USW International

USW Applauds Agreement to Extend Uranium Enrichment Operations at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant for an Additional Year

Administrator — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:51:00 -0400

The United Steelworkers (USW) today applauded an agreement between the Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Northwest, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and U.S. Enrichment Corporation, Inc. (USEC) to keep the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, which was slated for closure at the end of this month, open for an additional year.

Under the agreement, the DOE will provide 9,000 metric tons of high-assay depleted uranium hexafluoride, also known as “tails,” to Energy Northwest. USEC, the contractor at the Paducah, Ky., facility, will enrich the tails to make 480 metric tons of low-enriched uranium.

“This agreement will keep 1,200 men and women employed for another year,” said Jim Key, Vice President of USW Local 550, which played a key role in working with the parties involved to secure the agreement. “It was several years in the making, and we are glad our hard work paid off,” said Key ... more

Pinnacle Bankruptcy Bargaining Deadlines Extended, USW Advises Court of Problems with Pinnacle's DIP Financing

Administrator — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:49:00 -0400

The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that through the successful work of Pinnacle Airlines’ Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors, Pinnacle and Delta Air Lines have agreed to extend to July 13 the bankrupt regional carrier’s deadline to renegotiate its union labor contracts. The USW is one of seven members of the committee.

In its presentation to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, which convened today to consider Pinnacle’s motion for approval of Debtor in Possession (DIP) financing and other agreements, the USW advised the court that agreements between Pinnacle and Delta will pose problems in upcoming bargaining.

USW International Vice President at Large Carol Landry, who leads the union’s Airline Division, stressed that the complex economic and non-economic issues that must be addressed in negotiations will require patience, good faith and commitment from top-level corporate management, Delta and other stakeholders in order to ensure that Pinnacle emerges from bankruptcy as a viable, more stable employer in the future. ... more

USW Urges Extending Advanced TSA Screening to Flight Attendants, Cabin Crew

Administrator — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:49:00 -0400

The United Steelworkers (USW) today urged the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Transportation Security to expand advanced Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening programs used by pilots to airline flight deck and cabin crew members.

In testimony submitted for today’s subcommittee hearing, “Access Control Point Breaches at Our Nation’s Airports: Anomalies or Systemic Failures?” USW International Vice President At-Large Carol Landry said that expanding these advanced screening programs to airline flight deck and cabin crew members would grant them expedited access through screening checkpoints and make everyone safer.

“The problem is that the current limited versions of risk-based surveillance screening systems like CrewPASS and Known Crew Member are available only to pilots and limited to a few locations,” Landry said. “Excluding flight attendants from the risk-based surveillance program creates a system where TSA agents must spend valuable screening time inspecting workers who are trained to be the last line of defense in the aircraft cabin ... more

USW Praises Continued Duties on Tin Sheet Imports From Japan

Administrator — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:52:00 -0400

The USW said today’s vote to affirm continued duties on tin-coated steel imports from Japan is recognition of the vulnerability that still exists for American steelworkers whose jobs depend on fair trade for steel products covered by duty orders.

“We appreciate the 6-0 unanimous vote of the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) that sends a strong message for support of the domestic tin mill industry and the current anti-dumping order on imports from Japan,” USW President Leo W. Gerard said. The major domestic tin-coated steel producers employing USW members are: ArcelorMittal, U.S. Steel Corp., USS-Posco Industries, R-G Steel Corp., and Ohio Coatings Co.

Gerard said testimony by the domestic steel companies and the USW at last month’s five-year sunset review hearing presented a good case on the incentives for Japanese mills to ship significant volumes to the U.S. “If the duties were allowed to expire, a flood of tin sheet imports would have quickly depressed fair prices, putting at risk the jobs of 3,000 USW-represented steelworkers and the American industry ... more

USW Blasts House Bill for Weakening DOE Worker Safety

Administrator — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:49:00 -0400

A bill set to come before the U.S. House would gut health and safety standards at Department of Energy (DOE) weapons sites and put workers at DOE facilities, and residents of neighboring communities, at greater risk of exposure to hazardous materials and radiation.

United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard raised those concerns in a letter sent to Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon, (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. The committee approved the bill, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for 2013, which is scheduled for a vote before the full House this week.

Gerard said many USW members at DOE facilities deal with operations that are completely unique to the DOE. As a result of these threats, more specific worker safety orders are necessary to provide the proper protection. Unfortunately, the bill would eliminate those protections and turn back the clock on long-established standards in nuclear safety ... more

USW Says Marathon Petroleum's Actions Impinge on Safety and are Unlawful

Administrator — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:49:00 -0400

United Steelworkers (USW) Local 8-719 says that the terms and conditions of employment Marathon Petroleum unilaterally implemented do not promote safe staffing levels to safeguard the refinery’s employees and the surrounding community.

The local’s contract with Marathon expired on January 31, 2012. The company accepted the National Oil Bargaining Pattern Agreement the USW negotiated with the industry, but disputes arose over local issues involving work schedules, vacation allotments and re-alignments of departments that result in job duty and schedule changes.

“All these changes are Marathon’s attempt to reduce our staffing levels,” said USW Local 8-719 President Bret Queen. “We strongly believe this further reduction in our work force will jeopardize the safety of refinery employees, the environment and the surrounding community ... more

USW Statement on President Obama's Appointment To Lead New Interagency Trade Enforcement Center

Administrator — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:49:00 -0400

United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard issued the following statement today on President Obama’s appointment of Bradford Ward to head the new U.S. Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC):

“Today President Obama sent another powerful message that trade enforcement is a priority by appointing Brad Ward as director of the new Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC). Brad has three decades as a trade practitioner at the U.S. Department of Commerce before joining the USTR in 2009 with the skills, experience and creativity to turn ITEC into a force for workers, farmers and businesses producing here in the United States.

“We are also pleased to learn the appointment of the ITEC Deputy Director as Constance Handley from the U.S. Commerce Department, where she has 15 years of trade enforcement experience ... more

USW Objects to Pinnacle Airline's Bankruptcy Financing, Citing Unfair Conditions Set by Delta Airlines

Administrator — Thu, 10 May 2012 18:50:00 -0400

The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that the union has filed an objection in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.’s motion for approval Debtor in Possession (DIP) financing provided by Delta Airlines.

The DIP financing package includes new connection agreements negotiated on the eve of the bankruptcy filing, which the USW states, produces “insufficient revenue to cover current and projected labor costs under the existing collective bargaining agreements.” Likewise, the USW states in its objection that the DIP financing establishes “overly aggressive and unrealistic milestones for collective bargaining” that would unnecessarily push Pinnacle toward filing motions to reject the company’s labor contracts under Section 1113 of the Bankruptcy Code.

Under the proposed DIP motion, Pinnacle has 45 days to renegotiate collective bargaining agreements with its employee representatives, which includes the USW representing Pinnacle’s flight attendants, as well as two other unions. The USW received the company’s proposals on Tuesday, May 8 ... more

USW Welcomes GAO Report on Employer Policies, Programs and Practices that Discourage Workplace Injury Reporting

Administrator — Thu, 10 May 2012 11:51:00 -0400

The United Steelworkers (USW) today welcomed the release of a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that underscores the pervasive nature of employer policies, programs and practices that discourage workers from reporting job injuries and illnesses and outlines actions that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) should take to address these practices.

The report, “Workplace Safety and Health: Better OSHA Guidance Needed on Safety Incentive Programs,” presents the results of a GAO survey of U.S. manufacturing companies that found that 75% of firms had safety incentive programs or other workplace safety policies that can affect workers’ reporting of injuries and illnesses.

“The USW has long warned and campaigned against workplace programs and policies that discourage workers from reporting job injuries,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “Such programs make employers’ injury rates look good while job hazards go unidentified and uncorrected. We’ve seen far too many tragedies and catastrophes in facilities where employers are playing these numbers games ... more

The Future is Creating Wealth by Making Things

Administrator — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:50:00 -0400

United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard talked with progressive talk show host Ed Schultz about President Obama’s plan to create opportunities to secure American manufacturing jobs.

They talked about the decline in education and how Republicans have been cutting back on funding for training and community college. They agreed that the future cannot be built on just banking and services.

“The future is in creating real wealth … giving people real skills so that they can make things,” said Gerard.

When asked if he thought the Republicans would change their attitude toward manufacturing, Gerard said, “When this election cycle is over later this year, I think what you’re going to see is Republicans taking a very heavy toll at the ballot box.”

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