Resolution No. 6: Women of Steel: Know Your Power

WHEREAS, all USW members who identify as women are recognized as Women of Steel, embracing inclusivity across all our industries and sectors of employment, and irrespective of race, Indigenous heritage, age, or ability level; and

WHEREAS, women's rights are not just a matter of justice but dependent on building a prosperous and equitable global economy, that all over the world women have been systematically underpaid and their work devalued, and this wage gap and gender-based discrimination undermines women’s security and well-being; and

WHEREAS, USW Women of Steel demonstrate our solidarity and sisterhood by uniting to promote women’s equality across our diverse backgrounds, actively defending worker rights, volunteering in political and organizing efforts, stepping up to serve in union and community roles, and participating in bargaining efforts and corporate campaign struggles; and

WHEREAS, in 2023, USW Women of Steel and female labor activists from around the world gathered in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, for the Ninth USW International Women’s Conference, “Women of Steel: Know Your Power.” Focused on education, activism, and service, this Conference served as a platform for union sisters to learn from each other, strengthen our solidarity, and enhance support for local unions, districts, and fellow women and workers worldwide; and

WHEREAS, the USW promotes the active participation and leadership of all sisters in our union through growing District women’s programs, the Women of Steel Leadership Course offered annually in each District, Women of Steel council, chapter or District meetings, and the USW National Women’s Committee in Canada, while ensuring that Women of Steel is included on the agenda at all major District, National, and International functions; and

WHEREAS, the USW acknowledges that women workers face distinct health and safety risks arising from both biological differences and societal attitudes, and is committed to addressing these challenges by actively raising awareness of gender-specific hazards in the workplace, encouraging increased participation of women in health and safety activism, and by ensuring women’s health and safety needs are fundamental to all USW health and safety programs, policies and initiatives; and

WHEREAS, access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare is a fundamental human right, and denying women quality healthcare and autonomy over their own bodies can limit their ability to secure economic security, educational opportunities and greatly impact their emotional and social well-being; and

WHEREAS, Women of Steel activists have actively collaborated with union brothers and siblings to advance women’s equality in the workplace and beyond, advocating for measures to end violence against women by negotiating paid and other leave for members experiencing domestic violence; by lobbying for national action plans, increased funding for women’s shelters, and concrete actions to end the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls; and by challenging sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, and ableist language and behavior in local unions and other union spaces; and

WHEREAS, the USW Constitution reflects our Union’s dedication to the growth, development, and education of union sisters by mandating the establishment of Local Union Women’s Committees in every local union where sisters are employed; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that:

1. The USW will continue to identify, support and mentor Women of Steel activists within our workplaces, our union, and our communities with the goal of encouraging them to take on leadership roles in all venues.
2. Our union will support, promote, assist in, and allocate resources to foster a deeper understanding of the need for local union Women’s Committees, recognized as equal in significance and responsibility to all other mandated committees and integrated as a core element of the local union structure to strengthen solidarity, increase activism, and contribute to the essential work of the local.
3. Women of Steel will continue to extend its efforts internationally, building solidarity across borders to promote economic and social equality for women, supporting the global fight against the exploitation of all workers, and strengthening our partnership with Unite the Union as part of our Workers United initiatives to develop and advance the mission of Women Workers Uniting.
4. Our union will continue championing pay equity as a key tactic to end gender-based wage gaps. We will negotiate strong contract language that ensures equal pay for equal value of work, use pay equity audits and support legislation that promotes pay equity at the local, national, and international levels.
5. Each USW District Women of Steel Coordinator will, in collaboration with their District Director, work to develop and implement a District Women of Steel Plan that equally emphasizes education, activism, and service.
6. Our union will maintain its women’s programs at the International, National, and District levels, continuously seeking to improve and update these initiatives, and will encourage each local union to actively support Women of Steel meetings and activities at all levels.
7. Our union will continue to champion the advancement of women’s economic, political, and social equality through sustained efforts in political action, community engagement, collective bargaining, union education, research, and communication.
8. The USW will continue to support Women of Steel Vote initiatives to increase the participation of women in political action, lobbying efforts, and encourage more women to run as candidates in municipal, state, provincial and federal elections.
9. Women of Steel will continue advocating for reforms in labor laws to ensure that women have access to the protection and representation unions provide, reaching out to unorganized women to inform them of the benefits of union membership, as well as champion other work-related legislation that promotes women’s economic equality, such as affordable childcare, pay-equity, healthcare access including reproductive health, and parental leave laws, among others.
10. The USW will reinforce its commitment to the health and safety of all workers by actively promoting the Raising the Bar on Women’s Health and Safety Campaign and related educational initiatives across all Districts, and by dedicating resources to expand and enhance these critical educational tools for our members.
11. The USW will continue to challenge itself to build on the successes of our Women of Steel and equality programs, ensuring that our union’s activities and decision-making structures reflect the full diversity of our membership.