USW Announces Support for Revival of Poor People’s Campaign

CONTACT: Fred Redmond, (412) 562-2307fredmond@usw.org

The United Steelworkers (USW) announced today its full support for a revival of the Poor People’s Campaign that was kicked off earlier this month by Reverend Dr. William Barber II and Reverend Liz Theoharis.

In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference launched the Poor People’s Campaign in response to the significant employment and housing inequities faced by the poor and working poor in the United States. Now, fifty years later, Americans living at or below the poverty line still face the same challenges, with an estimated 45 million Americans living in poverty.

“The rate of poverty in the United States has been exacerbated by the loss of more than six million family-sustaining jobs in the manufacturing sector,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “These losses have been acutely felt by our members as well as by millions of workers and hundreds of communities across this country.”  

The revival seeks to expose the roots of growing inequality that remain for the poor and disenfranchised, and demands policymakers take real and decisive action to ensure employment, housing and education for all. The campaign will include 40 days of action in 40 states and will culminate in a massive march on Washington on Saturday, June 23, 2018.

“The USW is proud to lend our voices and actions to the Poor People’s Campaign,” said USW International Vice President Fred Redmond. “Our union wants to be a strong presence in this effort that combines the labor movement, the faith community and anti-poverty groups. In the coming weeks, the USW will be reaching out to members, retirees and allies and encouraging them to participate in local events.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors.

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