Leslie Marshall discusses with United Steelworkers (USW) President Leo W. Gerard the startling changes that has swept over the political landscape since the 2010 election that should be a concern to all Americans.

The tsunami of extreme measures by Republican legislators is not only attacking basic rights of working men and women but the rights of young people, the elderly and minorities.

The motive to introduce Right to Work legislation is to try and destroy unions. The only problem with this legislation is it is a guise to lower our standard of living.

Figures show, that in states that had right to work prior to 2010:
• On average workers made about $5,300 less than those with no legislation,
• The average pension of workers were lower,
• The average person had less health care coverage,
• The average high school and college graduate rates were lower, and
• The average life expectancy was shorter.

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Obama Administration Needs to Clarify U.S. Rights within WTO

Leo W. Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers (USW), today issued a positive, but cautious reaction to the signing of understandings reached by the U.S. with the European Union, and separately with Japan in long running trade disputes over antidumping methodology called ‘zeroing.’

“USW members have been a petitioner or supporter of more than a third of the antidumping cases brought against imports during the last twenty years,” Gerard said. “Strong trade remedy laws are important for stopping the destructive practices of many of our trading partners who dump products in our market that harm our union members and domestic producers.”

Historically, U.S. law has captured 100 percent of dumping found with no reduction based on non-dumped sales. The World Trade Organization (WTO) Appellate Body, in a series of decisions in the last decade, viewed the WTO Antidumping Agreement as requiring WTO members to give ‘credit’ for non-dumped sales. The U.S. under two Administrations has viewed the WTO Appellate Body decisions as overreaching and contrary to what the U.S. had negotiated ... more

United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard spoke last night with Ed Schultz about China’s illegal trading practices and how the Steelworkers are going to push for Congressional support to help President Obama save 1.6 million American jobs.

They talked about how President Obama’s actions to save the American auto industry showed his support for working men and women and the need to keep jobs in this country. On the other hand, Mitt Romney was willing to allow the American auto industry to fail and let those jobs go to foreign countries.

“President Obama has established an enforcement committee and given Vice President Biden what he calls the China portfolio,” said Gerard. “So this is important and this is the first President that has stood up on all of the enforcement issues that we have brought to him.”

Gerard talked about how both countries have agreed to standard operating procedures of the World Trade Organization and when a country doesn’t play by the rules, they need to be called out.

“It is like saying we all agree that the speed limit should be 60, but if China drives 85, just ignore them,” said Gerard.

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Fred Redmond, USW International Vice President (Human Affairs), has been elected to the Board of Directors of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

The NED is a private, nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world. With funding from the US Congress, NED supports projects of non-governmental groups abroad who are working for democratic goals in more than 90 countries. NED is a major funder of the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center, a non-profit organization that assists workers around the world who are struggling to build democratic and independent trade unions.

Redmond is a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council and serves on its International Affairs Committee.  He has traveled to Ghana, Liberia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Colombia, and Mexico on missions to promote labor rights and democracy ... more

Today United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard and USW International Vice-President Fred Redmond released the following statement:

“The United Steelworkers (USW) will commemorate Black History Month by honoring the sacrifices of all of the Black men and women who fought for dignity and respect in the workplace, on the bus and in all aspects of life.

In the early 20th century, Pullman Porters were an integral part of the Pullman Rail Car Company’s operations. But for decades, only Black men were hired as porters and subjected to low wages, merciless working conditions and daily humiliation because of race. They pressed on despite their circumstances and under the leadership of A. Philip Randolph organized a union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, which brought about much needed improvements ... more