United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway, along with the union’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Committee, released the following statement today in honor of Pride Month:

“Every person—regardless of their ethnic, national, religious, gender, or romantic identity—deserves health and safety in their workplaces and in their communities. This Pride Month we recognize and recommit to this crucial founding principle of our union.

“The rhetoric and legislation we are seeing and hearing recently against LGBTQ+ people, particularly trans and nonbinary people, is deeply unsettling. It is also dangerous. Words have meaning, and targeting an already vulnerable minority group never leads to positive real-life outcomes.

“We must do everything we can to fight back against this wave of harassment and hate, and not allow it to weaken our collective bargaining power. We encourage our members to visit usw.org/steelpride to download the multiple resources available, including a glossary of terms, model contract language, and a union guide on how to discuss LGBTQ+ issues.

“A rising tide lifts all boats, and our movement will only keep growing if we support and protect all of those who are under attack.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

(Pittsburgh) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway issued the following statement today praising President Joe Biden’s leadership in reaching a deal to raise the debt limit and avert global financial catastrophe:

“Working families deserve elected leaders who put their needs first, and it’s clear that President Biden made this his priority as he negotiated a debt ceiling deal.

“The sad truth is, however, that we never needed to come this close to default; this crisis was wholly manufactured by right-wing politicians willing to take our nation hostage in service to the radical fringe of their party.

“President Biden, in contrast, held steady, reached across the aisle and found a path forward that allows our nation to meet its obligations without many of the cruel and unnecessary cuts the other side originally brought to the table.  

“In particular, USW members worked diligently over the past five months calling on our leaders to preserve key programs like Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. We’re grateful that President Biden listened to working Americans and held firm on these issues.

“While the deal is far from perfect, this standoff showed us who our real allies are and who was willing to lead us to the brink of collapse in order to score political points.

“As the debt ceiling bill now moves through Congress, we encourage our representatives in both houses to follow the president’s lead and act in our nation’s best interests.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

United Steelworkers (USW) members at the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh today overwhelmingly ratified their first contract after holding strong through 18 months of negotiations with their employer.

The contract covers approximately 500 workers across the four Carnegie Museums and sets a $16/hour living wage floor, one of the members’ top priorities. The majority of workers will see immediate raises ranging from 15-35 percent.

USW International President Tom Conway said the contract is an important first step for the workers who stood together to reach the agreement.

“These workers should be incredibly proud of this win,” Conway said. “This kind of solidarity is what makes us all stronger.”

District 10 Director Bernie Hall also praised the workers for their steadfastness throughout the long campaign.

“This agreement is a major accomplishment not just for these members but for the region’s entire nonprofit sector,” Hall said. “Everyone deserves a living wage and a voice on the job, and these folks understood that from the start.”

The agreement also includes the establishment of a health and safety committee, anti-discrimination and seniority language, and increased sick time for part-time workers.

“This contract demonstrates what’s possible when workers organize and bargain collectively,” said Jenise Brown, a part-time educator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. “This is only the beginning, and I can’t wait to see what we all can accomplish together in the future.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

(Macon, Ga.) – Workers at Blue Bird Corporation’s Fort Valley, Ga., facility today voted to join the United Steelworkers union (USW), seeking a voice on the job so they can address urgent concerns including workplace health and safety, work-life balance and fair pay. 

United Steelworkers International President Tom Conway welcomed the approximately 1,400 workers to the USW and congratulated them on their successful organizing effort. 

“We’re proud that Blue Bird workers chose to join our union,” Conway said, “and we’re ready to help them bargain a fair contract that accounts for their contributions to the company’s success.”

Blue Bird workers, who make school buses, including low-emission and zero-emission models, represent one of the most significant recent organizing efforts by manufacturing workers in the South.

“Workers at places like Blue Bird in many ways embody the future,” said USW District 9 Director Dan Flippo, who represents workers in Georgia and six other Southern states. “They’re the ones who are making the investments in our infrastructure a reality, the ones who are building the safer, cleaner communities for generations to come.”

Blue Bird has been approved to receive significant funding through the EPA’s Clean School Bus program, and Flippo cautioned that with these sorts of federal investments, comes the responsibility to ensure workers have a seat at the table.

“For too long corporations cynically viewed the South as a place where they could suppress wages and working conditions because they believed they could keep workers from unionizing,” Flippo said. “Our union has a long history of fighting on behalf of workers in the South and across the country. Now as members of the USW, workers at Blue Bird have the same opportunity to make positive changes in their workplace.”

“We work hard, and we deserve fair pay, safe working conditions and to be treated with respect on the job,” said Patrick Watkins, a Blue Bird worker who served on the volunteer organizing committee. “It was clear that our only path forward was to take our future into our own hands – and that’s what we did today when we voted to organize.” 

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

(Bismarck, N.D.) – The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that on May 10, 2023, the union’s “Bat Light” outdoor projector will be in town to spotlight local workers’ ongoing fight for a fair first contract at the Bobcat manufacturing facility.

The projector will shine at 10 p.m. on Wednesday outside the plant in Bismarck, where key issues impacting working conditions and retirement security remain unresolved in negotiations.

About 750 hourly workers in Bismarck voted to organize with the USW last September, and in March 2023, more than 200 Bobcat employees in Rogers, Minnesota also elected to join the union.

Separately, some 1,200 USW members at Bobcat in Gwinner, N.D., ratified a new contract in the Fall of 2022.

ATTN ASSIGNMENT/EDITORS: Photo Opportunities, Interviews

WHO: Bobcat workers and union leaders
WHAT: USW Bat Light to support a fair first contract for workers at Bobcat
WHEN: 10 p.m., Wednesday, May 10, 2023
WHERE: Bobcat, 530 S 26th Street, Bismarck, ND 58054

Contact the USW for additional information about the bat light and its schedule.

The USW (on the web at www.usw.org) represents 850,000 workers in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

(Macon, Ga.) – U.S. Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia this week joined a growing chorus calling on management at the school bus manufacturer Blue Bird to adhere to federal labor law and respect workers’ right to vote in their union election without intimidation or harassment. 

“It has been a priority of ours, both before coming to the Senate and since our election, to do all we can to promote free and fair elections,” Warnock and Ossoff wrote in a joint letter to Blue Bird President and CEO Matt Stevenson. “That applies whether an election is for state, local, or federal office, or on the topic of whether workers will vote to support or oppose joining a labor union.”

Approximately 1,400 workers at Blue Bird’s Fort Valley, Ga., facility will vote in their union election on May 11 and 12. If successful, they will become members of the United Steelworkers union (USW). 

The USW filed unfair labor practice charges on April 26, alleging that Blue Bird management broke federal labor law when it engaged in surveillance and interrogation of workers, as well as in making threats to close the plant or freeze pay and benefits to drag out the bargaining process if workers vote to unionize. 

U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, who represents Georgia’s Second District, and voting rights activist and former Georgia State Rep. Stacey Abrams also reinforced workers’ right to pursue unionization without managerial interference.

“I have been a longtime supporter of the USW and its efforts to improve labor conditions and living standards for workers in Georgia and across the nation,” Bishop wrote in a letter to workers dated April 19. “For decades, unions have served as an important voice for workers in their fight for fair wages, fair benefits, and safe working conditions via collective bargaining.”

As a manufacturer of low-emission and zero-emission bus models, Blue Bird has been approved to receive more than $40 million in rebates through the EPA’s Clean School Bus program, funds the agency stipulated cannot be used for anti-union activity. 

“Blue Bird stands to be a significant beneficiary of the much-needed investment in our nation’s infrastructure,” said USW District 9 Director Dan Flippo, who represents workers in Georgia and six other Southern states. “It owes it to taxpayers to respect workers’ rights.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations. For more information: http://www.usw.org/. 

(Pittsburgh) – The United Steelworkers union (USW) today called for testing and cleaning in paper mills across the industry after a blastomycosis outbreak killed one worker and sickened more than 90 others at a facility in Escanaba, Mich.

“We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the contractor who lost his life to this infection,” said USW International President Tom Conway. “Moving forward, we cannot allow this to happen again. Rather than waiting to see if cases develop at other paper mills, management across the industry must be proactive and institute robust safeguards now.” 

The Escanaba mill, owned by Billerud, is currently idled while it undergoes deep cleaning. 

The USW is working with management and national health and safety officials to determine the precise source of the outbreak and ensure workers receive appropriate treatment. Blastomycosis is typically found in soil and decaying wood.

“The paper industry involves a number of potentially serious hazards, but we’ve made incredible progress in making it safer,” said USW International Vice President Leeann Foster, who leads bargaining in the USW’s paper sector. “This situation is no different. We must identify and eliminate the problem before it harms more workers.” 

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations. For more information: http://www.usw.org/. 

The United Steelworkers (USW) today applauded Michigan legislators for repealing the state’s falsely named “right-to-work” (RTW) laws and restoring workers’ power to bargain strong contracts and safe working conditions.

“This victory, correcting a grave injustice to working families, occurred only because union members helped elect Democratic, pro-worker majorities to the House and Senate last fall,” said USW District 1 Director Donnie Blatt, who leads USW members in Michigan and Ohio.

“Corporations and Republicans rammed RTW through the legislature in 2012 to bust unions and silence workers,” he added. “But we refused to be cheated out of our hard-won labor rights. We fought back, and like union members always do, we got the job done.”

States with RTW laws allow workers to receive union services for free. These laws, pushed by corporations and other anti-labor groups, undermine worker solidarity and starve unions of the resources needed to bargain strong contracts, ensure safe working conditions and hold employers accountable.

“It’s all about dividing and conquering,” observed Kent Holsing, president of USW Local 12075 in Midland, Mich., one of thousands of union members who turned out for rallies demanding the repeal of RTW. “It’s an effort to undermine the effectiveness of the union.”

Workers in RTW states make significantly lower wages—and they’re less likely to have employer-provided health insurance—than their counterparts elsewhere. At the same time, they face a higher risk of dying on the job because they lack a strong, unified voice on safety.

“RTW is nothing but an attack on the dignity and lives of working people,” said Blatt. “This victory enables working families to build brighter futures.”

The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations.

MINNEAPOLIS — The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that workers at Bobcat’s Rogers, Minnesota production facility have voted for union representation in a secret ballot election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

After the election, USW International President Thomas M. Conway welcomed nearly 200 Bobcat employees into the union.

“Every worker needs a strong voice on the job and deserves to be treated with respect and dignity by their employer,” Conway said. “As USW members, Bobcat workers will have a strong advocate to bargain for better pay, benefits and working conditions.”

“A fair union contract will improve the standard of living for workers now without sacrificing the security of their jobs, earnings or benefits in the future.”

USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez said that strong unions improve occupational health and safety and can help employers attract and retain workers.

“As companies seek to increase production, it is absolutely essential for workers to have a say on issues that could impact their health and safety," Ramirez said. "Fair, competitive pay and benefits will keep loyal, experienced workers on the job, and ensuring adequate staffing will keep the plant running as safely and efficiently as possible."

About 700 workers at Bobcat’s Bismarck, N.D., plant previously voted to join the USW in September 2022. The union will next seek to engage management in negotiations for new collective bargaining agreements.

The USW (www.usw.org) represents 850,000 workers employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in tech, public sector and service occupations.

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The United Steelworkers (USW) today welcomed the appointment of International President Tom Conway to the White House’s Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN).

“I want to thank President Joe Biden for appointing me to this committee, which counsels his administration on matters affecting hundreds of millions of working people,” Conway said.

“USW members know firsthand the importance of enacting and enforcing trade policies that enable American workers to compete on a level playing field with their counterparts around the world,” added Conway. “I’m honored to safeguard and advance their interests as a member of ACTPN.”

Working closely with the U.S. Trade Representative, ACTPN members representing labor, business and other fields provide guidance during negotiations for new trade agreements and help monitor trade pacts already in place. 

“Good trade policy grows middle-class jobs and protects national security,” Conway said. “I will use my voice on ACTPN to help President Biden achieve these goals crucial to the nation’s future.”

The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries

PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that professional football players have filed a petition for a representation election with Region 16 of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on behalf of roughly 475 professional athletes in the XFL.

USW International President Thomas M. Conway said that organizing and bargaining collectively for better wages, benefits and working conditions is the surest way for players to achieve security and stability in their lives and careers.

“No matter whether it’s a factory or football field, every worker deserves a voice on the job and in determining their own futures,” Conway said. “As part of the USW, players will have a strong advocate to bargain fair and safe working conditions across the league.”

USW International Secretary Treasurer John Shinn, who represents the union on the AFL-CIO Sports Council, said that football players, like all workers, deserve fair treatment on the job.

“Our union is committed to working with players to improve conditions and ensure that they are treated with dignity and respect by the league,” Shinn said. “From our successful experience bargaining with the USFL, we know that players standing together in solidarity can win contract improvements throughout the season that will truly raise their standards of living.”

Ryan Cave, an executive with the United Football Players Association, said that players are organizing for the empowerment that comes with a union contract.

“All players throughout the league working together to build unity and solidarity is the key to getting results,” Cave said. “We know athletes stand to gain the most when we use one voice to demand fairness and justice on the job, and that’s what XFL players will achieve by organizing a union.”

For the 2023 season, the eight-team XFL will employ about 475 athletes who will play a ten-game regular-season schedule, followed by a four-team playoff for the league championship. The first game was played on February 18, and the championship will be held on May 13.

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in tech, public sector and service occupations.

Haga clic aquí para ver este comunicado en inglés. (Click here to view this release in English.)

(San Juan, Puerto Rico) – La United Steelworkers (USW) anunció hoy una afiliación con la Unión de Empleados Profesionales Independiente (UEPI) que otorga a los trabajadores de la industria de generación de energía de Puerto Rico un poder de negociación aún mayor. 

La USW tiene un sólido historial de ayudar a los trabajadores profesionales y de la industria energética en América del Norte a obtener contratos robustos. Ahora, la USW brindará el mismo apoyo a los miembros de la UEPI que se desempeñan en diversos roles profesionales, incluidos técnico de instrumentos, inspector de construcción e ingeniero civil, en la Autoridad de Energía Eléctrica (AEE), la empresa de servicios públicos que produce electricidad para Puerto Rico.

La afiliación garantizará que los miembros de la UEPI tengan un espacio en la mesa mientras el gobierno busca privatizar la generación de energía en la isla. 

“Estamos orgullosos de darles la bienvenida a estos trabajadores a nuestra familia sindical”, dijo Del Vitale, director del Distrito 4 de la USW, quien dirige a decenas de miles de miembros de la USW en nueve estados del noreste de Estados Unidos y Puerto Rico.

“Los miembros de la UEPI brindan servicios críticos que mantienen a Puerto Rico en funcionamiento, y se merecen un trato justo y salarios para mantener a sus familias”, agregó Vitale. “Su lucha ahora es la lucha de la USW. Estamos con los miembros de la UEPI en firme solidaridad”. 

La UEPI solicitó la afiliación debido a la representación efectiva de los trabajadores profesionales de la USW, incluidos los trabajadores del gobierno municipal y los medios de comunicación en Puerto Rico, así como la negociación exitosa del sindicato para miembros en las industrias atómica, eléctrica, de gas natural, petrolera, solar y eólica.

“Estamos muy emocionados de lograr la afiliación de nuestro sindicato a la Unión de Trabajadores Siderúrgicos”, dijo Miguel Cruz, presidente de la UEPI. “Sabemos del trabajo que han logrado representando a miles de trabajadores del sector energético. Sin duda, esto será un gran beneficio para nuestra membresía”. 

La USW representa a 850,000 hombres y mujeres empleados en las industrias de metales, minería, papelera, caucho, productos químicos, vidrio, suministro de automóviles y producción de energía, junto con un número creciente de trabajadores en el sector público y de servicios.

Click here to view this release in Spanish. Haga clic aquí para ver este comunicado en español.

(Pittsburgh) – The United Steelworkers (USW) union today welcomed the International Trade Commission’s (ITC) unanimous preliminary determination on tin and chromium coated sheet steel products from China and seven other countries.

“USW members know better than anyone how dumping and illegal subsidies jeopardize U.S. jobs, hurt domestic industries and imperil our communities,” said USW International President Tom Conway. “Today’s decision is a step in the right direction toward clamping down on unfairly traded tin products sold in the United States.”

The USW and Cleveland-Cliffs in January filed a countervailing duty (CVD) petition against China and antidumping (AD) petitions against China and seven other countries. The ITC set preliminary antidumping margins ranging from 46.76 percent to 296.04 percent.

“Our members work hard making high-quality products, and they deserve to compete on a level playing field,” Conway said. “Today’s ITC determination provides us with a path forward for workers under siege from dumped and illegally subsidized imports.”

Thousands of USW members make tin mill products a number of locations, including in California, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia.

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

Hannibal, Mo. – The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that roughly 100 members of USW Local 11-205 on Wednesday ratified a new, five-year contract with Continental Cement after an eight-day strike over unfair labor practices. 

USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez said that community support, along with the unity of the membership, were key to the union’s success in resolving the issues at the bargaining table.

“Our solidarity was the determining factor that enabled us to fight off the company’s demands at the table for workers to give up their rights and voices over scheduling and other issues,” said USW District 11 Director Emil Ramirez. “We owe gratitude to the community for supporting our members and their families during the labor dispute.” 

“With a fair contract now in place, USW members look forward to returning to work with the knowledge that we can accomplish great things together in Hannibal,” Ramirez said. “Continental Cement is lucky to have a dedicated, loyal workforce, and as production resumes, we expect management to treat them with the respect that they have clearly earned and deserve.” 

The USW represents 850,000 workers in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number in public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

(Pittsburgh) – The United Steelworkers (USW) announced Wednesday that workers at the Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site in Philadelphia voted overwhelmingly in favor of union representation in a ballot election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.

United Steelworkers District 10 Director Bernie Hall said the 65 employees at the museum recognize that a strong union provides everyone with a voice on the job.

“These workers love what they do, and they know having union representation will only make their jobs safer and ensure an even more fulfilling experience for museum visitors,” said Hall.

Workers at the historic prison serve as educators, retail employees, administrative staff, and more. The group decided to organize in order to collectively address health and safety concerns, transparency with scheduling, protections against discrimination, and competitive pay.

“This museum is incredibly important to this city’s history and its future,” said Joshua Lewis, who works at the site as an educator. “We want to make sure its legacy endures.”

The USW will be reaching out to museum management to schedule dates for negotiations.

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

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USW Applauds Reintroduction of PRO Act in U.S. Senate, House

(Pittsburgh) – The United Steelworkers union (USW) today joined lawmakers from both houses of Congress to call for the passage of the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House.

“Too many corporations brazenly trample workers’ rights and get away with it because current penalties are too weak to provide an effective deterrent,” said USW International President Tom Conway. “It is crucial that our leaders in Washington work together to pass the PRO Act so there can finally be real accountability.”

USW members joined U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) as the pro-worker coalition announced the reintroduction of the PRO Act in the House and Senate.

Conway noted that 71 percent of Americans approve of unions, according to a 2022 Gallup poll.

“It’s clear that more and more Americans want unions in their workplaces,” he said. “Passing the PRO Act will provide a much-needed corrective to the assault on workers’ power, ensure workers have a voice on the job, and strengthen their capacity to negotiate for the fair pay and safe working conditions everyone deserves.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

(Pittsburgh) – The United Steelworkers union (USW) and Titan International, Inc., today called for restrictions on downstream products made from Russian petroleum inputs, citing in particular concerns over imports of off-the-road (OTR) tires from India.

“The United States and its allies rightly issued sanctions against Russian petroleum after Putin’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine,” said USW International President Tom Conway. “But Russia and Russian producers managed to find ways to utilize producers in third-party countries to continue profiting from exports.

“This not only hurts our Ukrainian allies and prolongs the war, but also undercuts domestic industries as third-country producers leverage access to cheap Russian petroleum inputs to drive down prices on products like tires they export to the United States.”

India was not among the nations to ban imports of Russian oil products, like the carbon black needed for OTR tires, and it now functions as one of Russia’s top export destinations. Russia is also India’s top source for oil imports.

At the same time, exports of Indian OTR tires to the United States jumped by nearly 38 percent compared to the same period in 2021.

“We owe it to workers in both Ukraine and the United States to close this loophole and starve Russia’s war effort once and for all,” Conway said.

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.