02/08/2012 - 9:51am
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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02/07/2012 - 8:49pm
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
02/03/2012 - 10:55am
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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02/02/2012 - 9:52pm
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
02/01/2012 - 11:01am
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
02/01/2012 - 4:04am
The United Steelworkers (USW) is pleased to announce that we have reached a tentative agreement with Shell on a new three-year agreement, pending ratification by the union’s membership.
The USW represents 30,000 workers at 168 production, refining, marketing, transportation, pipeline and petrochemical facilities nationwide, including 69 refineries representing approximately 64 percent of US refining capacity ... more
01/31/2012 - 3:51pm
Sunoco and ConocoPhillips have arbitrarily decided to shut down three strategic oil refineries on the East Coast, all three in or near Philadelphia, Pa. All three of these refineries are USW workplaces, and if the companies follow through on their threat, 1,300 of our members will lose their jobs. Another 1,200 people, many of them members of other unions also will become unemployed. Tens of thousands more jobs will be lost. The whole community in that area will be devastated.
But this is not all. These three refineries make the majority of home heating oil, diesel fuel, and jet fuel in the region. This means consumers and homeowners just like us will be impacted all over the Northeast. If these refineries close, the home heating oil crisis next year will be much, much worse than in the recent past. Home heating oil prices could go to ridiculous highs. In some places it is possible people will not even be able to get heating oil. We do not think it is an exaggeration that people could freeze to death in their own homes if these companies get away with closing these three refineries.
USW is asking for public hearings on the refinery closures and the devastation the closures would bring.
01/31/2012 - 3:51pm
China's Predatory, Protectionist Practice the Target
Please note the links to supportive material at end
Leo W. Gerard, International President of the United Steelworkers (USW), issued this statement today:
We're here today to issue a call to action to support and defend America's auto parts sector from China's predatory, protectionist and illegal trade practices. This is a fight for good, family-supportive jobs and the economic vitality of communities all across this country. It's time to stand up to China and say: enough is enough. You've taken enough of our jobs.
The Obama Administration's leadership in combining government assistance to General Motors (GM) and Chrysler and policies like 'Cash for Clunkers' helped the auto assembly sector weather the economic crisis. Government action, coupled with the ingenuity, dedication and hard efforts of the workers has helped stabilize and revitalize this important sector of our economy.
Unfortunately, the success of America's auto assemblers has not translated into the same level of success for the hundreds of thousands of workers directly employed making the parts and components for those companies. As the assembly side of the industry has started to return to prosperity, employment in the parts sector has not fared as well and imports of parts - too many of them unfairly traded -- has grown exponentially ... more
01/30/2012 - 7:53pm
The decision announced today by the World Trade Organization (WTO) is a huge victory for American workers. In clear and unequivocal language, the WTO stated that China’s decision to limit the export of key raw materials violated the commitments China made when it joined the WTO.
“This decision is particularly important to the Steelworkers since the products China is protecting are key industrial raw materials used in the steel, aluminum and chemical industries – the industries where our members work hard and play by the rules,” said United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard.
“China’s export restraints pose a clear and present danger. They limit supplies and raise prices to foreign producers on the world market that causes real harm. And, they act as a magnet to companies to relocate their production and sourcing to China to be able to access these key ingredients,” added Gerard ... more
01/27/2012 - 5:50pm
It was almost a first for union boss Leo Gerard.
Gerard was apparently blind-sided when it was announced Thursday that the executive and membership of United Steelworkers Local 6500 had named their new hall after the international president of their union.
That news came just before the ribbon was cut at the grand opening of the local's new headquarters at 66 Brady St.
"I guess it's almost a first. I'm almost speechless," said a teary-eyed Gerard when a cloth cover was removed from the plaque reading "Leo W. Gerard Hall," which hangs over the entrance to the main hall.
The day was a bittersweet one for Gerard, Local 6500 members and residents of the community. They were excited about the transformation of the former grocery store into a state-of-the-art hall and conference centre, but tears were also shed for the Steelworkers' Hall at 92 Frood Rd. that burned to the ground in September 2008.
Local 6500 president Rick Bertrand said that hall was a place where meetings, union schools, days of mourning, children's Christmas parties and other events were held for more than 40 years.
He recalled seeing many of the people who crammed into the atrium of the new hall Thursday at the fire scene on Frood Road three and a half years ago.
Bertrand said he remembered the pain in the eyes of members, retirees and residents who watched a large piece of Sudbury history go up in smoke.
He quoted Gerard who said at the time that next to the death of a family member, the burning of the old Steel Hall was the saddest day of his life.
"So today's a new chapter for us," said Bertrand. "Today, the Steelworkers will continue that tradition to support this community and to support the membership."
He reminded guests of how USW Local 6500 has supported the community over the years, raising millions of dollars for charitable causes.
Just recently, it reached the $500,000 mark in donations from its cent an hour contribution by members to Health Sciences North's Children's Treatment Centre.
The local raised $360,000 for United Way in 2011 and $30,000 for the Edgar Burton Food Drive, and collected thousands of cans of food for the Sudbury Food Bank.
It was "altogether fitting" to name the hall after Sudbury native Gerard, who rose through the ranks as a member of the union representing production and maintenance workers to become president of an international union, said Bertrand.
Gerard recalled "all the things that went on in that (old) building and all the tough decisions that were made, and all the positive decisions that were made to benefit our community.
"One of the things that always made me love my union even more was that our union, in particular Local 6500, never, ever saw itself as just a collective bargaining tool.
"We saw ourselves as an instrument of social and economic justice for our members and for our community. And we fought for the things that mattered for working people," said Gerard.
The union doesn't want 66 Brady to be known as just its home. "We want this hall to be seen as the community's home that they can come and use and be proud of the work that we do on behalf of working people," he said.
As proud as he was to have the hall named after him, it was also humbling, said Gerard.
"There's a part of me that says I don't deserve it."
Dozens of retirees attended the opening and Bertrand insisted they enter the main hall before anyone else.
"They're the ones who fought for everything we have today," he said.
There were oohs and aahs as people poured into the hall where a musical combo was playing on the main stage and a buffet of finger foods was laid out for guests.
Mayor Marianne Matichuk attended, hugging Bertrand as she entered the hall.
Vale vice-president of mining and milling, Kelly Strong, attended the opening as did spokeswoman Angie Robson.
Greater Sudbury Police Chief Frank Elsner and Deputy Chief Al Lekun were among the guests.
Gerard called the hall one of the most beautiful in Ontario, adding: "I'm a little prejudiced now that it's mine."
Gerard, USW national director Ken Neumann and district 6 director Wayne Fraser presented Bertrand with a plaque to be hung in the hall.
"Whoever thought we could build something better than what we had at 92 Frood Rd.," said Fraser.
He said he was proud of the local for turning the hall into such a showpiece, crediting member Roger Lafontaine for spear-heading the project.
He called Local 6500 the best USW local in North America.
Neumann expressed thanks to USW retirees for giving the present- day union a solid foundation.
"You're the ones who have fought the fight," he said.
cmulligan@thesudburystar.com
Twitter @Carol_Mulligan
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