USPA Celebrates 50 Years of Telling the Steelworkers Stories

The United Steelworkers Press Association (USPA) gathered in Pittsburgh this June to celebrate “50 years of telling our story” with an educational conference and an awards ceremony that included the announcement of a new scholarship available to members of the program.

Attendees rotated through workshops like “The Write Stuff,” which focused on the best ways to write for digital communication tools, and “Say Cheese,” which concentrated on photo and video basics. Another workshop, “Data is the New Bacon,” taught delegates the importance of having accurate data from their membership and how to use it to communicate when important things are happening.

The remaining workshops covered many topics from how to write a press release to a beginner course on Snap Chat to how to stay safe online. Check out the pictures from the conference on Flickr.

Awards

At each conference, awards are given to USPA members for their outstanding communications work. This year was a bit special because USW International President Leo W. Gerard announced that the Howard J. McCartney Award winner, Jim Coleman, would also have a scholarship established in his name for one local union communicator to spend a week working in the New Media Department.  

Below is a list of the remaining award winners:

Best Layout and Design (circulations less than 1,000)
Bryan K. Reed, 1023 Express, Local 1023

Best Layout and Design (circulations more than 1,000)
Doug May, Mettle Post, Local 1899

Best Printed Material
Buril Smith, Local 9231

Best Editorial or Column (circulations less than 1,000)
Paul Mercurio, USW 10-86 Newsletter, Local 10-86

Best Editorial or Column (circulations more than 1,000)
Bryan Reed, “Bye-bye Miss American Pie” in the 1023 Express, Local 1023

Best News Story (circulations less than 1,000)
Richard Cucarese, “The Battle for Prosperity, Over Poverty,” Local 4889

Best News Story (circulations more than 1,000)
P.C. Choo, “Not in My Workplace: Steelworkers Education Council launches online campaign against workplace bullying,” Local 1998

Best Photo Award (circulations more than 1,000)
Van Tenpenny, photo of AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka, Local 1155L

Best Photo Award (circulations more than 1,000)
Shirley Pasholk, photo in Nine Seventy-Niner News, Local 979

Best Use of Social Media (1,000 members or less)
Corey Ingram, Local 7687

Best Use of Social Media (1,000 members or more)
Sarah Leidy, Local 6787

Best Original Video
Alex Hanson & Troy Cook, Local 9346

Best Feature Story
John Spickard, “Hello Mr. Low-Life, Rat, Fink, Free-Riding Scab – How You Doing?” in 1023 Express, Local 1023

Michael R. Enos Award
P.C. Choo, LU 1998 website, Local 1998

Raymond W. Pasnick Award (circulations less than 1,000)
John Spickard, for USW Local 1023 in District 8

Raymond W. Pasnick Award (circulations more than 1,000)
P.C. Choo, for Local 1998 in District 6

Howard J. McCartney Award
Doug May, Local 1899 in District 7

Howard J. McCartney Award
Jim Coleman, USW International

Lifetime Achievement Award
Gary Hubbard, USW International

USPA Executive Board Elections

The Executive Board is voted on every three years at the conference. Below is the list of new officers:
•    President – Van Tenpenny
•    District 1 – Justin Harmon
•    District 1 – Mike Longa
•    District 2 – Tim Sweeney
•    District 6 – Mike Williams
•    District 6 – Margaret Bucknam
•    District 7 – Ryan Baker
•    District 7 – Sara Dolph Smith
•    District 7 – Bernard Jenkins
•    District 7 – Pam Thompson
•    District 8 – Gordon Nichols
•    District 9 – John Carter
•    District 10 – Corey Ingram

Labor History Tour

On the final day of the conference, delegates put their newly learned communication skills to work writing stories, taking photos, shooting video and posting on social media about the history of the labor movement in Pittsburgh. They visited the labor murals of St. Nicholas Croation Church, the Pump House in Homestead and Carrie Furnace.

If you’d like to learn more about USPA or become a member, visit www.usw.org/uspa.