Solidarity Sisters

Four United Steelworker (USW) representatives attended the 2015 Unite Equalities Conference, hosted by international allies from Unite the Union, the largest labor union in Great Britain and Ireland.

cr1The USW delegation, along with sisters and brothers from Unite, gathered for three days in Eastbourne, in southern England, with the goal of furthering progressive policies within the union and throughout the United Kingdom.

The Unite membership welcomed their USW sisters with open arms. The Steelworkers’ delegation included Michelle Laurie of District 3 in Vancouver, Karen Shipley of District 8, Marsha Zakowski of the USW’s Civil and Human Rights Department in Pittsburgh, and Kim Hume of the USW Communications and Political Action Department in Toronto.

Unite, which holds its Equalities conference every three years, breaks the meeting into four sub-groups: women, disabled members, LGBT, and ethnic minorities. The four groups meet separately and then have a plenary session to discuss overarching issues.

cr2The women’s conference began first, with about 150 delegates. The Unite National Officer for Equalities, Siobahn Endean, opened that session with an impassioned speech about the difficult road women face, even to be able to attend such a conference. First, she said, members must get involved in the union, then get elected to a union office, then receive support from colleagues to become a delegate and obtain a release from their employer for time off to attend, not to mention making sure home life needs are met in their absence.

The USW’s Shipley, a District 8 staff representative, spoke about the USW Women of Steel and leadership programs that have been a catalyst for activism within the USW. Shipley spoke about the obstacles women face in the United States, as well as the union’s political activity on issues such as paid family leave, right to work for less, the minimum wage, health care reform.

The conference included a panel discussion on addressing violence against women, both at home and in the workplace. Delegates agreed that such violence is an occupational issue as well as a criminal justice issue and that unions should push for it to be included in workplace violence-prevention programs. Members also debated issues such as preventing prostitution, engaging women in the political structure of the union, and enhancing the ability of women to connect with each other for support, ideas, and mentoring.

cr3Discussions at other sessions included strategies to protect the rights of those with physical and mental disabilities, to protect LGBT people from discrimination in employment, credit, housing and public accommodations, as well as the issues mass incarceration, privatization of prisons and unfair administration of justice for people of color.

Zakowski outlined the structure of the USW Civil and Human Rights department and committees, and announced that the USW would hold its International Civil and Human Rights Conference October 20 to 23, 2015, in Birmingham, Ala., to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the federal Voting Rights Act and the march in favor of the law led by Rev. Martin Luther King in Selma, Ala.

The USW guests took part in several social events in the evening, including a singing contest in which they performed “Hey Sisters,” a pro-union rewrite of the Beatles hit “Hey Jude.”

Press Inquiries

Media Contacts

Communications Director:
Jess Kamm at 412-562-2446

USW@WORK (USW magazine)
Editor R.J. Hufnagel

For industry specific inquiries,
Call USW Communications at 412-562-2442

Mailing Address

United Steelworkers
Communications Department
60 Blvd. of the Allies
Pittsburgh, PA 15222