending his fourth paper conference as a union leader.

Child, who represents about 380 members at his mill, said it was important for all members to support the union’s national paper bargaining policy and its 10-point safety action plan for making and converting paper.

That plan updated the safety priorities for the sector, such as green-on-green training and mental health awareness, and added more focus items, including developing a program for safe work conversations based on critical hazards and underlying factors.

“All of those things are critical to making the paper industry safer,” said Child. “This has historically been a very dangerous industry to work in.”

Also critical, Child said, is making sure local leaders employ the USW’s “Raising the Bar” document, an action guide with sample contract language aimed at helping workers experiencing intimate partner abuse, as well as other issues including harassment, gender identity, ergonomics, work-life balance, restrooms and change rooms, uniforms, personal protective equipment and reproductive health.

Beard agreed that focusing on those issues would improve the environment for all paper workers.

“Working in a male-dominated industry, awareness around women’s health and safety is something we all could use,” said Beard.

Having a safety and health program in every shop, with buy-in from both rank-and-file members and plant managers, is critical, Child said. That doesn’t happen without USW leaders who advocate on behalf of their members.

“That’s the only way you’re going to be safer is to get the workers engaged and bring it down to the workers’ level,” he said. “It doesn’t happen overnight, but things like the conference, where you get to hear from the entire membership, are essential.”

Participants also took part in multiple workshops on relevant topics including health and safety, mental health in the workplace, organizing, collective bargaining, Women of Steel, and the USW’s legislative efforts.

The union’s legislative work on the federal, state and local levels can be a key factor in building a strong, sustainable future for the industry, Beard said.

“We must be active and pressure our legislators to work with us,” she said, “to advocate and produce reasonable solutions when making policy and regular decisions concerning the paper industry.”

In one of the key pieces of business at the conference, delegates voted to adopt the 2024-2026 Paper Bargaining Policy as recommended by the elected policy committee. The new policy amends the previous document that members put in place at their 2021 conference, including updates on retirement security language, successorship language and benefit administration, and improvements in vacation at all levels of seniority.

“I hope that all of the conference attendees go back to their locals energized to take what they have learned in the plenary sessions and workshops,” Mendoza said. “I hope that through networking and discussions with other local leaders, they can continue the work they do for their members fighting for the economic security, safety and benefits for all workers in the paper sector.”

Before Christopher Burks and his 325 co-workers at Kumho Tire in Macon, Ga., ratified their first contract in August 2023, they had little recourse to address their concerns about health and safety on the job.

Now, after a six-year fight against long odds to join the USW, the members of Local 9008 are working under their first union contract, with health and safety language covering training, a workplace safety committee, incident investigations and other important provisions to prevent recurrence.

“It was such a long battle. It was a hard fight,” Burks said. “In our first contract, we didn’t get everything we wanted, but we are better than we were before we started, and we are going to continue to grow.”

Not long after that first contract took effect at Kumho, in April 2024, 57-year-old worker Steven Brookins was killed in a tragic workplace incident. If not for the USW contract there, members might not have been able to fully participate in the investigation and aftermath of that incident.

Founding Principle

It is that work – fighting for workers’ safety and health – that is the bedrock principle of union membership, International President David McCall said in August in his address to almost 1,700 members and guests at the USW Health, Safety and Environment Conference in Pittsburgh.

“Health and safety is the foundation of the labor movement,” McCall said, emphasizing the importance of steadfast solidarity when it comes to safety. “No matter what the issues are, it’s about workers. It takes every one of us to make things better.”

McCall spoke on the conference’s opening day, just after hosting meetings with acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su, along with Burks and other new USW members from Kumho Tire and Blue Bird bus company in Fort Valley, Ga.

Su congratulated the workers on their victories and made the case that having a union to fight for worker protections is the most basic aspect of a good job.

“No job should be a death sentence,” Su said. “Every worker should know that they’re going to come home healthy and safe at the end of their work shift.”

Protecting Workers

Organizing more workers into the union, as USW members have done at Kumho, Blue Bird, the University of Pittsburgh and elsewhere in recent years, is the best way to protect workers, she said.

“It happened because you organized, and it happened because you acted in solidarity,” Su said of the recent surge in union activism. “It also happened because leadership matters. Together, we are ushering in a new era of a pro-worker, pro-union America.”

Ted Campiso, Rapid Response and safety representative for Local 13-447 in Westwego, La., said that making sure workers are safer on the job is not just a union issue – it also is a political one.

“We have to have the right legislation,” Campiso said. “Elections have consequences, and bad things can happen very quickly.”

In his address, McCall noted a number of the positive consequences of the Biden-Harris administration’s election in 2020, including new rules limiting worker exposure to silica dust, ensuring safe staffing in nursing facilities, and expanding the rights of workers to participate in incident investigations.

Workers across the country made all of those gains thanks to the activism of USW members, McCall said.

“We’ve weathered a lot of rough times, but we now have leaders who listen to what our issues are and are sincere about helping us with those problems,” he said. “It’s good to have so many friends who have our backs.”

Heat Standard

Another victory for worker safety could be on the way in the form of a standard protecting workers from the effects of extreme heat, said James Frederick, a former USW health and safety representative now serving as deputy assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Frederick spoke to members at the conference about the progress his agency has made since January 2021.

The heat standard, which the Biden administration proposed this summer and which is currently in the review process, would cover 36 million workers in both indoor and outdoor workplaces, he said.

Joining Frederick in addressing the conference was Steve Owens, chair of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) along with other health and safety regulators.

Refinery Tragedy

Owens and Frederick led a discussion of the importance of thorough incident investigations, focusing on the tragic loss of two USW members and brothers, Ben and Max Morrissey of Local 1-346, in September 2022 at the BP-Husky oil refinery in Oregon, Ohio.

The CSB investigation of that tragedy found a series of failures on the part of refinery management and led the agency to issue seven recommendations to refinery operators, and others, to prevent future tragedies by addressing the safety gaps that led to the fire.

“Nearly everything that could go wrong did go wrong during this incident,” Owens said. “The tragic loss of life resulting from this fire underscores the importance of putting in place the tools that employees need to perform tasks safely.”

Making sure workers have those tools requires support from the USW, employers, and securing those commitments is one of the most important jobs of a union-management health and safety committee, said USW Health, Safety and Environment Director Steve Sallman.

“We are here to do everything we can to prevent this from happening again,” he said.

Training and Education

For USW members, the work of preventing such fatal and life-altering incidents on the job takes on many forms, including investigating, training workers, inspecting work sites, identifying and eliminating potential hazards, and communicating with members and management about issues of concern.

To help members do that work, the weeklong conference provided 303 workshops covering topics such as incident investigation, fatigue, active shooter, whistleblower protections, ergonomics, workplace stress, chemical safety, fall protection, industrial hygiene, cancer in the workplace, reducing toxic exposures, safe patient handling for health care workers, and the first-ever industry/sector breakout meetings.

Elaine Stewart, a personal support worker at Cogir and member of Local 8300, said the conference gave her a chance to learn how her fellow health care workers are addressing their on-the-job issues.

“I leave knowing other people are going through the same issues of short staffing and workplace violence that we are,” she said. “I know that we can help each other and work together to solve these issues.”

Help for Members

Campiso said the health, safety and environment conference is one of the most important events for USW members to attend, because it arms local union leaders with the tools and the knowledge they need to make their workplaces safer.

“Our union has so many resources, and members need to know about them,” he said.

Those resources include assistance with incident investigations, training and education through the USW’s grant-funded Tony Mazzocchi Center, and help in the aftermath of tragic events through the union’s Emergency Response Team (ERT).

The ERT provides members and families with immediate aid, counseling, help in investigating root causes of accidents, as well as assistance with legal, financial and other needs.

ERT Director Duronda Pope, formerly a member of Local 8031 in Denver, said that even though the work of ERT coordinators can be extremely difficult and stressful, it also can be the most rewarding work union members do. The ERT currently has 62 team members across the United States and Canada.

“We advocate for people during the worst time in their lives,” Pope said. “Looking after each other is key, because we are our brother’s and sister’s keeper.”

The conference’s second day began with a solemn reminder of why that work is so critical. The conference hall fell silent as video screens displayed the traditional memorial scroll with the names of workers who had their lives taken from them at USW-represented workplaces since the union’s last health, safety and environment conference in April 2023.

That memorial, McCall said, is the most important part of the event.

“It really is a stark reminder that our work is never done,” McCall said. “We don’t know how many lives we’ve saved. There’s no way to measure it, but it’s work that can never stop, and we can never quit.”

Retention challenges at the forefront

Derek Gaston, Deputy Technical Area Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation program, addressed the council about the workforce needed to achieve the Biden administration’s goal of tripling nuclear energy output by 2028.

Gaston estimated that nearly 375,000 new workers will be required—approximately four times the current workforce. “We need your help to reach these goals,” Gaston said. “The future of nuclear energy relies on a strong, well-trained workforce.”

Council members voiced concerns about the recruitment and training necessary to meet these ambitious goals. Matt Chavez, President of USW Local 12-652 at the Idaho National Lab, pointed out that issues related to wages, pensions, and stringent clearance requirements are hindering recruitment efforts, particularly among younger workers.

“These guys are seeing the writing on the wall – employees will be jumping ship,” Chavez noted, highlighting higher wages available in nearby Boise. “We’ll face serious challenges if we don’t address this.” 

Safety and maintenance concerns

Jeff Avery, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Environmental Management, listened as representatives from various atomic sites raised alarms about health and safety due to inadequate maintenance of facilities and equipment. At the Idaho National Lab, council members reported a number of pressing health and safety concerns regarding equipment and infrastructure.

Representatives from the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant also highlighted the urgent need for upgrades to critical infrastructure at the New Mexico site. Avery acknowledged a “broad awareness” within the EM office that WIPP requires funding from the DOE for these projects.

Training and workforce development successes

Despite these challenges, USW-led training programs for nuclear workers are proving successful. The USW Tony Mazzocchi Center (USWTMC) has surpassed its workforce development target, achieving 123 percent of its goal for the number of nuclear workers trained through TMC programs.

The Portsmouth, Ohio site continues to improve its training efforts and recently secured a $2 million grant to provide skills training and certification programs for 700 workers.

Looking ahead

USW International Vice President Roxanne Brown, who leads both the USW’s legislative work and the union’s atomic sector, underscored the significance of the upcoming 2024 presidential election for the nuclear industry. “This sector is unique; who occupies the White House and leads Congress truly matters,” Brown stated.

The USW has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for the presidential ticket, expressing confidence that Harris will continue to champion essential policies for the sector, such as climate action and workforce development. The council intends to meet with the incoming administration next year to outline their priorities.

“We want to ensure that we clearly communicate our expectations for this sector and its implications for the economy,” Brown emphasized.

As the council prepares for the next administration, the focus will be on securing firm commitments for the future of atomic workers. The AEWC plans to reconvene in April 2025 at the USW’s Constitutional Convention to consolidate the priorities they want to deliver to the next administration.

“This is fundamentally about ensuring a future for our jobs at these sites,” Brown said. “We have a unique opportunity to outline what that future should look like. We know how to do this work; we just need to be clear and specific about our requests.” 

While we can’t possibly list every victory, I’m hopeful that this review will embolden and motivate us for the important work that lies ahead. 

Federal legislative and policy victories:

• Union Pensions Rescued:  120,000 active and retired USW members were among the 1.3 million union members whose pensions were rescued by the Biden/Harris American Rescue Plan.
• Lower Prescription Drug Costs were achieved through the historic Inflation Reduction Act, which empowered Medicare to negotiate costs with drug manufacturers.  As a result, Medicare recipients now enjoy a $35 monthly cap for their insulin and, beginning in 2025, a $2,000 cap on out-of-pocket prescription costs, saving an estimated 19 million Medicare beneficiaries $400 per year on average. 
• Renewed, Pro-worker direction at the National Labor Relations Board has helped spur a massive surge in union elections.  President Biden took swift action to fire the former NLRB general counsel who turned the Board against workers, chipping away at our bargaining ability and generally weakening unions.  Then, on numerous occasions, Vice President Kamala Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to confirm labor-friendly members to the Board, creating an opportunity to restore and increase Board funding and to reverse Trump-era rules that restricted union activities in American worksites.
• Historic investments in American manufacturing, thanks to another tie-breaking vote from Vice President Harris, helped pass the Biden/Harris Inflation Reduction Act.  This law is sparking private investment in new manufacturing and has provided existing facilities with the resources to upgrade technology to remain competitive.
• Hard-fought improvements in workplace health and safety include a new ban on the import and use of asbestos in worksites and a long-awaited rule to limit workers’ exposure to silica dust.  Additionally, the Biden/Harris Department of Labor has moved to create a new federal standard to protect workers from heat-related illnesses and death. 

State-level legislative and policy victories: 

• Michigan’s newly-elected, pro-union governor and legislature – the state’s first in nearly 40 years – acted to restore workers’ collective bargaining rights by repealing the state’s so-called right-to-work law and putting an end to the unfair pension tax.
• Minnesota’s pro-worker, pro-retiree legislature and governor, Tim Walz (now our endorsed Vice Presidential Nominee), passed a state budget (HF3028/SF3035) that was hailed as the “most significant worker protection bill in state history.”
• In Ohio, voters defeated Issue 1, which would have raised the threshold for voters to amend the constitution to a supermajority of 60 percent and enacted stricter requirements for getting amendments on the ballot.

I hope this much-abbreviated list of accomplishments fills you with confidence and resolve as we gear up for another year of fighting to strengthen union power, enhance workplace safety and health, and protect every American’s right to a secure retirement.

While much attention has been focused on the presidential campaign, we must remember that state and federal lawmakers also make the decisions that impact our access to health care, our ability to afford prescribed medications, the availability of various health care services in our communities, and so much more.

Strengthening retirement security has long been a top priority of Steelworkers, as evidenced by our 2020, 2022 and 2024 Your Union, Your Voice (YUYV) survey results.  We must remain vigilant in growing union power as we celebrate these policy victories and keep the momentum going.   

-Julie Stein
SOAR Director