National College Players Association - United Steelworkers

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AFL-CI0 President Richard Trumka openedhis convention speech by recognizing carwash workers who just won representationwith USW Local 675 as part of an ongoingcampaign to organize the industry in LosAngeles, where workers, often immigrants,are routinely underpaid and abused. Theworkers received a standing ovation fromconvention delegates.USW Photo by Steve DietzIt is time for the labor movementto play a strong offense in thefight for jobs, AFL-CIO PresidentRichard Trumka told delegates tothe USW Convention.“We’re done playing defense afterthat debt-ceiling debacle on CapitolHill and the battles in state capital afterstate capital,” Trumka said. “Right now,our offensive team is fired up and whatwe’re after is jobs, good jobs.”There’s no reason working Americansshould settle for 9 percent unemployment,stagnant wages, benefitgive-backs, record inequality and thedestruction of the middle-class way oflife, he said.“This is America,” Trumka added.“We can do better. We have to do better.”Tax breaks go to richWorkers, seniors, people of color,and people with disabilities have beensacrificing and governments, schools,and police and fire departments are“starving for money,” he said.At the same time, Trumka said“hedge fund billionaires get tax cuts,and Wall Street corporations still get taxincentives to export good jobs overseas.It’s not just wrong, it’s shameful. It’sinsane and for the future of our countryit has to be stopped.”The AFL-CIO plans a sustainedjobs campaign this fall with a NationalWeek of Action to show that Americawants to work. In town hall meetingsplanned across the country, middle-classAmericans will demand that politiciansof both parties back policies to createjobs and restore the economy.Shifting the debate“We’re going to shift the nationaldebate away from deficits and towardgood jobs and workers’ rights,’’ Trumkasaid. “And you’re going to be at thecenter of this effort. Educating andmobilizing Steelworkers – educatingand mobilizing your families and yourneighbors, your congregations, theMoose Lodge, the bowling league andthe carpool – to fight with you for goodjobs.”Stand togetherThere’s a long way to go beforewe can fix broken trade practices andmake sure every working person has thefreedom to form a union and bargain fora better life, but we’ve got to start now,Trumka said.“We need to stand together for a future,a future when every single workerhas the fundamental right to be treatedwith dignity, to put in a hard, honestday’s work and be rewarded fairly forit, to have the health care and retirementsecurity we need and the opportunity tosee our children a little better off thanwe are.“That’s the world we want, theworld we deserve.”8 USW@Work • Fall 2011
Republicans must addressChina’s currency manipulationbefore they bring moreflawed free trade deals up forCongressional approval, Nancy Pelosi,minority leader of the U.S. House,announced at the opening of the 2011Constitutional Convention.Democrats have already held up proposedtrade deals by demanding renewalof Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)for workers displaced by imports.Pelosi suggested that the deals alsofall behind action on China’s manipulationof its currency, which causes itsexports to the United States to be artificiallycheap and U.S. exports to Chinato be artificially expensive. This floodsthe U.S. market with Chinese goods andkills U.S. industry and jobs.The USW, the Alliance for AmericanManufacturing and Democrats haveinsisted that the United States formallyname China as a currency manipulatorand consider the manipulation as a factorwhen import duties are determined.Pelosi previewed the Democraticagenda to create jobs. For Steelworkers,among the most important of thoseprograms is “Make It in America.” Thiseffort, launched by U.S. Rep. StenyHoyer, (D-Md.), means, Pelosi said,“keeping American jobs on our shores.”Make It in America, Pelosi said,means putting people to work buildingroads, bridges, and rail lines and developingclean, green technology.Democrats also want the newly-createdJoint Committee on Deficits to alsobe a Joint Committee on Jobs, Pelosisaid. All of its conversations shouldfocus on economic growth and jobDistrict 1 DirectorDave McCallcreation to reduce the deficit, she said.By contrast, she said, Republicansare pushing an anti-worker agenda inWashington and in states coast to coast,including attacks on public workers inWisconsin, Indiana and Ohio.Republicans in Congress, she noted,are trying to help corporations ship jobsoverseas by passing an Outsourcer’sBill of Rights, or as Pelosi called it, anOutsourcer’s Bill of Wrongs.In addition, she said, the GOP, at thebehest of corporations, is trying to gutthe National Labor Relations Board, attemptingto punish workers for exercisingtheir right to organize and demandbetter benefits, and trying to pervert theFederal Aviation Administration fundingNancy PelosiPhoto by Steve Dietzprocess to strip airline workers of theright to organize as other workers do.“Steelworkers,” Pelosi said, “I knowyou are ready to fight to get our economyback on track, to create jobs, andto Make It in America. Let us alwaysstand up for a strong middle class – thebackbone of American prosperity.”Creating jobs, not reducing thenational debt, is the greatestchallenge America faces today,U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanderstold delegates in a rousing, boisterousConvention address.“Creating the millions of new jobsthat we desperately need is not only vitallyimportant to the economy, but willbe the means by which we reduce thedeficit over the long term,” said Sanders(I-Vt.), who noted that the 9 percentofficial unemployment rate jumps to 16percent when those who are underemployedare counted.“New jobs mean more governmentrevenue, which makes a lot more sensethan having to spend billions on unemploymentcompensation, food stampsand other programs needed during asevere recession,” he said.Sanders’ vision includes rebuildingthe nation’s crumbling infrastructure,transforming the energy system, andrewriting trade policy so that Americanproducts – not jobs – are our top export.“We need jobs that pay decentwages, jobs in the U.S. – not jobs inBernie SandersPhoto by Steve DietzChina,” he declared.Sanders received repeated standingovations. His vigorous opposition toefforts to cut Social Security, Medicare,and Medicaid benefits brought the biggestpositive response.“Social Security has not contributeda nickel to the deficit, it has a $2.6 trillionsurplus, and it can pay out everybenefit owed to every eligible Americanfor the next 25 years.” Sanders said.“Instead of balancing the budgeton the backs of working families, theelderly, the children, the sick, and themost vulnerable, it is time to ask thewealthiest people and most profitablecorporations in this country to pay theirfair share,” Sanders said.USW@Work • Fall 2011 9
Page 2: INSIDEUSW@WORK“Freedom is not fre
Page 5 and 6: Knowing there is no progress withou
Page 7: To fight back, Gerard said Steelwor
Page 11 and 12: Bertrand, president of Local 6500 i
Page 13 and 14: Wearing a blue and gold USW T-shirt
Page 15 and 16: Work councils will be created fromU
Page 17 and 18: the world, particularly South Afric
Page 19 and 20: “You have the credibility as seni
Page 21 and 22: Michael O’BrienPhoto by Steve Die
Page 23 and 24: loopholes that nobody else gets. Ri
Page 25 and 26: Fired from a railroad car repairfac
Page 27 and 28: allying against Gov. Scott Walker
Page 29 and 30: China has revoked wind powerequipme
Page 31 and 32: Supporters march to deliver petitio
Page 33 and 34: away. It also picked up his 60-foot
Page 35 and 36: For most of the past 40 years,the P
Page 37 and 38: Santha denied the allegations in an
Page 39 and 40: Photo by John Lappamanagers on corp
Page 41 and 42: Creating stability“Either we can
Page 43 and 44: The North American Free TradeAgreem
Page 45 and 46: No Vote on Trade Pacts UrgedThe USW
Page 48: Have You Moved?Notify your local un

National College Players Association - United Steelworkers

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