National College Players Association - United Steelworkers

Aday after a tornado tore acrossPleasant Grove, Ala., USWLocal 2122 set up coolers outsidethe union hall and distributedwater to patrolling state troopers,National Guardsmen and storm victims.“The next thing you know strangersbegan driving up and dropping offdonations at our hall,” said Local 2122President Bob Irwin. “Our hall became afull-fledged relief center.’’The volunteer efforts in PleasantGrove were among many examplesof generosity by USW members as adeadly burst of tornadoes swept throughthe South and Midwest this spring, leavinga swath of destruction and more than500 dead.Three USW locals – 2122, 1013, and2120 – coordinated their relief efforts inPleasant Grove. The suburb of Birmingham,Ala., lay in ruins after the tornadostruck. The twister mowed down trees,pulled houses off their foundations, scatteredbelongings and flipped cars.“We ran the center for a month like acommunity food bank and thrift center,’’said Irwin, whose local represents workersfrom U.S. Steel, the Birmingham32 USW@Work • Fall 2011Southern Diesel Shop, Warrior & GulfNavigation, Vulcan Refineries and TubeCity.Food, clothing and heavy workBecause of its proximity, Local 2122became a collection point for food,clothing and other items assembled byall three locals. Irwin stayed abreast ofpeoples’ needs through a Facebook accountset up for community members tointeract.USW locals from all over the stateparticipated in the efforts. Volunteersdistributed food and clothing in additionto the heavy work of cutting trees andclearing away mountains of debris.“It was wonderful to see Steelworkerlocals from throughout Alabama participatein the relief,’’ said David Clark,president of Local 1013 in Fairfield,Ala., which represents workers at U.S.Steel, Fairfield Southern, Steelscape andAir Liquide.“This was a very unfortunateepisode. One of our members lost hiswife,’’ Clark said. “But the relief efforts,Steelworkers helping people they didn’tknow, had to be one of my best experiences.”While the USW relief operation inPleasant Grove was in full swing, theCentral Alabama Labor Council alsowent to work. Steelworkers joinedelectrical workers, operating engineers,laborers, pipe fitters, and others on Saturdaysto help with the cleanup. At onepoint, over 100 union volunteers showedup.Tuscaloosa hit hardSome of the worst damage was inTuscaloosa, a city that is home to theUniversity of Alabama. Entire neighborhoodswere leveled.Some 15 members of Local 351 atthe BFGoodrich plant in Tuscaloosa losttheir homes, said local President JimmyPrice. Two members, one a retiree, werekilled.Local 351 provided $400 in giftcards to members who lost their possessions,donated 250 t-shirts to the SalvationArmy and served 100 lunches to theNational Guard and county police, Pricesaid.Price saw the tornado lift his houseand drop it a couple of hundred yards