Leo W. Gerard - United Steelworkers

INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD
Leo W. Gerard
International President
Stan Johnson
Int’l. Secretary-Treasurer
Thomas M. Conway
Int’l. Vice President
(Administration)
Fred Redmond
Int’l. Vice President
(Human Affairs)
Ken Neumann
Nat’l. Dir. for Canada
Carol Landry
Vice President at Large
Jon Geenen
Int’l. Vice President
Gary Beevers
Int’l. Vice President
James H. Dunn
Associate Secretary-Treasurer
Lewis Peacock
Vice President (Organizing)
James K. Phillips, Jr.
Vice President at Large
DIRECTORS
David R. McCall, District 1
Michael Bolton, District 2
Stephen Hunt, District 3
William J. Pienta, District 4
Daniel Roy, District 5
Wayne Fraser, District 6
Jim Robinson, District 7
Ernest R. “Billy” Thompson, District 8
Daniel Flippo, District 9
John DeFazio, District 10
Robert Bratulich, District 11
Robert LaVenture, District 12
J.M. “Mickey” Breaux, District 13
CO-DIRECTORS
Gerald P. Johnston, District 1
Lloyd Walters, District 9
Kenneth O. Test
2 USW@Work • Winter 2010
INSIDEUSW@WORK
“
As a country and a movement, our challenge is to build a new
economy that can restore working people’s expectations and
hope … A dead end job with no benefits is not the best our
country can do for its citizens.
”
Richard L. Trumka
AFL-CIO president, Jan. 11, 2010
Trade Victory in Pipe Case
In a victory for the domestic steel industry
and its workers, the U.S. government has
levied duties on Chinese pipe used in the oil
and natural gas industries.
Civil Rights Conference
Creating and protecting jobs, communities,
quality health care and a healthy environment
are among the civil and human rights
issues of our time, and they require action.
FEATURES
Speaking Out
CAPITOL LETTERS
News Bytes
Union Security Notice
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Communications Staff:
Jim McKay, Editor
Wayne Ranick, Director of Communications
Gary Hubbard, Director of Public Affairs, Washington, D.C.
Aaron Hudson and Kenny Carlisle, Designers
Lynne Baker, Kelly Barr, Jim Coleman, Deb Davidek,
Gerald Dickey, Connie Mabin, Tony Montana,
Scott Weaver, Barbara White Stack
08 20
ON THE COVER
Now that the biggest strike in the union has passed the six-month
mark, 3,500 nickel miners in Canada are more committed than
ever to win fair contracts. See page 14. USW photo.
Volume 05/No.1 Winter 2010
USW Flight Attendants
Adding to the wide diversity of our union, two
USW locals represent 800 flight attendants at
Pinnacle Airlines Inc. and Colgan Air Inc.
22 26
Working Class Revolt
Working people are sending politicians of
both major parties the message that
inaction is not acceptable. We want jobs,
health care and an economy that works.
Official publication of the United Steelworkers
Direct inquiries and articles for USW@Work to:
United Steelworkers Communications Department
Five Gateway Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
phone 412-562-2400
fax 412-562-2445
online: www.usw.org
USW@Work (ISSN 1931-6658) is published four times a year by the United Steelworkers AFL-CIO•CLC Five Gateway Center, Pittsburgh,
PA 15222. Subscriptions to non-members: $12 for one year; $20 for two years. Periodicals postage paid at Pittsburgh, PA and additional
mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: USW@Work, USW Membership Department, 3340 Perimeter Hill Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
Copyright 2010 by United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO•CLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the
written consent of the United Steelworkers.
Great Lakes Shipping Strike
Regarding Randall Nigra’s letter last issue
concerning President Obama’s campaign promise
to stop companies from hiring replacement workers
while union workers are on strike: Our Great
Lakes Seamen’s Local 5000 contract with Liberty
Steamship Co. expired Aug. 1, 2009.
We worked without a contract until Sept. 22
and then walked off. Since then they have operated
three ships (while three others lay idle) with scab
sailors from the Gulf and cadets from maritime
academies. We have picketed ports from Duluth to
Buffalo, yet these vessels continue to operate. If
this is allowed to continue other Great Lakes shipping
companies will treat their USW employees
the same.
As it is/was, virtually all shipments of vital iron
ore, limestone, coal and grain shipped on the Great
Lakes is done with union labor. Didn’t we in part
support President Obama to end this practice
Bob Pedersen, Local 5000
Superior, Wis.
Get Tough with China
It’s obviously time to get tough with China.
What we need is fair trade and not free trade. How
long has trade with China been “free” The trade
deficit is hundreds of billions in their favor.
The tariff on imported Chinese tires is a good
start, but we have to expand protection for our
workers. Let’s provide tax incentives for good jobs.
We don’t need new taxes, increased inflation and
the abandonment of senior citizens. Good-paying
jobs for our legal citizens would be an excellent
first step.
Joe Kretschmer, Local 12775, retired
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Oppose Right to Work
I retired from Local 12775 and am a SOAR
member who was elected to the (LaPorte, Ind.)
county council three years ago. I work with elected
officials from the local to the national level.
Indiana could be considering “right-to-work”
legislation. I am alarmed legislators do not know
the evils of such a move. I am also concerned that
many of our young union members are also ignorant
of how devastating this would be to them and
the entire organized-labor community.
Our local unions need to do a better job of
teaching our membership about our history and all
we have been through to get where we are today.
We also need to lobby elected officials … to
improve the lives of union members everywhere. It
is time for us to get … back to hard-nosed unionism.
You will be amazed at how powerful your
voice can be.
Rich Mrozinski Jr., Local 12775, retired
LaPorte Ind.
It Pays to be Union
I am retired from the Bethlehem Steel plant in
Bethlehem, Pa. My family and I still have a good
life because of the union. I’m thankful for those
who came before me and fought for better pay,
benefits and safer work places. I was involved
with safety. I hope America’s present work force,
especially those who are non-union, wake up and
realize it pays to be union, working or retired.
John P. Tihansky, Local 2599, retired
Clearfield, Pa.
Angry Over Jobs to China
I am 82 and I hate to see our good jobs go to
China. As far as I’m concerned, anything made
in China is junk. I am also angry that foreign car
makers got taxpayers’ money from the “Cash for
Clunkers” program. Go figure!
Jane Nargelovic, Associate Member
Sebring, Fla.
Standing Up for Justice
I am proud to say I was one of the many USW
members who walked the picket line at Vermont
Hand Wash in Los Angeles, Calif.
Reading the article “Clean up with USW: Car
Wash Workers Win Big Victory” made me feel
there can be justice when we all work together.
Everyone should have the right to earn a living
wage without feeling the need to compromise and
put themselves in danger.
Patty Mengler, Local 8599
Fontana, Calif.
Support the Middle Class
As a proud member of Local 1324 I understand
the need for working people to band together
around important issues such as health care. Health
care is consistently a major issue in contract
negotiations and workers often give up raises just
to keep their medical coverage. While I support
reform that provides coverage for more Americans,
an unfair tax on our benefits is not the way
to fix the problem. During the election campaign,
candidate Obama promised to reform this system.
Please join me in supporting the middle class and
rejecting this tax.
Lauren Sukal, Local 1324
Mt. Lebanon, Pa.
No to Excise Tax
I am opposed to the proposed excise tax on my
health insurance. This tax would be passed on to
workers (through) higher deductibles and more
out-of-pocket expenses. We can’t afford to have
more taken from our pay checks.
Ken Poweski
Cleveland, Ohio
USW active and retired
members and their
families are invited to
“speak out” on these
pages. Letters should be
short and to the point.
We reserve the right to
edit for length.
Mail to:
USW@Work
Five Gateway Center,
Pittsburgh PA 15222
or e-mail:
editor@usw.org
USW@Work • Winter 2010 3