HHaavvee YYoouu MMoovveedd?Notify your local union financial secretary, or clip out this form with your old address label and send your new address to:

UUSSWW@@WWoorrkkUSW Membership Department,

3340 Perimeter Hill Drive, Nashville, TN 37211

Name

New Address

City

State Zip

PPaassss EEmmppllooyyeeee FFrreeee CChhooiiccee AAccttA lot of the units in my amalgamated

local have had major layoffs and longshutdown periods. Some of our laid-offmembers will never be called back towork.

My heart and prayers go out to thesemembers. Let's tell our government thatwe need good jobs and passage of theEmployee Free Choice Act.Glen Dunaway, Local 735Cleveland, Ohio

SSttaayy IInnvvoollvveedd iinn TTiimmee ooff NNeeeeddMy family and I braced for the worst

when we heard the steel plant was goingto reduce hours and then lay off the workforce for an extended time in late 2008.

Our Christmas was tight. Spendingwas cut drastically. Savings dwindledwhile unexpected events, such as the carbreaking down, continued.

All in all, the economy was dire for us.Having to work trimmed hours, waiting tosee whether you're working next week ornot and holding your breath in hopes thesteel market will pick up while we main-tain profit is like pulling hair out at wit'send.

I have learned that staying involved inpolitics and working with people whoshare the same values of protecting ourindustry can benefit workers in times ofneed. Some people do not realize that,even in these desperate times.Jamie Sanderson, Local 7898Georgetown, S.C.

SSuuppppoorrtt AAmmeerriiccaann WWoorrkkeerrssAs a union member and a president of

a United Steelworkers local, I feel that thenonsupport for the American automobilemanufacturers and the United AutoWorkers is unwarranted and unfair.

The true story of this fight is not beingtold to the American people. All theemployees of the Big Three are beingshown as greedy, non-productive work-ers. This might be the first time the mediahas lumped both sides (union and man-agement) together as being the bad guy.

People must realize that the govern-ments of foreign automakers should notbe dictating to our government what ourwages and benefits should be – and this isbeing done. Timothy Chambon, Local 1138 Natrona Heights, Pa.

GGiivviinngg TThhaannkkss ffoorr HHeellppTo all those who made it possible, I

am so grateful for the (VEBA MedicarePart B partial reimbursement) check thatis sent out every year in December. I aman 81-year-old widow of a BethlehemSteel retiree and am living on only themonthly Social Security plus the hundredfrom ISG.

This check sure helps towards myproperty taxes, insurance and repairs onthe house. I'm sure there are many morepeople who need this help too.

It is a happier time of the year becauseof people like you who care.Florence Skibitski Peoria, Ariz.

AA NNeeww EEccoonnoommyy NNeeeeddeeddOur country has been without a leader

with character and honesty for too long.But at last we have a great president,Barack Obama.

We must turn this great financial crisisinto a new economy with every citizenbenefiting.Robert D. Ivey, Associate MemberGainesville, Fla.

KKeeeepp MMaannuuffaaccttuurriinngg HHeerreeThe worst thing that is happening to

the USA is the shipping of our work outof our country. It is being done by greedyCEOs just to make extra dollars.

This has caused many of our foundriesand machine shops to close down withthousands upon thousands of skilledworkers laid off with very little money intheir pockets.

Our leaders in Washington must workto keep manufacturing here in America.Clare J. Crowley, retiredMilwaukee, Wis.

GGlloobbaall WWaarrmmiinngg,, aa CCrriittiiccaall IIssssuueeI am an associate member and must

take issue with the view of Daniel E.Kelly II, whose letter was published in theLabor Day issue.

Kelly writes that the U.S. has an abun-dance of fossil fuels and "the ability toretrieve these resources with no adverseeffects on the planet." He also writes that"we will eventually find alternative ener-gy sources and solve global warming."

To airily say that we will eventuallysolve the problem of global warmingwhile advocating for more oil, coal andgas is to betray a total lack of understand-ing of the gravity and speed of climatechange. We are, in a sense, already toolate in addressing this most critical ofproblems. We have no choice, if we cher-ish our future viability, than to decreaseour reliance on fossil fuels as quickly ashumanly possible.Loretta Van Coppenolle, Associate MemberSan Antonio, Texas

DDeeaarr PPrreessiiddeenntt OObbaammaa,,Congratulations on your inauguration

as the 44th President of the United States.Per your inaugural address, I agree thatsacrifice by all is necessary at this time inorder to prevent America from deteriorat-ing into economic and social chaos.

But, you cannot expect that Americanswho suffered with economic turmoil overthe last eight years will readily accept thesacrifice you offered. They have lost jobsbecause of NAFTA and globalizationwhile seeing their tax burden increase dueto unfair federal policies that reduce taxesof wealthy individuals and corporations.

As in a horse race, those who pros-pered during the last eight years must firstbe handicapped to account for the dispari-ty created because of failed economicpolicies. Only then can you ask the lessprivileged to share the requested sacrifice.Michael MililloSchwenksville, Pa.

2 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 3

USW@Work (ISSN 0883-3141) is published five times a year by the United Steelworkers AFL-CIO•CLC Five Gateway Center, Pittsburgh, PA15222. 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 2009 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.

Direct Inquiries and articles for USW@Work to:United Steelworkers

Communications DepartmentFive Gateway CenterPittsburgh, PA 15222phone 412-562-2400fax 412-562-2445online: www.usw.org

Communications Staff: Jim McKay, EditorWayne Ranick, Director of CommunicationsGary 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, Frank Romano, Scott Weaver, Barbara White StackContributors: Roger Bybee, Sean Hayden

INSIDEUSW@WORK

Official publication of the United SteelworkersVolume 04/No.1 Winter 2009

FFiigghhtt ffoorr EEccoonnoommiicc RReenneewwaallThe USW launches a massive mobilization effort to push aneconomic renewal plan that will work for working families.0044

SSttaarrttiinngg ttooddaayy,, wwee mmuusstt ppiicckkoouurrsseellvveess uupp,, dduusstt oouurrsseellvveess ooffffaanndd bbeeggiinn aaggaaiinn tthhee wwoorrkk ooffrreemmaakkiinngg AAmmeerriiccaa..

“”President Barack Obama

Jan. 20, 2009

FFEEAATTUURREESS::Speaking OutCAPITOL LETTERSNews BytesUnion Security Clause

0033119933223355

USW active and retired members and their families are invited to “speak out” on these pages. Letters should be short and to the point. Wereserve the right to edit for length. Mail to USW@Work, Five Gateway

Center, Pittsburgh PA 15222 or e-mail to editor@usw.org.

Speaking OutSpeaking Out

Leo W. GerardInternational President

James D. EnglishInt’l. Secretary-Treasurer

Thomas M. ConwayInt’l. Vice President(Administration)

Fred RedmondInt’l. Vice President(Human Affairs)

Ken NeumannNat’l. Dir. for Canada

Carol LandryVice President at Large

Jon GeenenInt’l. Vice President

Gary BeeversInt’l. Vice President

James H. DunnAssociate Secretary-Treasurer

Ron HooverExec. Vice President (R/PIC)

Lewis PeacockVice President (Organizing)

James K. Phillips, Jr.Vice President at Large

DirectorsDavid R. McCall, District 1Michael Bolton, District 2Stephen Hunt, District 3William J. Pienta, District 4Daniel Roy, District 5Wayne Fraser, District 6Jim Robinson, District 7

Ernest R. “Billy” Thompson, District 8Stan Johnson, District 9John DeFazio, District 10Robert Bratulich, District 11Terry L. Bonds, District 12

J.M. “Mickey” Breaux, District 13

Co-DirectorsGerald P. Johnston, District 1Lloyd Walters, District 9

Kenneth O. Test

STEELWORKER STORE

InternationalExecutive Board

EEccoonnoommyy RReeeelliinnggManufacturing is retrenching in an economy reeling fromrecklessness on Wall Street and regulatory failures fromWashington, D.C.

0055

CChhiinneessee PPiippee IImmppoorrttssU.S. trade authorities impose anti-subsidy duties on Chineseimports of pipe used in the oil and gas industry.1144

EEdduuccaattiioonn PPrrooggrraamm AAwwaarrddeeddThe USW’s Institute for Career Development has been rec-ognized as the premier adult education program in theUnited States.

2244

FFoorreesstt PPoolliiccyyUSW advocates for forest policies that will ensure long-termsustainable livelihoods for workers in the wood and paperproducts industries.

2288ONTHECOVERIllustration of USW members at work by Fred Carlson

TThhee SStteeeellwwoorrkkeerr SSttoorree iiss OOPPEENN!! Visit the USW online store! Ourinventory contains union-made products from the U.S. and Canada.Purchase shirts, hats, jackets, gifts and miscellaneous items showing yourSteelworker pride.

Visit the USW Web siteand select the

"Steelworker Store" button.

Order online, downloadan order form to mail in

ORCall 1-888-SAY-USW2(1-888-729-8792)

Visit wwwwww..uussww..oorrgg orwwwwww..uussww..ccaa today!

Check for new items!

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 54 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

s soon as President Obama tookthe oath of office, the UnitedSteelworkers launched a massive

mobilization effort to push an economicrenewal plan that works for workingfamilies.

The Make Our Future Work cam-paign taps into the union’s record-breaking level of election activism andanswers President Obama’s call to “pickourselves up, dust ourselves off, andbegin again the work of remakingAmerica.”

The USW’s economic renewal planfocuses on resurrecting American manu-facturing as the foundation for thenation’s economy. Every district in theunion is participating, and a “war room”has been set up at International head-quarters to serve as home base for thisimportant effort.

Jobs top priority“Fixing our economy and getting

people back to work is the top priorityright now. We must once again becomea nation whose economy thrives on mak-ing things and creates wealth throughmiddle-class prosperity,” InternationalPresident Leo W. Gerard said.

“Our plan pushes for meaningful, sus-tained solutions that put people back towork. It promotes infrastructure invest-ment and green jobs that help solve ourenergy problems, demands that wespend tax dollars on products withdomestic content and supports allowingworkers to freely join unions to helpboost our middle class,” he said.

You can get involved right now bygoing to www.makeourfuturework.org,click on the ‘Join Us’ button and sign upto join our movement.

Mobilizing our activistsThe 10,000-plus member Activist

Corps from the recent political campaignseason, as well as thousands of other

activists involved in the union’s RapidResponse, Women of Steel,Steelworkers Organization of ActiveRetirees and other programs will mobi-lize locally and nationally to help fightfor legislation, including the EmployeeFree Choice Act. The proposal allowsworkers who want a union – instead ofemployers – to choose how they want toorganize and collectively bargain for abetter life.

Union members in every state will beworking to educate co-workers and theircommunities about the USW plan, pushfor government solutions at the local,state and federal levels and participate inrallies, handbilling, lobbying and otherevents.

More information about the cam-paign, including upcoming events and adownloadable resolution that memberscan take to local meetings, can be foundat www.makeourfuturework.org orwww.usw.org.

ad news shatters Steelworker livesdaily now as manufacturingretrenches in an economy reeling

from recklessness on Wall Street andregulatory failures from Washington,D.C.

“Manufacturing is on its back,’’International President Leo W. Gerardsaid in reaction to an unprecedented andrapid decline in U.S. employment,including USW-represented industries.

“Every major sector of the industrialeconomy in America is seeing theirworst time in 50 years, not because oftheir own doings, but because of the pre-cipitous drop in demand through unem-ployment and the drying up of credit,” hesaid.

The current recession, which startedin December 2007, is a giant job killer.The economy lost 2.6 million jobs in2008, the most since 1945. The unem-ployment rate jumped to 7.2 percent inDecember, and is expected to keepclimbing.

In November, for example, 645 work-ers at AK Steel in Ashland, Ky., losttheir jobs when the steelmaker put itsAmanda blast furnace on hot idle, citingthe bad economy and lagging automotivesales.

U.S. Steel, Alcoa and HarleyIn December, U.S. Steel announced

it would temporarily idle its GraniteCity Works in Illinois, throwing 2,400out of work, including 1,400 members ofUSW Local 1899.

In January, West Virginia officialsand the USW were working together totry to save 685 jobs threatened atCentury Aluminum’s Ravenswoodsmelter because the metal’s priceplummeted over the past six months.(See page 32.)

Then Alcoa announced it would cut13,000 workers at its facilities world-wide, including Steelworkers at plantsacross North America. Harley-Davidson,the iconic American motorcycle maker,was next, announcing it would cut 1,100jobs over two years, close some facilitiesand consolidate others.

The bad news goes on and on atemployers large and small. By year’send, unemployment across the UnitedStates had reached a 16-year high.Altogether 791,000 manufacturing work-ers lost their jobs in 2008, 149,000 ofthem in December. Economists expectedthe numbers to continue climbingthrough mid-year into the double digits.

AA

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U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 76 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

Public spending keyThe Economic Policy Institute issued a research paper in

January predicting an even more catastrophic recession ifthe federal government failed to inject adequate publicspending into the economy.

A stimulus package, the American Recovery andReinvestment Bill of 2009, was passed in the U.S. Houseand Senate early this year.

The United Steelworkers believe that bill contains toolittle money for infrastructure improvements that wouldcreate and sustain middle-class-maintaining manufactur-ing jobs in the United States.

A renewal measure to quickly meet the nation’sinfrastructure needs should contain $93 billion a yearfor five consecutive years, according to Leo W.Gerard, international president of the UnitedSteelworkers, and Dr. Robert Pollin, co-director of thePolitical Economy Research Institute. Pollin co-wrotea study on the issue for the Alliance for AmericanManufacturing called, “How InfrastructureInvestments Support the U.S. Economy:Employment,Productivity andGrowth.”

In a Jan. 11 presscall, Gerard and Pollinsaid the most produc-tive renewal legislationwould emphasizeexpenditures for infra-structure and manu-facturing over taxcuts while enforcingand strengtheningexisting “Made inAmerica” rules sothat U.S. tax dollarsaren’t spent over-seas to create man-ufacturing jobs inplaces like Chinaor to stimulate the economy in places likeIndonesia.

“I don’t think there is an industrial plantwhere a worker goes to work on a Fridaynot afraid that they won’t have a job on

Monday orgoes to work

on Mondayafraid they won’t

finish the week. Thereshould be no waffling

over domestic content,”Gerard said in explaining the

need for “Made in America” pro-visions.The importance of rebuilding U.S.

manufacturing can’t be overstated,Gerard said. This country’s economy has

been taken down repeatedly over the past quarter century byhigh tech and real estate bubbles and other Wall Street-con-cocted bubbles that resulted from high-rollers making bigbucks on trading paper and betting on whether stocks priceswill rise or fall. It’s all illusory. Nothing of value is made orcan be held in a person’s hand at the end of the day.

By contrast, with manufacturing, there’s a product –something that can be touched. And people are employed allalong the way – when the raw materials are dug out of theground, when they’re transported to the factory, when they’reformed into the product and when they’re delivered. Otherpeople are employed driving trucks, making electricity to runthe machinery, designing the product, building the roads andoperating the neighborhood restaurants.

That’s why manufacturing is crucial to a country’s eco-nomic stability. And that’s why it must be the basis of theeconomic renewal package.

“We’re for everything that creates jobs and whatever cre-ates the most jobs,” Gerard said. “The only way out is to putmanufacturing as the engine of growth.”

Main Street recoveryIn December, the USW and the Institute for America’s

Future developed a recommendation for Congress for a sub-stantial, strategic and sustained economic revival called the“Main Street Recovery Program.” It calls for spending at thevery least $900 billion over two years, with a focus on pro-jects that support manufacturing and infrastructure. In the firstyear, for example, it recommends $50 billion in investmentsin green technologies and $75 billion for infrastructure. Theinfrastructure figure would rise to $150 billion the second yearwhen more projects would be ready for construction.

The USW, the AFL-CIO and union allies are far fromalone in calling for more money for infrastructure. For exam-ple, Thomas J. Gibson, president and CEO of the AmericanIron and Steel Institute, said after the $30 billion for roads and$10 billion for transit and rail were proposed in the House billin January, “Over the past few weeks, economists across the

Bynearly all

measures, 2008 wasa disaster for Wall Street

- except when it came to executive bonuses.Employees at financial companies in

New York collected an estimated $18 billionin bonuses for last year despite multi-billion-

dollar bailouts, huge financial losses and thedemise of prominent banking firms.Although the amount was smaller than last year, an

annual report by the New York State comptroller said WallStreet workers still took home as much as they did in 2004,

when the Dow Jones Industrial Average was flying above 10,000.The report was based on personal income tax collections.

board have noted that the best way to createjobs and return our economy to vitality is tospend federal money on roads, bridges andother infrastructure projects, which wouldhelp to put people both in manufacturing andconstruction directly back to work. Not rec-ognizing the importance of this is a graveoversight. We would like to see the portionof the stimulus bill designated for publicworks projects to be significantly expanded.”

And it’s not like additional expenditureson infrastructure are frivolous pork or make-work projects. The American Society of CivilEngineers has estimated that $1.6 trillion isneeded to improve the nation’s crumblinginfrastructure. Famous recent failures are thelevees in New Orleans, the Interstate 35WBridge in Minnesota and water and sewerpipes in major American cities daily.

Infrastructure spendingWhile tax cuts are popular, former

President Bush’s tax rebate in 2008 failed toproduce an economic stimulus, and one reason for that may bethat tax cuts create fewer jobs than infrastructure investment,according to the Pollin report, “How Infrastructure InvestmentsSupport the U.S. Economy.” This is hardly a controversialfinding. Jared Bernstein, formerly of the Economic PolicyInstitute and now chief economic advisor to Vice President JoeBiden, analyzed the job impact of the proposed recovery pro-gram and came to the same conclusion: “Tax cuts, especiallytemporary ones, and fiscal relief to the states are likely to createfewer jobs . . .”

Pollin concluded that for every billion, infrastructure spend-ing would create 18,000 jobs, while tax cuts would create only14,000, or 22 percent fewer.

He also calculated that if the government proceeded with theaccelerated infrastructure spending program with an investmentof $93 billion a year, 2.6 million jobs would be created, includ-ing 252,000 in manufacturing. If that many jobs had beenadded last year, instead of 7.2 percent unemployment inDecember, it would have been 5.5 percent.

In addition, the report says that if the government mandatesthat supplies for the infrastructure improvements are 100 per-cent domestically produced, it would create another 77,000jobs, and 69,000 of those would be in manufacturing.

Gerard said it’s crucial for domestic content provisions to beincluded in the recovery bill. Otherwise, it creates jobs in othercountries instead of the U.S. and contributes to the U.S. tradedeficit, which further erodes the U.S. economy.

Peter Morici, professor at the University of MarylandSchool of Business and former chief economist at the U.S.International Trade Commission, explains, “Every dollar spenton imports that is not matched by a dollar of exports reducesdomestic demand and employment and shifts workers intoactivities where productivity is lower . . . Were the tradedeficit cut in half, the movement of workers and capitalinto more productive export and import competingindustries would increase . . . [income by] about$2,500 for every working American.”

Enhancing competitivenessAlong those same lines, Pollin pointed out that investing in

infrastructure would enhance global competitiveness for theUnited States. For example, improved roads and power gridslower transportation and electric costs, so manufacturers canoffer better prices. In the end, that could help lower the tradedeficit as U.S. companies are better able to compete globally.

Infrastructure and manufacturing must be the centerpiece ofthe recovery plan, Gerard said. “Infrastructure is the enginepulling everything else. There are going to be jobs for accoun-tants, jobs for lawyers, for secretaries, for service, support,truck drivers and those supplying the lunch wagons giving peo-ple their meals. There is a wide range of occupations, all ofwhich are attached to this broad agenda of rebuilding the infra-structure,” he said.

“It’s incumbent on every elected American politician to do the utmost to put every American back to work who can go back towork and to train every Americanwho can be trained for a new jobin the new economy whetherthat is building windmillsor installing photovolta-ic cells or building anew energygrid.”

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Source: USW

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 98 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

he people who take a showerbefore work get bailed out. Thepeople who must shower after

work get thrown out,” penned USWInternational President Leo W. Gerard ina recent blog about the multi-billion-dollar bailout plan for Wall Street andhow blue-collar workers were being for-gotten.

It was a profound statement thathelped propel Gerard into the nationalmedia spotlight. From multiple appear-ances on Fox Business News to a lengthysit-down with PBS’ Bill Moyers, he’semerged as a tireless spokesman forworking families everywhere as ournation battles the economic crisis.

In December, Gerard took on thehosts of Fox’s “Happy Hour” program,where he defended the need for econom-ic stimulus that invests in Americanworkers and refocuses our economy onmaking things. He returned to the showa few weeks later to discuss the direneed for support of the Big Threeautomakers.

He also made the case for workers onCNN and on the Bill Moyers Journal,where he discussed a wide range of top-ics from the economy to the need forunion members to hold recently electedpoliticians accountable as they tackleissues such as jobs, health care andtrade.

In January, Gerard was the subject ofa Sunday profile by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, which billed the USW presidentas a leader in the fight for the EmployeeFree Choice Act and universal healthcare.

That story quoted fellow labor lead-ers, academics and even CEOs as prais-ing Gerard’s leadership and ideas.

U.S. Steel Corp. Chief ExecutiveOfficer John Surma told the newspaper:

“He is a passionate champion ofAmerican workers and American manu-facturing. His counsel is sought out andvalued by many leaders in labor andindustry – including myself – and hisvoice will be increasingly important inthe discussion surrounding our nation’scurrent economic situation.”

You can view video clips of Gerard’srecent appearances and link to the Post-Gazette profile on www.usw.org.

s vice president, Joe Biden willoversee an Obama administrationeffort to raising the living stan-

dards of middle-class working families inAmerica.

The new White House Task Force onMiddle Class Working Families will holdmeetings across the country on economicissues affecting the middle class and willmake recommendations to the president.The first one will be held in Philadelphiaon Feb. 27.

The aim is to boost education andtraining and protect incomes andretirement security of middle-classand working families whose plightObama had made a central issue ofhis successful election campaign.

“Our charge is to look at existing and

future policies across the board and use ayardstick to measure how they areimpacting the working and middle-classfamilies," Biden said.

"Is the number of these families grow-ing? Are they prospering? President

Obama and I know the economic healthof working families has eroded, and weintend to turn that around."

Biden's panel of top-level officials andlabor, business, and activist representa-tives would help keep working families"front and center every day in our work,"Obama said in a statement.

The task force will include the secre-taries of labor, health and human ser-vices, education and commerce as wellas the directors of the National EconomicCouncil, the Office of Management andBudget and the chairman of the Councilof Economic Advisers.

“With this task force, we have a sin-gle, highly visible group with one singlegoal: to raise the living standards of thepeople who are the backbone of thiscountry – the middle class,” Biden said.“Because when they, in fact – their stan-dard is raised, the poor do better … Thewealthy do better, as well. Everyonedoes better.”

n California, the department of transportation is retrofitting the BayBridge from Oakland to San Francisco using steel imported fromChina while Steelworkers in Stockton, Calif. are laid off from

Strocal, Inc., which specializes in production of structural steel forbridges.

So the state of California is paying unemployment compensationand other benefits to more than 100 furloughed Steelworkerswhile contending that it is saving money on steel importedfrom China, where manufacturing is subsidized and the cur-rency is manipulated by the government, making directcompetition completely unbalanced.

That kind of upside down policy is what the USW isseeking to end with its campaign to get all levels ofgovernment to back “Buy America” policies.

“Buy America” provisions already exist in fed-eral law for highway and mass transit construc-tion projects. The economic renewal bill thatwas passed in the U.S. House and Senate main-tains those provisions.

Now Steelworkers from across the countryare approaching state and local governmentsand school boards seeking their signatures on aresolution to conform with the spirit of “BuyAmerica” provisions so that the tax dollars paidby working Americans to rebuild the U.S. econ-omy and provide jobs in the United States aren’tsent overseas to create jobs at Chinese and Indiancompanies. The resolution and information on how to get

involved in the “Buy America” effort is available at theUSW Web site, www.usw.org.

ou’d think American business would have loudly cheered“Buy America” steel provisions of the $800 billion plusplan to pull the U.S. economy out of the Bush Recession.

But in fact, using American tax dollars to stimulate productionand jobs here at home appears to be the last thing that globalizedAmerican business really wants.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable,the National Foreign Trade Council and several other top U.S.business groups jointly asked leaders of Congress to stop effortsto create U.S. jobs with U.S. taxpayer money.

In a letter, they whined that “Buy America” rules could violateinternational agreements and prompt trade retaliation from foreign countries.

Buy American requirements, which restrict the spending ofgovernment funds to U.S.-made products, date back in some formto the Great Depression. Trade agreements, however, have limit-ed their applicability by providing exceptions for small projects,steep price differentials or product availability.

Many of the multinational companies objecting to “BuyAmerica” long ago shuttered manufacturing plants in NorthAmerica and moved them to China and other lower-wage loca-tions. So, whose interest are they promoting?

It was bad enough when financial institutions and corporationspromoted low-wage production in China to the detriment ofAmerican workers. Now they want to direct our tax dollars to dothe same.

YY

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Photo by Robin Holland/Courtesy of Bill Moyers Journal

Leo W. Gerard on the Bill Moyers Journal

Vice President Joe Biden

and smothered demand for gasoline and otherrefined products.

During the bargaining, the union rejectedseveral offers as it fought to strengthen con-tract language covering health and safety – afocus of the union in the wake of a 2005explosion and fire at a BP refinery in TexasCity, Texas, that killed 15 and injured 180.

But in the end, Gerard said, the companieswere not willing to work with the union tofully improve process safety.

“This industry has placed so many road-blocks, preventing us from achieving ourgoals of responsibly dealing in a cooperativemanner with meaningful process safety lan-guage that is needed in order for us to effec-tively improve conditions to our workplacecontracts,” said International Vice PresidentGary Beevers, who is in charge of theunion’s NOB program.

Severe economic crisis“With the USW completely understanding

the severe economic crisis the nation findsitself in, we certainly didn’t want to con-tribute to the economic struggles of theAmerican public by calling a national strikeand possibly seeing the spiking of gas anddiesel prices, home foreclosures of our mem-bers or any other hardships,” Beevers said.

“We opted to reach a tentative agreementon economic issues and withdrew our bar-gaining demands for the safety language weand the public sorely need,’’ he added. “Butlet it be clear, we are not finished with ourstruggles for meaningful change in the healthand safety area.”

USW members continued to workbeyond the Feb. 1 expiration of theprevious contract under rolling 24-hour contract extensions while bar-gaining continued.

If ratified, the tentative agree-ment will cover 24,000 USW-rep-resented workers whose contractsexpired on Feb. 1 plus another 6,000workers whose employers are expect-ed to accept the pattern.

National and local bargaining occur atthe same time under the established NOBprogram, a modified form of pattern bargain-ing that has been used for more than fourdecades.

These local discussions include a widerange of issues related to particular facilities.

In this round of negotiations, the tentativenational agreement was approved by the

National Oil Policy committee on Feb. 3 andthen presented to Shell/Motiva locals.

Process underwayFollowing the establishment of a pattern

with the lead company, the proposal is thenplaced on the table at other oil company localunion bargaining sessions – a process thatwas ongoing as USW@Work went to press.The ratification process follows local unionprocedures at the conclusion of local bargain-ing.

All told, the agreement should eventuallycover USW-represented employees at 108 oilrefineries, petrochemical plants, pipelines,terminals and production sites,

Most of the locals in the NOB programstarted bargaining over local issues inDecember with local oil company refineryand terminal managers. Some local unionswere given permission to start earlier if theyneeded more time to settle local issues.

No local union can negotiate a contractthat is below the pattern and if a pattern isnot met, the local union contract is rejected.

The local unions conducted their ownvotes to authorize negotiating committees tocall a strike if agreements are not reached onthe local issues.

ome 30,000 USW-represented oilrefinery workers are assured wageincreases and continued health care

coverage under terms of a new tentativenational agreement with the industry.

The settlement sets the minimum stan-dards for wages, benefits and working con-ditions for all National Oil Bargaining(NOB) local union negotiations in theUnited States.

The three-year agreement, reached Feb.3 between the USW and the industry’slead negotiator, Shell/Motiva, avertednational work stoppages on NOB issuesthat could have idled two-thirds of the pro-duction of gasoline, diesel and other fuelsmade in the United States.

The agreement calls for 3 percent raisesfor each of the contract’s three years, a$2,500 signing bonus, which equates to$1,000 for ratification and $500 per year tohelp defray the cost of out-of-pocket med-ical expenses, and continuation of healthcare coverage 80 percent paid by theemployer. This agreement also rolled inour successorship and job security lettersinto the no retrogression language.

“These were tough negotiations giventhe economic conditions of an economystill in total free-fall,” said InternationalPresident Leo W. Gerard.

In the seven years since oil workers lastengaged in full-fledged national oil bar-gaining, the industry made huge profits onthe volatile price of gasoline at the pump.

But as negotiations took place, thecountry was engulfed in the worst eco-nomic downturn since the GreatDepression. The worsening recessionclaimed 2.5 million jobs over 13 months

10 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

he financial press isspeculating that a waveof mergers in the oil

industry might be in the offing as cash-rich companiessuch as ExxonMobil lookover smaller rivals in thewake of collapsing crudeprices.

Some firms may be vulner-able to takeover because theytook on major commitmentswhen the price of oil wasapproaching last summer’shigh of $147 a barrel, analystsbelieve. Prices have since fall-en below $40.

Oil companies enjoyedrecord earnings over the lastcouple of years. Service com-panies such as Schlumbergerand Halliburton also sawprofits soar as rising crudeprices led to a drilling boom.Until last year there wereequipment shortages and mas-sive inflation in the industry.

There was a series ofmergers in 1998 when theprice of oil collapsed to $9including BP taking overAmoco, Exxon acquiringMobil, and Chevron buyingTexaco.

Much, however, dependson the future direction ofcrude prices, which have beenplunging over fears of a col-lapse in demand triggered bya global economic slowdown.OPEC, the oil producers car-tel, has cut output in anattempt to stall price declines.

SS

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U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 11Illustration by Bill Yund

NewPage owned at the start of 2008, atleast four were targeted for closingalmost immediately.

By forcing the Kimberly plant’s clo-sure, Cerberus is reducing the supply ofcoated paper, thereby controlling supplyand demand, and maximizing profits.

NewPage cited rising costs and adownturn in demand to justify the shut-down. “We are experiencing unprece-dented inflationary pressure that we can-not overcome through short-term produc-tivity gains — rapidly rising, volatileinflationary costs for energy, raw materialand transportation,” said companyspokeswoman Shawn Hall.

Private equity firms like Cerberus takea high-risk, high return approach. Theyare particularly concerned with quickreturns because they typically purchaseunder-valued companies with smallamounts of capital.

One big familyThe Kimberly closing was a devastat-

ing blow to workers, whose years ofexperience were key to the plant’s suc-cess.

“It was like family,” says SueAnderson, who put in 31 years at themill. “So many people had been there forso long together. It hurts. They[NewPage] threw it in our face like it did-n’t matter to them. All your hard work allthose years meant nothing.”

The Anderson family’s ties to the plantspanned 75 years. Sue’s father retiredafter 44 years at the mill.

The USW’s Nirschl says NewPageand Cerberus seem determined to keepthe plant closed, even spurning offers byother corporations to buy the facility andkeep it operating.

NewPage President Mark Suwyn toldlocal legislators who met with him onSept. 24 that the company was willing tolease the plant to a non-competing firm.

But Nirschl challenged that claim: “Ifthey’re going to lease the plant, who isout publicizing that?” he asks. “Theywon’t be able to lease it unless they letcompanies know it’s available and areactively marketing it.”

Asked if the company has a marketingplan for the plant, NewPage’s Hallresponded, “No.”

Not without a fightThe mill closing has left Kimberly

fighting for its life. Hundreds of yard

signs that read “Run or Sell” dot the locallandscape of tree-lined streets and well-kept homes. The “Run or Sell” messageshave even appeared on electronic bill-boards run by the local credit union andother businesses.

The community seems to recognizethat its affluence has been built on theunion’s strength and that its futuredepends on the workers’ ability to pres-sure NewPage.

On Sept. 6, two days before the plantclosed its doors, the USW sponsored arally that drew an estimated 5,000 peoplein support.

“To paraphrase Dylan Thomas: Wecannot lock up and go quietly into thatgood night,” International Vice PresidentJon Geenen, who leads the union’s papersector, told the rally. “We cannot watchindustry after industry leave with noindustry to replace them.”

On Nov. 15, the union founded “CampKimberly,” an area across the street fromthe quiet paper mill. Former mill workershold daily vigils there to demand thatexecutives re-open the mill or sell it to anew owner.

Steelworkers have also held vigils andmore demonstrations locally and at theState Capitol, meeting with elected offi-cials and forging alliances with NewPagecustomers and the local business commu-nity.

The union also sent more than 100workers by bus to NewPage’s headquar-ters in Miamisburg, Ohio, a Dayton sub-urb. The union got pro forma responsesfrom company officials who met withthem, but were pleased with the mediaattention generated in NewPage’s back-yard.

Facing the futureThe plant’s closing is having a nega-

tive impact on Kimberly and the sur-rounding area. The village’s volunteer

fire department — which depended heav-ily on mill workers — will likely be dis-banded and replaced with a much moreexpensive arrangement for fire protection.The mill used to grant its volunteer fire-fighters time off the job to fight localfires. And with discarded workers leavingthe area to find work elsewhere, the vil-lage will need to fill the void.

Tom Vandevyver, who followed hisfather into the paper mill and put in 31years before the recent closing, says theeconomic consequences are taking theirtoll on the community.

“Myself, I haven’t been out to eat in

months,” he said. “Right now, I’m look-ing at selling my new truck and myboat.”

Vandevyver, a 49-year-old with grayflecks in his black hair and beard, sees lit-tle cushion coming from the severancepackage offered by the company — 26weeks of pay and six months of healthand dental coverage — or in federalTrade Adjustment Assistance (TAA).

Promised TAA benefits remain stuckin the pipeline due to cutbacks in thestate’s staffing of programs for dislocatedworkers. “There is only one TAA admin-istrator for us,” Nirschl explains. “Thepeople — myself included — have put incalls to see what we are eligible for andto get answers, and you do not get anyanswer.”

Meanwhile, Kimberly workers alsonote that the programs don’t address theshrinking supply of fair-wage jobs. “Anywage you see offered out there is between$10 and $15 an hour,” says Vandevyver.

Vandevyver sees continuing the fightagainst NewPage and Cerberus as his bestshot at maintaining a life with some secu-rity.

“We’ve got to fight to keep manufac-turing in this country,” Vandevyver says.“We’re going from a middle-class coun-try to just the rich and the poor.”

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 13

he village of Kimberly, on thenorthern edge of Lake Winnebagoin the Wisconsin Fox Valley, epito-

mizes the small, almost idyllicMidwestern town.

Kimberly is a hybrid of the nostalgicpast and the fast-paced present — fromits old-fashioned soda fountain at a localpharmacy to its modern shopping mall. Ithas two elementary schools, a middleschool and a high school. Fierce loyaltyto the Packers in nearby Green Bay is vis-ible, with the football team’s flags andbanners fluttering throughout the commu-nity.

The heart of this 6,000-person commu-nity is a single employer: a paper milloriginally founded by the Kimberly-ClarkCorporation in 1889, and bought inDecember 2007 by Ohio-based NewPage,a subsidiary of New York-based privateequity firm Cerberus CapitalManagement.

The mill has driven Kimberly’s econo-my and — with the help of UnitedSteelworkers Local 2-9 — has sustainedits middle-class lifestyle. It has also pro-vided Kimberly its civic identity. Thehigh school team mascots are called thePapermakers.

But the mill and the community havecollided with Cerberus’ obsession withextracting maximum profits from papersales rather than continuing the produc-tion of paper. On Sept. 8, the Kimberlyplant, which had been regarded as one ofWisconsin’s most advanced and produc-tive paper mills, shut its doors. NewPagecited an excess of coated paper on themarket. As a result, 600 people lost theirjobs.

Supply and commandThe increasingly globalized U.S.

economy has shifted executives’ focusonto short-term profits without regard to

the long-term future of productive facili-ties or their workers. While workers haveseen jobs outsourced overseas to low-wage labor, the sight of a technologicallyadvanced plant being shut down appearssenseless.

“This wasn’t like the usual scenariowe’ve seen again and again, where corpo-rations move jobs to Mexico or China toincrease their profits by paying less than adollar an hour,” says Andy Nirschl, presi-dent of United Steelworkers Local 2-9.“This is a case of a corporation taking aproductive, profitable plant and closing it,and refusing to sell it to anyone else.”

In 2007, the Kimberly plant earned a$66 million profit under its former owner,paper and pulp manufacturer Stora Enso,Nirschl said, citing the company’s meet-ings with the union.

Cerberus bought an 80 percent shareof Stora Enso’s paper plants for $2.5 bil-lion in December 2007. Of the 12 plants

12 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

Roger Bybee is a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and progressive publicity consultant whose work hasappeared in numerous national publications and Web sites. This article is reprinted with permission from In These Times magazine, 2009, and is available in longerform at www.inthesetimes.com.

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This is a case of a corporation taking aproductive, profitable plant and closingit, and refusing to sell it to anyone else.“

”

Photo by E. Laux

“Our members see what’s going onaround them, and they ask themselves:‘Am I next? Will I lose my job? Will I beable to send my kids to college? Will Istill be able to help my ailing parents?Will we have to sell the house or move toanother part of the country?” Conwaysaid. “These are scary thoughts, but weare living in scary times.”

The USW last April joined several linepipe producers in filing the petition forrelief last April. They include MaverickTube Corp., Houston; U.S. Steel Corp.,Pittsburgh; Tex-Tube Co., Houston; TMKIPSCO Tubulars, Downers Grove, Ill.;Northwest Pipe, Vancouver, Wash.;ACIPCO, Birmingham, Ala.; and StuppCorp., Baton Rouge, La.

The companies involved in the petitionoperate plants in Alabama, Arkansas,California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,Kentucky, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Ohio,Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas andWashington.

The USW and domestic pipe producersidentified 65 Chinese companies thatmade welded line pipe, but only one for-eign producer responded to the question-naire request of the U.S. governmentinvestigation.

Three of six ITC members – CharlotteR. Lane, Irving A. Williamson and DeanA. Pinkert – based their decisions on find-ings of present material injury to theindustry. Chairman Shara L. Aranoff,Vice Chairman Daniel R. Pearson andCommissioner Deanna Tanner Okun citedthe threat of material injury.

A month earlier, in November, theDepartment of Commerce determined thatthe Chinese pipe products were unfairlysubsidized and established import dutylevels pending the ITC vote.

Chinese imports balloonIn 2005, Chinese imports of 27,000

tons represented 3 percent of the domesticmarket. That grew to 277,000 tons and 20percent of the market within two years.

During that same period of time,demand for line pipe in the United Statesgrew a considerable 57 percent as drillingincreased. But our industry, unable to cap-ture the increase because of the importpenetration, saw its operating margins fall.

“Our workers should not have to faceanother surge of imports from companiesin China that have proven to engage inunfair trade on a massive scale,” Conwaysaid.

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 15

xpecting bills and junk mail,Kimberly Doyle was pleasantlysurprised when she opened an

envelope from the Union Plus CreditCard and out dropped a check for$2,000, compliments of the card’sLifeline Trust benefit.

Kimberly’s husband, Doug Doyle, amember of USW Local 1219, is one of377 union members throughout thecountry who have benefited from over$588,000 in Lifeline Trust assistancesince the program began in May 2005.

The program is designed to help card-holders who experience a significant lossof household income due to a recentlong-term illness or prolonged disability.The benefit provides grants, which donot need to be repaid and pays a portionof the balance owed on the member’scredit card.

“My wife literally broke down intears when she saw the check,” saidDoyle, who lives in the small WesternPennsylvania community of Grapeville.

The Doyle family was due for abreak. Hard times began in May 2007when Doyle, who works at U.S. Steel’sEdgar Thomson Plant in Braddock, Pa.,was diagnosed with cancer.

Surgery and chemotherapy followed.And while he is now healthy, Doyle wasout of work and without a regular pay-check for almost a year. He is now backon the job.

Like so many Americans who facehealth challenges, Doyle’s health carecrisis wreaked havoc on the family

finances. Doyle battled cancer andfought to survive financially. Both chal-lenges proved difficult.

The Doyle family made ends meet onSickness and Accident Pay, whichmarked a staggering reduction in thefamily’s monthly income. His wife’spaycheck as a union school bus driverhelped, but the couple found themselvesgetting behind on their home mortgage.

Doyle discovered the value of UnionPlus benefits when he realized that hequalified for a Lifeline Trust Grant.

“It was great to get the support that Ineeded and to finally catch a break. Theamount surprised me. We are very grate-ful for the Lifeline Trust program andwant to let other union members knowabout the help that is out there. It reallyhelped us out.”

In total, the Doyle family received$2,250 in assistance from the Union Pluscredit card. The help, according toKimberly, was a blessing.

“We were getting behind on all of ourbills, not just our mortgage. Thanks tothe help, I was able to pay many ofthem,” she said.

“After so many letdowns and know-ing that everything we worked so hardfor could be lost, getting a break like theone Lifeline Trust provided gave myhusband peace of mind. That was won-derful to see.”

Visit UnionPlus.org for informationon all the benefits, including scholar-ships, everyday savings, and programs tohelp members buy and keep their homes.

14 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

EE

omestic pipe producers employingabout 1,100 production workers in 12states will benefit from a decision by

U.S. trade authorities to impose anti-subsidyduties on Chinese imports of pipe used in theoil and gas industry.

A unanimous vote by the six-memberU.S. International Trade Commission onDec. 22 authorized the U.S. CommerceDepartment to impose the anti-subsidy dutiesat levels ranging from 36 percent to 40 percent.

“It’s an overdue statement on China’scontinued cheating of our fair trade laws,’’

said International Vice PresidentThomas M. Conway, a lead steelindustry negotiator for the union.

With the United States officiallyin recession, this is worst possibletime for the domestic line pipeindustry to face unfair competitionfrom dumped and subsidizedimports.

Enforce our trade laws“The current recession that has

thrown American workers out oftheir jobs makes it imperative weenforce our trade laws,’’ Conwayadded.

Line workers who producewelded pipe used to expand and maintain thedomestic energy industry are worried by theeconomic crisis, Conway told the ITC inNovember, a month before the final vote.

“Unemployment is going up every week,”he said. “People are seeing their life savingsdisappear. They don’t even know if theirbanks are safe,’’ Conway said.

Conway made a personal plea to the ITCmembers.

“Imagine what it would be like to seeyour job put at risk – not because of anythingyou did wrong, not because of factorsbeyond anyone’s control, but simply becauseyour government did nothing to prevent aflood of dumped and subsidized importsfrom slamming into this market,” he said.“What kind of message does that send tohard-working Americans?”

Collapsing oil and gas prices seen atyear’s end may also drag down demand forwelded line pipe – further hurting a domesticindustry bludgeoned by unfair trade.

The threat from unfairly traded imports isespecially serious as the America faces whatcould be a long and deep recession. The oiland gas industry has already announcedreductions in its drilling program for thisyear.

DD

Tom ConwayInternational Vice President

Photo by: Im

aginechina via AP Im

ages

Doug and Kimberly DoyleUnion Plus Photo

ome 8,000 USW-representedworkers at Northrop Grumman’smassive shipyard in Newport

News, Va., won meaningful financialrelief in what union negotiators havecalled a “legacy contract.”

At the end of October, with the econ-omy in a free fall, members of USWLocal 8888 ratified a new 52-monthcontract that increased wages across theboard by 16 percent, improved pensionbenefits, held the line on workers’ healthcare expenses, provided a sick leavebenefit for the first time, and protectedworkers’ transfer rights.

The improvements were extraordi-nary in such a precarious economic cli-mate, where many companies are cut-ting jobs, eliminating pension plans andshifting more health care costs toalready financially-strapped families.

Shipbuilders, welders, machinists,electricians, painters and other union eli-

gible workers who perform daily assem-bly chores make up about 40 percent ofNorthrop’s 21,000 employees inNewport News.

New contract paves the wayAlton Glass Sr., president of Local

8888, said the contract built on gainsnegotiated in 2004 and paves the wayfor more advances in the future whilerecognizing the realities of the ship-building industry.

“These were tough but respectfulnegotiating sessions,” Glass said. “Ourunion is stronger and respect has grownfor the best shipbuilders in the world.”

Legacy contractInternational Vice President Fred

Redmond, the union’s lead negotiator,called the agreement a “legacy contract”in part because of the pension improve-ments.

“It’s a legacy contract because it con-tains a powerful mechanism to protectthe economic security of current andfuture retirees,’’ Redmond said.

“It is a legacy contract, too, becauseit holds the line on our members’ healthcare costs at a time when millions ofAmerican families are drowning in med-ical debts.

16 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r kU S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 17

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or the U.S. Navy, its decision tobuild eight new Virginia-classattack submarines means pro-

tecting our national security.For USW-represented employees

at the Northrop Grumman shipyard inNewport News, Va., the new orderfrom the Navy hopefully means jobsecurity in a recessionary economy.

“We are very fortunate to havework, full employment, for our mem-bers,’’ said Alton Glass Sr., presidentof USW Local 8888, which repre-sents about 8,000 hourly shipbuildersat Newport News.

“They can continue to pay theirbills, make a little overtime, maybepurchase a car or home,’’ he said.“It’s all about working and takingcare of families.”

The Navy announced just beforeChristmas that Northrop Grummanand General Electric Boat wouldbuild the next group of Virginia-classsubmarines for $14 billion.

The contractors will deliver onesubmarine in each of fiscal 2009 and2010, and two submarines in each offiscal 2011, 2012 and 2013. The con-tract will bring the Navy’s Virginia-class fleet to 18 submarines.

Designed to meet the Navy’s needsin a post-Cold War era, the Virginia-class submarines use advanced tech-nologies to increase firepower,maneuverability and stealth.

Northrop Grumman describes the377-foot long submarines the mostadvanced in the world. They are capa-ble of submerged speeds of more than25 knots and can stay submerged forup to three months at a time.

“Finally, it is a legacy agreementbecause the compensation packagedoes more than fatten paychecks; itassures our members will be able toenjoy a better quality of living withtheir families.”

Stability for shipyardThe new contract also provides sta-

bility for the company, which buildsnuclear-powered aircraft carriers andsubmarines for the U.S. Navy. Atyear’s end, the yard was rushing tofinish assembling a carrier named forformer President George H.W. Bush.

The George H.W. Bush, which wasput in service early this year, is thelast of the Nimitz-class super carriers,the largest carriers built so far in termsof tonnage.

The company is also ramping upproduction of Virginia-class subs andis beginning to assemble the Navy’snext generation carrier, the Gerald R.Ford class.

The Ford class, on which construc-tion was begun in 2007, will incorpo-rate new radar and other technologiesand require a smaller crew than theNimitz class.

The new contract provides strongtransfer protections for Newport Newsemployees temporarily assigned toother Northrop Grumman shipyards toeven out work loads. The agreementrequires management to first solicitvolunteers, who would spend morethan six months elsewhere withoutagreeing to an extension. Mandatorytransfers would last no more than fourmonths.

Bill Ermatinger, vice president ofhuman resources for Northrop’s ship-building sector, called the contract fairand competitive.

“We are pleased that the unionmembers voted yes for the contact andwe look forward to moving ahead,together, to build the world’s greatestNavy,’’ he said.

FF

The George H.W. Bush carrier under con-struction at Newport News, Va.

Northrop Grumman Photo

Virginia-class submarine

The new deal provides real eco-nomic security for current USW mem-bers and retirees:

• The contract calls for annual raisesof between 3.75 percent and 4 per-cent. Those at pay grade 14, thehighest non-specialty rate, immedi-ately went to $21.51 from $20.68an hour, and will earn $24.08 at thecontract’s end.• The shift differential paid to thoseon the second and third shifts rosefrom 75 cents to $1.25. • Health care premium costs willremain the same until a 3.2 percentincrease in July that would addbetween 72 cents a week for singlecoverage and $2.26 a week for fam-ily coverage.• For the first time, the contractawards pension credits to employ-ees aged 62 or older for timeworked over 30 years. Those withmore than 30 years will receive $20more a month in their pensionchecks for every additional yearworked. In the past, yard workersgot no pension credits beyond 30years.• In addition, workers age 62 andolder with 30 years of service willsee monthly pensions jump to$1,250 from $1,100 starting Feb. 1.Those who retire after January 2011will receive an additional 8 percentincrease, to $1,350 a month.

These were tough but respectfulnegotiating sessions... Our union

is stronger and respect hasgrown for the best shipbuilders

in the world.

“

”

MMaakkiinngg ggoovveerrnnmmeenntt ccoooollOn the campaign trail, candidate Barack Obama said he

wanted to make government cool again. Even in the best oftimes, that would be a challenge.

But these are the worst times in a half century. Millionsof Americans have lost their homes and millions more arefacing foreclosure. The unemployment rate hit 7.2 percent atyear’s end and was climbing with 10 million people unem-ployed, including 524,000 who became jobless in Decemberalone.

Child poverty rose last year by nearly half a million to13.3 million, with 5.8 million children living in extremepoverty. Nearly 9 million of those youngsters are among the47 million Americans without health insurance. All of thosenumbers are expected to continue to climb as the recessiondeepens.

As the subprime housing bubble burst, sending financialbanks into ruin, the stock market plummeted, wiping outwhat Americans had saved, what they’d put away in 401Kaccounts for retirement and other retirement plan invest-ments.

SSoollvviinngg pprroobblleemmssTo achieve coolness, government must actually solve

these problems. Congress got a good start in January. First the House passed both the Lilly Ledbetter Act and

the Paycheck Fairness Act. Then it expanded health carecoverage to 4 million more children of working familiesthough the state Children’s Health Insurance Program,known as CHIP. And that was in just the first two weeks!

Before month’s end, the Senate had voted to expandCHIP and passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act.

The first piece of legislation President Barack Obamasigned during his administration was the Ledbetter Act. Thiswas a striking contrast to his predecessor, George W. Bush,who’d promised to veto it.

The Ledbetter bill and Paycheck Fairness act would helpend discrimination in the workplace against women. TheLedbetter Act will reverse the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court rul-ing that denied Ledbetter the right to sue for pay discrimina-tion because she did not find out about it and file within 180days.

Years after she began working at the Goodyear Tire &Rubber Co. plant in Alabama, Ledbetter discovered the com-pany was paying her less than the lowest-paid man for thesame work. She sued, and a jury awarded her $3.8 million.But Goodyear appealed, and in May of 2007 the SupremeCourt ruled for the tire company, deciding that Ledbettercould file suit only within 180 days of receiving her firstunfair paycheck. After that, she lost her right to sue, as didevery other worker a company discriminated against, theSupreme Court decided, overturning precedent under whicheach paycheck was regarded as a discriminatory act.

PPaayycchheecckk FFaaiirrnneessss AAccttThe Paycheck Fairness Act would increase the burden of

proof for employers to explain unequal pay and prohibitthem from retaliating against co-workers who share salaryinformation.

Both bills passed in the House last session as well, butRepublicans blocked a vote in the Senate, essentially killingthem. Their comments then make it clear that they weremore concerned about business profits being hurt by lawsuitsthan equal pay for workers.

Another measure repeatedly stymied in the last sessionwas expansion of the children’s health insurance program.George W. Bush vetoed it twice. But when it passed theHouse the second week in January, Barack Obama quicklycongratulated the body for its action saying, “In this momentof crisis, ensuring that every child in America has access toaffordable health care is not just good economic policy, but amoral obligation we hold as parents and citizens.”

Obama called the coverage critical. He said it was paidfor and urged the Senate to act “so it can be one of the firstmeasures I sign into law.”

WWoorrkkiinngg ffoorr ffaammiilliieessIn each case, these measures would advance the interests

of working families. Government is cool when it finallyworks for families instead of multinational corporations thathave benefited from three decades of deregulation thatallowed them to receive tax breaks to send jobs overseas,escape penalties for poisoning and endangering workers andviolate workplace laws with impunity.

No action was taken in either the House or Senate on theEmployee Free Choice Act early in the year, but it was clearthat big corporate interests feared its passage as they rampedup a campaign against it.

The measure would enable workers to choose for them-selves if they want to conduct a secret ballot election to forma union or whether to simply form one when more than halfof the workers have signed authorization cards.

Big corporate interests, fearing the bill would ease thepath to unionization, are fighting hard against it with bill-boards, television ads and bogus polls.

American Rights at Work and the AFL-CIO then releaseda series of television ads explaining what the Employee FreeChoice Act really accomplishes for working people.

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 19

alking through bogs andswamps, sinking up to yourwaist in mud in pursuit of a

Canadian moose, isn’t a dream vacationfor everyone. But it was for USW mem-ber Michael McCormick.

McCormick, 44, a refinery worker,never hunted outside of his home state ofPennsylvania until he won an adventuretrip to Canada through Escape to theWild, a VERSUS network program.

VERSUS teams with the TheodoreRoosevelt Conservation Partnership(TRCP) and the Union Sportsmen’sAlliance (USA) to give union membersthe fishing or hunting trip of a lifetime.

Before arriving at Tuckamore Lodgeon Newfoundland’s northern tip,McCormick said he was looking forwardto “getting away – going to a differentcountry, just relaxing.” But it didn’t takehim long to discover that relaxing wasnot on the agenda.

He bagged his trophy on the openingday of his week-long trip after trudging

for miles through the muddy terrain,sometimes up to his waist in muck.

“It was rough. After I shot the moose,I wanted to sleep right there,” he said.“I’ve been hunting for 20 years and thiswas the hardest hunt I’ve ever been on inmy entire life.’’

His first glimpse of his huge quarrywas memorable.

“When I saw my first moose – it waslike a billboard standing there,’’ headded. “I’m looking for this little animaland all of a sudden this beast comes outstanding over seven feet high.”

Hunting has been an important familyaffair for McCormick, a member of USWLocal 10-901 at Sunoco’s Marcus Hookrefinery. He has been hunting since hewas l8 and taught the sport to his ownkids and their friends.

One of Mike’s two children hadleukemia and another suffers from a raretumor disease that attacks her bones. Hisunion pulled through with fundraisers anda donor drive.

Union brotherhood real“Union brothers, union brotherhood,

it’s real,” he said of his fellow USWmembers. “There’s a whole lot of goodthat these guys do and what they didmade me a better person.”

His daughter, Morgan, 18, has hadapproximately 20 surgeries on her legs toremove tumors and replace bone withinternal prosthetics, an alternative toamputation.

“The only sport Morgan has ever inher life been able to participate in is hunt-ing, and man does she love to hunt,’’ saidMcCormick, who has carried his daughterinto the woods and pushed her in awheelchair to get to the right spots.

Scouting and hunting was also a trea-sured pastime McCormick shared withhis son, Mike, 20, who was diagnosedwith a rare form of leukemia at age 12.

USW members at the refinery took upa collection to help with Morgan’s med-ical bills and then did a drive to help finda bone marrow transplant donor for Mike.Volunteers paid for their own testing.

“All (my) union brothers were donat-ing blood to see if they’d be the one tohelp save Michael. They actually turnedpeople away because there were so manypeople,’’ Morgan said.

Proud dad tags alongWhen a non-profit organization, Hunt

of a Lifetime, organized dream huntingtrips for both of his children, McCormickproudly tagged along. He watched his sonharvest an elk in New Mexico and hisdaughter hunt bear in British Columbia.

With family duties and medicalexpenses, McCormick years ago put hisown dream of an exotic big game hunt onhold – until he was chosen last year byEscape to the Wild.

A regular viewer, McCormick wassurprised when the show’s host showedup at his doorstep to take him on thenorthern moose hunt. “Even as I wasleaving for the hunt, I was in shock,” hesaid.

“My family knew what I had beenthrough with the kids being sick, and theyfelt I really needed this experience. Andeven though they weren’t there — theywere there,” said McCormick.

Tune in to TRCP’s Escape to the Wildon VERSUS Country to see McCormickin action. A new season of episodesbegan on Jan. 4.

18 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

WW

Michael McCormick, shown herewith his moose, was the secondSteelworker to win an expense-paid trip. Kelly Bingham, ofUSW Local 12-578 in Utah, wona hunting trip to Africa in 2007.

CAPITOL LETTERSCAPITOL LETTERSThe inside scoop on what's going down in D.C.

VERSUS Photo

s the Bush administrationwound to a close, InternationalPresident Leo W. Gerard called

on its top negotiators in the Doha Roundof the World Trade Organization (WTO)to again reject draft rules that wouldweaken workers’ defense against preda-tory trade practices by undermining U.S.trade laws on illegal dumping and subsidies.

In letters to Secretary Carlos M.Gutierrez of the U.S. Department ofCommerce and Ambassador Susan C.Schwab, the U.S. Trade Representative,Gerard said the USW will activelyoppose ongoing efforts by some tradingpartners to cripple the U.S. economy andour rights to seek redress. He said theproposed rules would weaken U.S. traderemedies and workers’ job security.

“Trade remedies that ensure condi-tions of fair competition in the U.S. arevital to our members’ livelihood innumerous manufacturing sectors,”Gerard wrote.

Members first to suffer“When companies and workers face

unfair trade in the form of dumping orsubsidization, our members are the firstto suffer the serious harm that follows,”he said. “Companies are then forced toreduce payroll, cut jobs and benefits and– worst of all – stop investing in theirfuture in the U.S.”

The USW has pledged to work withthe Obama administration and Congressto strengthen, not weaken, trade lawsagainst unfair imports to benefit work-ers.

The WTO draft rules, released Dec.18, 2008, has already been met by astrong statement of disappointment. TheU.S. government cited a complete fail-ure of the draft in addressing an over-reach by decisions of the WTO appellatebody on the right of member countriesto assess duties on 100 percent of thedumping orders on imports.

In response to a similar rules proposallast December, the USW objected topersistent efforts by trading partnersaimed at undermining the mandate setout by Congress in the Trade Act of2002 to avoid agreements that lessen theeffectiveness of domestic and interna-tional rules on unfair trade, especiallyfor dumping and subsidies.

Rebalancing essentialRebalancing of WTO trade remedy

agreements are essential to any forwardmovement in multilateral negotiations,Gerard said. He cited “abuses of theappellate body in imposing obligationsnever agreed by the United States and inensuring that our laws are preserved andstrengthened.”

Gerard pointed out specific problemswith the WTO rules text, saying, “Therehas never been a time when effectivetrade remedies are more important to ourworkers and domestic manufacturers –with the staggering trade deficit thenation faces, with the beggar-thy-neigh-bor policies being followed by some ofour major trading partners and with thepainful economic recession that hasgripped our country for the last year.”

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alifornia Democrat Hilda Solis,President Obama’s pick for U.S.Labor Secretary, is proud of her

working-class roots and promises toimprove opportunities for working fami-lies.

“My vision for the Department ofLabor is rooted in who I am,’’ Solis, afour-term congresswoman from LosAngeles, told the Senate Health,Education, Labor and PensionsCommittee at her confirmation hearing.

Solis, 51, is the daughter of immi-grant workers who benefited from laborunion membership. She has been anadvocate for lower-wage workers andthe labor movement during four terms inthe U.S. House of Representatives andbefore that, eight years in the Californiastate legislature.

Mother was a URW memberHer father, Raul, came from Mexico

and was a Teamster who worked at abattery recycling plant. Her motherJuana, a native of Nicaragua, worked onan assembly line at Mattel Inc. for 22years and was a member of the UnitedRubber Workers, which merged with theUSW in 1995.

The USW still represents the Matteltoy plant workers at local unions 568Land 766L in El Segundo and in the Cityof Industry, Calif.

After enduring eight years of ElaineChao, the Republican U.S. LaborSecretary who undermined workers andtheir unions at every turn, the labormovement expects positive change fromSolis.

“Hilda is a good friend,’’International President Leo W. Gerardsaid. “She believes in the labor move-ment, so she will fight for us. She willbe a terrific ally.”

Solis was the only member ofCongress to serve as a board member forAmerican Rights at Work, a pro-labororganization that fights for a democracywhere workers can freely organize intounions and bargain collectively withemployers.

“What a great choice!” said AmericanRights at Work Executive Director MaryBeth Maxwell. “Rep. Solis brings theexpertise and leadership required to adepartment in desperate need of reformand will champion common sense poli-cies like the Employee Free Choice Actto restore balance and create an econo-my that works for everyone.”

Former Michigan congressman DavidBonior, founder and chair of AmericanRights at Work, said he worked foryears with Solis in Congress. “She is aterrific leader who I know first hand willwork tirelessly on behalf of America’sworking families,” he said.

Employee Free Choice ActDuring her time in Congress, Solis

compiled an extensive record on envi-ronmental issues and endorsed theEmployee Free Choice Act, a turnaroundfrom Chao, who openly campaignedagainst the bill while in office.

The measure is among organizedlabor’s top legislative priorities and facesstrong opposition from anti-union busi-nesses and their Republican allies.

Responding to repeated questionsabout the Employee Free Choice Act ather confirmation hearing, Solis was non-committal but noted that she and Obamahad both backed the proposed legislationin the past.

“The president-elect believes workersshould have a choice on whether to joina union,’’ she said.

In 2007, Solis publicly supported theEmployee Free Choice Act by saying,“unions are vital to the health andstrength of our communities, and ourworkers are the bedrock of our economy.

“In this day and age, when the num-ber of women and new immigrants isincreasing in the work force, it is impor-tant that they become a part of theAmerican fabric and one of the ways is

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ork force training and arenewed enforcement of thenation’s labor laws are among

the top priorities of new Labor SecretaryHilda Solis.

“The Labor Department’s messageshould be clear and simple: No unjustbarrier should keep any worker fromachieving the American dream,’’ Solis

said at her confirmation hearing inJanuary.

After eight years in which labor lawswere weakly enforced, Solis promised toimprove efforts to make sure “workersget the pay they earned, working in safe,healthy and fair” job sites.

“We also must enforce federal laborlaws and strengthen regulations to

protect our nation's workers, such aswage and hour laws and rules regardingovertime pay and pay discrimination,”she said.

Solis said she would work withObama to “reinvest in work force train-ing, build effective pipelines to provideat-risk youth and underserved communi-ties with sustainable skills and support

to be a member of a union,” she added.Solis voted with working men and

women 97 percent of the time while inelected office, according to AFL-CIOPresident John Sweeney.

“We’re confident that she will return tothe Labor Department one of its core mis-sions – to defend workers’ basic rights inour nation’s workplaces,’’ Sweeney said.“She’s proven to be a passionate leaderand advocate for all working families.”

Green jobs advocateA member of Congress since 2001,

Solis co-authored the Green Jobs Act,which later became part of the EnergyIndependence and Security Act of 2007.

The Green Jobs Act authorized $125million for work force training programstargeted to veterans, displaced workers, at-risk youth and individuals in familiesunder 200 percent of the federal povertyline. Such initiatives are a hallmark ofObama’s plan to address the country’senergy needs as well as create new jobsamid a recession. Sierra Club PresidentCarl Pope, a member of the Blue GreenAlliance formed with the USW, said Soliswas one of the earliest and most vocalHouse supporters of green jobs.

“We can think of no better person tohelp President Obama implement his plansfor an economic recovery fueled by thecreation of millions of new green jobs,”Pope said.

“Hilda Solis also understands that greenjobs must also be good jobs and hasworked to make sure that the clean-energyeconomy is one that lifts up all workers.

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high-growth industries by training theworkers they need.”

Training should include preparingworkers for the emerging green econo-my – jobs that she said can “provideeconomic security for working familieswhile securing our energy supply andcombating climate change.”

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AP Photo/Tatan Syuflana

Hilda SolisAP Photo/Ron Edmonds

on these issues are heard and discussedas the negotiators begin shaping the nextinternational climate agreement, whichwill replace the expiring KyotoAgreement in 2012,” Brown reportedfrom Poznan.

The meeting marked the second timethat the International Trade UnionConfederation (ITUC) achieved offi-cial non-governmental organization(NGO) status for the ongoing cli-mate change negotiations.

With official NGO status,ITUC representatives were rec-ognized as delegates and per-mitted to participate directly inkey working sessions of theconference.

Replacing KyotoProtocolThe discussions were aimed

at developing a new set of cli-mate change strategies toreplace the current agreementon reducing global warming,known as the Kyoto Protocol.December’s meeting, which

drew an estimated 8,000 observersand delegates, was clearly only an

interim step towards the goal of devel-oping a new international agreement by2009, when the conference meets againin Copenhagen, Denmark.

There were no farewell tears at themeeting for former President GeorgeBush, whose rejection of the landmarkKyoto Protocol in 2001 set back multilat-eral efforts to control global warming.

While there are many uncertaintiesabout what is to come, Brown noted thatthere is a renewed possibility of U.S.action in 2009 with November’s signifi-cant shift in both our presidential andcongressional leadership.

“Obama has signaled a new chapter inAmerica’s leadership on climate changeand has stressed his commitment todeveloping policies to reduce U.S. green-house gas emissions, and the importanceof tying these policies to economicinvestment that will create 5 milliongreen jobs,’’ Brown said.

Senator John Kerry attended thePoznan session, having been asked bythen President-elect Obama to reportback to him on the meeting. Kerry toldreporters there that the newAdministration would be “as different as

night and day” on climate policy com-pared to the Bush administration.

Obama promises new chapterIn remarks to a governor’s conference

on climate change just before the meet-ing in Poland, Obama said climatechange and dependence on foreign oil, ifleft unaddressed, will continue to weakenour economy and threaten national secu-rity.

“My presidency will mark a newchapter in America’s leadership on cli-mate change that will strengthen oursecurity and create millions of new jobsin the process,” Obama said.

Under Bush, the United Statesdeclined to ratify the Kyoto Protocol,which was negotiated in 1997 as anamendment to a 1992 treaty. It requiredparticipating industrialized nations tomake binding reductions in greenhousegases, primarily carbon dioxide.

Obama said in his Administration theprocess would start with a federal capand trade system, a method for managingpollution with the end goal of reducingoverall pollution.

Under such a system, a governmentauthority first sets a cap, or total amountof pollution that will be allowed.Companies are then issued pollutioncredits based on factors including theirsize and industry. If a company comes inbelow its cap, it can trade the extra cred-its with other firms, profiting whilereducing their pollution.

“We will establish strong annual tar-gets that set us on a course to reduceemissions to their 1990 levels by 2020and reduce them an additional 80 percentby 2050,” Obama said.

The Obama plan also includes invest-ing billions to catalyze private sectorefforts to build a clean energy future. Hepromises to develop clean coal technolo-gies, invest in safe nuclear power and insolar and wind power and the next gener-ation of biofuels.

“This investment will not only help usreduce our dependence on foreign oil,making the United States more secure,”Obama said. “And it will not only helpus bring about a clean energy future, sav-ing our planet. It will also help us trans-form our industries and steer our countryout of the economic crisis by generatingfive million new green jobs that pay welland can’t be outsourced.”

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he United Steelworkers and otherAmerican labor unions pressed aUnited Nations Climate Change

Conference for policies to promote high-tech renewable energy as an answer toboth climate change and job losses.

Representatives of U.S. unions joineddelegates from labor unions around theworld at the 12-day conference heldduring December in Poznan, Poland.

“Our aspirations are for a cleanerplanet and a strategy to get therethat will combine environmentaland economic developmentgoals,’’ said Bob Baugh, execu-tive director of the AFL-CIOIndustrial Union Council andco-chair of the labor federa-tion’s Energy Task Force.

“Key to economic develop-ment are workers’ rights,democracy and good green jobs,which our international col-leagues refer to as decentwork,’’ Baugh added. “At theheart of decent work are jobs thatprovide good wages and benefits,utilize workers’ skills and knowl-edge and allow workers to take pridein and have passion for their work.”

USW delegatesThe delegation included USW

Assistant Legislative Director RoxanneBrown; David Foster, former District 12director and executive director of theBlue Green Alliance; Gerry LeBlanc,coordinator of the USW Injured WorkersProgram in Toronto, and Carolyn Egan,president of Local 8300 and theSteelworker Toronto Area Council.

U.S.-based unions sent about 25 dele-gates to the conference, roughly twicethe number that attended last year’s talksin Bali, Indonesia.

The increased attendance reflected“the growing engagement of Americanunions’ support for climate change poli-cies,’’ said Foster. “There’s a power inthe joint vision that we just don’t havefunctioning on our own.”

The USW, Blue Green Alliance andother BGA partners sponsored two well-attended side events at the conference,including one that was featured on theUnited Nations’ Web site. This eventlinked global warming solutions with therevitalization of American manufactur-ing, demonstrating how clean energy

investments could createthousands of jobs in steel and equip-ment manufacturing.

The other event pointed out theimportance of combining global warm-ing legislation with trade reform.“Climate change isn’t just an environ-mental issue,” Foster said. “It’s also thebiggest trade negotiation of our lifetimes.When we talk about producing productscleanly, we automatically start talkingabout where we produce them.”

Other North American unions attend-ing included the CommunicationsWorkers of America (CWA), theBoilermakers (IBB), the United MineWorkers (UMWA), the Utility Workers(UTU), Transport Workers (TWU), theAmerican Federation of State County

and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)and the Service Employees InternationalUnion (SEIU).

Issues critical to laborIssues critical to U.S. labor and its

delegation included “carbon leakage” –a shift in carbon dioxide emissionscaused when a company in a countrywith a strict climate control policymoves operations into another countrywhere controls are less strict – and theeffect that will have on the competitive-ness of U.S. businesses and workers,human migration, technology transferand financial flows.

“We’re here to make sure our views22 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

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chance to shape the debateon clean energy and greentechnology investment drew

more than 2,000 labor, business andenvironmental leaders to this year’s2009 Good Jobs, Green JobsNational Conference.

The conference, underway inWashington, D.C., as the magazinewent to press, was coordinated bythe Blue Green Alliance, a nationalstrategic partnership between laborunions and environmental organiza-tions to expand the green economy.It’s an example of how the USWand its allies are driving a nationaldialogue around a new, green econ-omy.

The alliance includes the UnitedSteelworkers, Sierra Club,Communications Workers ofAmerica (CWA), Natural ResourcesDefense Council (NRDC), ServiceEmployees International Union(SEIU) and the Laborers’International Union of NorthAmerica (LIUNA).

Held from Feb. 4 to 6 at theMarriott Wardman Park Hotel, theevent built on a successful confer-ence held last year in Pittsburgh,which drew over 1,000 participantsand had over 70 sponsoring organi-zations and businesses.

This year’s agenda called for apowerful “New Green Deal” fortransforming the U.S. economy tocreate good jobs, increase energyindependence, reduce global warm-ing and dramatically expand cleanenergy and green technology mar-kets.

An economic transformationbased on environmental solutionswould create millions of good jobswhile reducing global warming andincreasing energy independence.

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U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 25

rnie Barrientez was out of work inDecember 1993. The No. 2 cokeplant at then-Inland Steel had been

shut down and there was no guarantee ofwhen he would be called back to his job.

With unexpected time on his handsBarrientez decided to tap into aSteelworker-provided education program,the Institute for Career Development(ICD). Through ICD, Barrientez enrolledin a Culinary Arts program at Ivy TechCommunity College in Indiana.

Today, Barrientez is a chef and culi-nary instructor in addition to being anactive Steelworker and griever for USWLocal 1010 in East Chicago, Ind.

Every year thousands of Steelworkerslike Barrientez take advantage of aUSW-negotiated career developmentbenefit by enrolling in ICD-sponsoredclasses. USW members can study a wide

range of topicsfrom computersand foreign languages to small enginerepair and heating, ventilating and airconditioning.

Premier programFor its work, the ICD has been recog-

nized as the premier adult education pro-gram in the United States. The AmericanAssociation of Adult and ContinuingEducation recently gave the ICD its 2008Malcolm Knowles Award forOutstanding Program of the Year.Knowles, a former executive director ofthe association, was an influential figurein the adult education field.

With help from the ICD, Barrientezeventually earned an associate’s degreeand even spent six weeks studying inFrance. He parlayed that education into a

side catering business and is also aninstructor at Ivy Tech, where he teaches acourse called Stocks, Soups & Sauces.

“I had always had an interest in cook-ing, and once I took that class, that wasit,” Barrientez said.

The degree has also given Barrientezpeace of mind. He knows he can survivewith the skills he learned through ICD ifwork at the mill slows or ever ends.

“I hope there’s a turnaround in thiseconomy,” Barrientez said. “Who knowshow much longer I am going to work inthe mill? But Career Development reallyhelped me because I know that if some-thing were to happen I would be okay asfar as being able to have a secondcareer.”

The ICD’s mission is to offer eligible

24 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

The Institute for Career Development is an adult educationand training program for eligible USW members. It is a nego-tiated benefit that allows Steelworkers to pursue a variety ofnon-job specific training opportunities mostly free of charge.

To become eligible, you must have Institute for CareerDevelopment written into your contract.

With its national headquarters in Merrillville, Ind., ICDcoordinates training at approximately 70 locations throughoutthe country. Approximately 65,000 Steelworkers have ICD asa negotiated benefit.

ICD was created in 1989 and first incorporated into basicsteel contracts. It has since expanded into the tire and rubberindustry.

Instruction ranges from basic skills, such as GED prepara-tion, to graduate-level college courses. There are a variety ofclasses that teach technical skills, such as plumbing, electricalwiring or small engine repair, and Steelworkers can also takepersonal enhancement courses, like photography and foreignlanguages.

The emphasis is on teaching “portable” skills Steelworkerscan use to enhance their existing careers or take with thembeyond the steel mills, rubber plants and iron mines – shouldthey change jobs.

Tuition assistanceEligible members have access to other courses available

through a tuition assistance program which provides up to$1,800 annually for tuition, books and fees at accredited institutions.

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PPrreeppaarriinngg ffoorr rreettiirreemmeennttBefore Willie O. Rutley retired in 2007 from the BF Goodrich plant inTuscaloosa, Ala. with 36 years of service, he used his career developmentbenefit, through Local 351L, to study real estate.

Rutley is now a licensed realtor in Alabama.“There’s an expense to retirement. I don’t care what anybody tells

you,” Rutley said. “Now I’m able to supplement my retirement income.Believe me, there’s a big difference between drawing a paycheck everyweek and one every month.

“It has helped me a lot. It took me a few months to get my license,but after that I sold my first house in the first three months. A couplemonths later I sold another. Having that extra income really helped mea lot. I didn’t want to be tied down to another job where I just punchthe clock. This has been a new career for me.”

Career Development was first negotiated into contracts at three BFGoodrich plants in the United States (Fort Wayne, Ind., Tuscaloosa,Ala., and Opelika, Ala.) in 2004. From there, it didn’t take Rutleylong to get with the program, so to speak.

“We have TV monitors up all over the plant, and I remember see-ing a lot of advertising about it, even before we got the programstarted,” Rutley said.

“Now I’m telling all the guys I used to work with, ‘Hey, this isan opportunity you shouldn’t pass up. Take advantage of it and dosomething for yourself,’ because once you have that knowledge noone can take it from you.”

LLeeaarrnniinngg nneeww sskkiillllssTresa Sheffield used to be afraid to touch acomputer.

But that was before taking a ComputerBasics class at her local ICD learning cen-ter. Sheffield enrolled in the class throughthe program offered by her local, 12L inGadsden, Ala.

“I had taken an Intro to Computersclass years ago at the junior college butthat was so long ago that I didn’t remem-ber anything,” Sheffield said. “You knowhow it is – if you don’t use it, you lose it.”

With no real prior computer knowl-edge, Sheffield said any fears she had about sit-

ting in a classroom with other students disappeared immediately.“This is very comfortable and enjoyable,” Sheffield said.

“You’re in class with people you work with and you’re more atease. Everyone’s basically at the same level.

“If you don’t get it the first time, the instructor just keeps goingthrough it until we all learn it. We don’t get a grade and we areable to go at our own pace. A lot of people in the class had nevertouched a computer before, so it was very much a team effort.”

Sheffield has since taken an intermediate computer class, aclass on how to buy and sell on eBay and a computer technologyclass. She uses her new computer knowledge to keep in closertouch with friends and family.

Like many Steelworkers, Sheffield’s experience at ICD has lefther thirsting for more.

“We have a digital photography class coming up soon,” shesaid. “I’m looking forward to it.”

USW members the opportunity for per-sonal and professional enhancementthrough lifelong learning. Steelworkerscan use the benefit by taking either cus-tomized classes – courses that are devel-oped exclusively for local members – orby using tuition assistance to enroll incollege courses.

“We are proud that our organizationhas been recognized by such a prestigiouseducational institution for offeringSteelworkers some of the finest adulttraining available in the country,” saidICD Director Jerry Evans.

International President Leo W. Gerardbelieves the ICD helps to improve thequality of life of those members who usethe benefit.

“The ICD program gives the union a

tremendous sense of accom-plishment because we give our

members an opportunity to do thingsother than what they have to do at work,”Gerard said. “We give them an opportu-nity to develop their personal career, todo the kinds of things they want to do,and they know that that’s been bargainedfor them by their union.

“One of the things with ICD is it givesyou an opportunity for lifelong learning.Lifelong learning gives you a chance toevolve. ICD is a tremendous value to theunion.”

Steelworkers who use this benefit doso for a variety of reasons. Some seek tobe more proficient in certain areas inorder to test into a new position at workwhile others hope to open up a secondsource of income. Some students are justcurious to learn new subjects.

It doesn’t matter what the reason is,the ICD is there for you.

For more information,visit the ICD Web site atwww.icdlearning.org.

Ernie Barrientez

Willie Rutley Tresa Sheffield

The arbitration case covered contractlanguage that said anyone with 20 yearsof service could not be laid off during thelife of the agreement. The employer inter-preted the language to mean 20 years ofcontinuous service while the union con-tended it covered any 20 years, even ifservice was broken and renewed.

“We won, and depending on who didthe calculations, it was going to cost thecompany between $19 million and $24million,’’ Jastrzab said. “That forcedthem into the global settlement.”

After the closing, production that hadbeen done at Johnstown was moved tonon-USW plants in Virginia and Illinois.While USW employees in Johnstowncould participate in a 30-year pension, aRule-of-65 pension or a 70/80 retirementpension, the Illinois and Virginia plantsdid not offer the same quality benefits.

In their class action lawsuit, membersof USW Local 2635 alleged the companyengaged in a systematic process of

furloughs beginning in March2007 and continuing that Julyand August to prevent themfrom obtaining the service timeneeded to retire.

The company denied thatthe decision to close the

Johnstown plant in 2007 was timed toavoid pension obligations, but the num-bers argued otherwise.

One year differenceCompensation experts hired by the

company concluded that it would cost themanufacturer of rail cars $7.8 million inone-time benefit charges if it closed theplant at the end of 2007.

But that figure would have balloonedto $19.2 million by the end of 2008because a large group of hourly

employees were due to qualify for pen-sion benefits that year.

FreightCar America is a Chicago-based public company with annual rev-enues exceeding $800 million. Onceknown as Johnstown America, the com-pany began operations in 1901 inJohnstown, where it was owned and oper-ated by Bethlehem Steel Corp. from 1923to 1991.

“They never once told us we didn’tmake them money,” said

Jeffrey Anderson, a repairman and USWunit president at the plant. “It was justmore cost effective to shut us down.”

A permanent closure could have pre-vented approximately 100 employeeshired between 1987 and 1989 from attain-ing the 20 years of service required for aRule-of-65 pension. It also affected 80employees hired in 2004 who would havebeen eligible for deferred vested pensionsthrough post-layoff service accrual.

The settlement, approved in lateNovember by U.S. District Judge KimGibson, ended some 15 months of litiga-tion over the decision to close the plantand move the work.

Health benefits, pensionsThe settlement guarantees health bene-

fits and pension eligibility for the affectedemployees in addition to legal fees. Thecompany is permitted to proceed with theclosure.

It came almost a year after Gibsonruled that the company should return towork people who were nearing dates criti-cal to receiving their pensions. That pre-liminary injunction was later stayed bythe 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

AARP joined the case on the side ofthe employees.

Mary Ellen Signorille, an attorney withAARP in Washington, D.C., said it is rareto see a case where company officialswere so blatant about their plans andmotivations.

Signorille said she hoped the case willdeter other employers from taking thesame kind of action that FCA did justbecause employees are close to becomingeligible for benefits.

“What we really want is for employersnot to do this,” she said.

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 27

federal judge has approved anagreement that guarantees pen-sions for a group of USW-repre-

sented workers who were let go withoutjustification to avoid their qualifying forthem.

Management at FreightCar America(FCA) had long had its eyes on what itcalled the “sweet spot,” the cheapest timeperiod in which to close the 100-year-oldplant in Johnstown, Pa., and idle 340workers.

In 2005, the company told USW offi-cials that its pension obligations were toocostly and that it would lay off employeesin Johnstown and open a new plant else-where before they could reach the neces-sary years of service for pensions.

“This is not a threat. It’s a confirmedstrategy,’’ one FCA executive told USWStaff Representative Ray Jastrzab, accord-ing to notes Jastrzab took at the meeting.

The company followed through with aplant closing in 2007, prompting employ-ees to file a federal class action lawsuitalleging FCA shut the facility to interferewith pension benefits, a violation of theEmployee Retirement Income SecurityAct.

That lawsuit and a positive outcome inan arbitration case regarding qualifyingyears of service eventually forced thecompany into what Jastrzab described asa “global settlement” covering all out-standing issues between the union andcompany.

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nfairly fired for trying to form aunion at the rural equipmentmaker where he worked, Paul

Sweed cries when he tells the story ofreceiving disputed unemployment ben-efits on Christmas Eve.

The benefit award came as Sweedwas facing utility shutoffs and pilingbills for his home in Irvona, Pa., wherehe lives with his wife, Betty, and twoschool-age children.

“What this union has done for meand my family is amazing. I’m noteven a member, and this union helpedme so much,’’ said Sweed, wipingaway tears as he recounted his firingand the union’s assistance.

Sweed was dismissed last Oct. 23 byMcLanahan Corp., a maker of coal androck crushing equipment, during anorganizing drive in which the companyinterrogated and threatened employeesabout their union involvement.

Wrongful terminationAfter he lost his job, Sweed and his

family were without income until theUSW helped him win state unemploy-ment compensation that the companyhad denied. His wife, a diabetic, wentwithout medicine as bills mounted andforeclosure loomed.

The USW also filed a wrongful ter-mination charge with the NationalLabor Relations Board on Sweed’sbehalf, even though he has not yet paida dime in dues. The charges were foundto have merit and are scheduled to be

heard by an administrative law judge inlate February.

Sweed’s predicament highlights thegrowing need for the Employee FreeChoice Act, which would make it easi-er for workers to exercise their rights toform unions without retaliation and fir-ings.

Big business is mounting a fiercecampaign to defeat the bill, which isexpected to be taken up by the U.S.Senate this summer. It died in theSenate during 2007 after being passedby the House.

Despite business opposition, theEmployee Free Choice Act enjoysstrong support among ordinaryAmericans, according to a new pollcommissioned by the AFL-CIO.

Most adults favorThe results of the poll, conducted by

Hart Research Associates for the laborfederation, show that the contentionover the bill is mostly limited to thehalls of power in Washington.

Nearly four in five adults favor leg-islation that would make it easier forworkers to bargain better wages, bene-fits and working conditions with theiremployers, the study found.

Nearly three in four adults, or 73percent, specifically said they support-ed the Employee Free Choice Act whenread descriptions of the act’s three mainprovisions. Just one in five Americansopposes the legislation.

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They never once told us we didn’t makethem money,” said Jeffrey Anderson, arepairman and USW unit president at theplant. “It was just more cost effective to

shut us down.

“”

Building a freight car in JohnstownPhoto by Chuck Mamula Photography

Paul and Betty SweedPhoto by Scott Weaver

“Simply put, it is impossible to havethriving industries related to our forestsand a healthy planet without healthy andwell-managed forests. This compels usto think in a broad, strategic way aboutthe role and relationship of forests to ourjobs, communities and way of life.”

The policy grew from a growingawareness of the importance of forests togood-paying union jobs and the environ-ment. It addresses employment, thethreat of illegal logging and trade in gen-eral, the health of our planet and the factthat the economies of both the UnitedStates and Canada are tied to forests.

The process of developing the state-ment that was ultimately adopted by theIEB involved a mix of technicalresearch, involvement from key rank-and-file activists and leadership at alllevels of the union.

In the statement, the USW said itopposes the destruction of forest landsfor development and strongly believesworking forests must be maintained. It isalso clear that some forests shouldremain uncut to promote ecological,social, recreational and other values.

Whenever a subdivision, shoppingmall or hotel goes up on land that was aforest, that forest is gone forever. It is nolonger available as a carbon sink, forhunting, fishing and other forest recre-ation, as a refuge for forest species – orto provide the wood and paper productswe need.

Key to the future“Protecting our forests is key to the

future,” the policy statement said. “But itmust be done in a balanced way that pro-vides access to sustainable timber for ourindustry to produce useful products forsociety and allow workers to have decent

jobs that can support their families andcommunities.”

The union believes this goal can beachieved by working with constructive-ly-minded employers, local and federalgovernments and the public, includingour community and environmental allies.

North America’s wood and paperindustries face a number of serious chal-lenges and obstacles including unfairtrading practices, insufficient plantinvestment and the seemingly self-destructive practices of some majoremployers who sell raw logs to theircompetitors.

Many foreign producers, especially inAsia, receive government subsidies inaddition to paying extremely low wagesand avoiding rigorous environmental oroccupational health and safety standards.In many countries substantial logging iscarried out in a blatantly illegal manner,avoiding any scrutiny and standardswhatsoever.

Illegal logging challengedThe USW has vigorously challenged

illegal logging. As a result of the union’sefforts, the U.S. government found forthe first time in history that illegal log-ging is in fact also an illegal subsidy.

In addition the USW and a coalitionof environmental groups persuaded theU.S. Congress to amend the country’sagricultural import laws specifically tocover the products of illegal logging.

Another unfair practice is the policyof certain governments, notably China,of keeping their currencies undervalued.In the case of China, in 2007 expertsestimated its currency was undervaluedby as much as 40 percent against theU.S. and Canadian dollars.

The USW is committed to the

appropriate use of the trade remediesprovided by U.S. and Canadian law tolevel the playing field whenever possi-ble; foreign employers and governmentsthat violate the rules of fair trade must beheld accountable and made to competefairly.

When properly managed by industryand subject to sound governmental poli-cies, our forests can be renewable forev-er. But, to achieve that, we need forestpolicy and forest management thatrespond not only to the interests anddemands of the public at large but also tothe specific needs of forest workers, theirfamilies and their communities.

The best success has come in commu-nities where forest policies are developedthrough consensus among political lead-ers, the business community, forest andpaper workers and environmentalists.The USW supports that approach.

The Steelworkers will look for oppor-tunities to build alliances with environ-mental and community activists to advo-cate sustainable forestry policies.

In particular, we believe there is com-mon ground between the environmentalcommunity’s goals of protecting forestsfor their ecological and other values, andthe union’s goals of banning raw logexports, ending illegal logging practicesaround the world, and maintaining sus-tainable jobs in secure communities.

“Together,” the policy statement said,“we need to ensure forests continue toplay a critical role ensuring a healthyenvironment for all of us, providinglong-term, sustainable livelihoods forpeople living in resource-based commu-nities, and meeting the public’s demandfor the protection of the full range of for-est values.”

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 29

ith 170,000 of our 850,000members working in woodand paper products industries

in the United States and Canada, theUSW has a stake in ensuring that ourforests are viable over the long term tobenefit the economy and the environ-ment we share.

“Whether it is papermakers acrossNorth America, loggers in BritishColumbia, workers who convert paperinto boxes, containers and displays, orwoodworkers in sawmills in the U.S. andCanada, forests are critical to our way ofliving,’’ said International President LeoW. Gerard.

Because of that strong connection toour membership, the InternationalExecutive Board (IEB) unanimouslyapproved a new policy statement reject-ing the view that society must choosebetween forestry jobs and a sustainableforest. We believe it is possible to haveboth.

The USW advocates policies that willensure long-term sustainable livelihoodsfor forest workers. The union also recog-nizes that forests are vital carbon sinks,crucially important to any resolution ofthe climate change issue, and thereforesupports preservation of key elements ofthe forest heritage in North America.

Forests provide refuge for a wide vari-ety of species. They cool our rivers andstreams and provide inviting and beauti-ful playgrounds.

“Beyond the many jobs of those whowork directly or indirectly in the forestproducts industry, all USW membershave a vested interest in the health of ourforests because they are essential to theecological health of our planet and thehealth of our families,” the policy state-ment said.28 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

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USW Photos courtesy of Norm Garcia

“Liberia continues to make progress inrebuilding civil society and the labormovement is viewed as a key componentgoing forward,’’ said Mike Zielinski, adelegation member from the USW’sStrategic Campaigns Department.

In a major milestone marking Liberia’stransition to fledgling democracy, morethan 4,000 Firestone workers in 2007elected union leaders in a free and fairelection. For that effort, the AFL-CIOrecognized FAWUL for its “extraordinarycourage, strength and solidarity” and gavethe union its George Meany-LaneKirkland Human Rights Award.

With our assistance, the new unionleadership negotiated a collective bargain-ing agreement with Firestone that broughtthe workers real gains, including apromise to lower onerous quotas that rub-ber tree tappers must meet in order toreceive full pay and rice rations. The quo-tas were so high in the past that some tap-pers conscripted their children to help.

Firestone has been slow in meeting allthe conditions of the agreement includingfully complying with the quota reductionsand failure to deduct dues money for alarge number of employees newly cov-ered by the agreement.

The union has formed a special taskforce to work with tappers and manage-ment to move forward on the quotareductions. Workers are also petitioningthe government for support.

There has been some, but not enough,improvement in plantation housing. Thereare also widespread complaints that thecompany is reneging on commitments toprovide school transportation for workers’children. Because the plantation is sohuge, some children must get up at 4 a.m.to walk to far-away schools.

“This is a burning issue for workerswho desperately want to provide theirchildren with more opportunities,’’Zielinski said.

Bargaining resumes Membership training and meetings

with the union leadership focused onproblems in implementing the collectivebargaining agreement and strategies formoving forward. The union will beginthis summer to prepare for the next roundof Firestone negotiations. The currentagreement expires at the end of 2009.

Workshops were also conducted inBuchanan, Liberia’s second largest city,for workers employed by ArcelorMittal tore-open Liberia’s mining industry closedby civil war.

Liberia is rich in iron ore, but no min-ing has taken place since 1993.

ArcelorMittal won the mining concessionrights in 2007 and is rebuilding the infra-structure, including a sea port and a rail-road running to mine sites.

ArcelorMittal is expected to directlyemploy about 3,000 people and may con-tribute to creating as many as 15,000 jobsoverall in Liberia.

The company currently employs about1,750 workers as “contractors” along therailroad and at the port in preparation forextracting ore this year. Organizers arereaching out to workers and proposing asingle bargaining unit for workers at themines, the railroad, port, power plant andhospital.

The ArcelorMittal organizing drive isbeing conducted jointly by the Forestry,Logging and Industrial Union of Liberiaand the Mine Workers Union of Liberia,which represented workers at mines thatwere closed during the war years.

More than 50 ArcelorMittal workersparticipated in the Health and Safety andUnion Building workshops where theyreviewed a Global Safety Agreement bythe USW and other international unions.To enforce the agreement, the workersmust win the union election.

he USW is continuing to help work-ers in war-torn Liberia build unionsat Firestone’s huge rubber planta-

tion and at iron ore mining operationscontrolled by ArcelorMittal.

Last December, as part of continuinginternational outreach, a delegation fromthe USW and the AFL-CIO’s SolidarityCenter traveled to Liberia to build theskills of labor union activists there. The

Solidarity Center assists workers aroundthe world who are struggling to builddemocratic trade unions.

Led by International Vice PresidentFred Redmond, the delegation trainedactivist workers from Firestone’s planta-tion and ArcelorMittal’s mining opera-tions on health and safety issues, build-ing union power and the key role ofwomen in unions.

The delegation also met with LiberianPresident Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, theMinistry of Labor, the U.S. Embassy, theLiberian Labor Congress and non-governmental organizations. During themeeting with the president, Redmondgave Sirleaf an overview of the USW’sunion-building efforts in her country.

USW commended“President Sirleaf commended the

USW for our commitment toward globalsolidarity and encouraged us to continueour work,” Redmond said.

A new contract for the plantationworkers who belong to the FirestoneAgricultural Workers Union of Liberia(FAWUL) and a drive to unionizeArcelorMittal workers is helping to builda new foundation for a country that hadbeen decimated by a long civil war.

Liberia continues to face enormouschallenges. The official unemploymentrate exceeds 80 percent and workers faceexploitative conditions on the job whenwork is available.

Yet, because of help from the USWand other labor groups, there is anexpanding core of union activists inLiberia that is committed to remakingthe country.

30 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

ore than 30 women at the plan-tation participated in Womenof Steel training designed to

help them grow their unions and to growwithin their unions. A similar two-daytraining session was also held forArcelorMittal employees.

“Women’s issues are the same nomatter what the continent and that holdstrue for Liberian women,’’ said EmilyJefferson, the WOS trainer.

Jefferson, on her first trip to Liberia,was struck by the devastation wroughtby civil war. She admired the grit ofstreet merchants who sell everythingfrom fresh fish to nuts and bolts fromwheel barrows in the capitol city ofMonrovia.

“The people have so little but are sorich in spirit,” Jefferson said.

Power generation stations across the

country were destroyed in the warand are just being rebuilt inMonrovia. Businesses use gasolinegenerators to produce electricity.

“Our hotels had the simplecomforts we take for granteddaily – running water, electricityand a solidly-constructed buildingto sleep in,” Jefferson said.“However, to the vastmajority of Liberians, theyare luxuries one can onlydream about.”

ealth Safety & Environment spe-cialist John Alexander taughtclasses for Firestone and

ArcelorMittal workers and found bothgroups had work-related injuries thatwere preventable with proper safetyequipment and training.

Tree tappers, for example, are ofteninjured by burns to their eyes and skinfrom a chemical stimulant used to softenthe bark of the rubber trees. Railroadworkers showed burns to their eyes andskin from overexposure to a type of cre-osote used on railroad ties. Both groupshave a significant problem with snakebites that can be prevented by wearingproper boots.

They need goggles, chemical- and cut-resistant gloves, boots, respirators andmeans to transport heavy loads other thanthe workers’ backs. Tree tappers carry

buckets of latex on yokes that are soheavy they deform their shoulders.

The few workers who are provid-ed respirators for chemical expo-sure are directed to use the respira-tor cartridges for far longer thantheir useful life. Chemical glovesare rarely available but when pro-vided are often used beyond theirlimitations.

Workers showed visible evi-dence of injuries from chemicalexposure, burns and lacerations –alarming evidence of the need to addressidentified physical and chemical hazardson the job.

“The overwhelming majority ofinjuries can be easily prevented withbasic applications of safety equipment,labeling of chemicals and personal pro-tective equipment,’’ Alexander said.

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he TransAfricaForum, a leadinghuman rights advoca-

cy organization, gave itsChampion of JusticeAward to InternationalPresident Leo W. Gerard inrecognition of the USW’scommitment to supportingthe labor movements inLiberia and Colombia.

The award was presented on Dec. 3 by (l to r) Liberia Minister of LaborSamuel Kofi Woods, TransAfrica Executive Director Nicole C. Lee,TransAfrica Board Chairman Danny Glover and Gerard.

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 31

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Liberia photos by John Alexander,Emily Jefferson and Scott Weaver

Photo by Ronald G. Baker, Solid Image

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 33

News BytesNews Bytes

32 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

CCeennttuurryy AAlluummiinnuumm SShhuuttss RRaavveennsswwoooodd entury Aluminum blamed a collapsing market when it announced the Februaryclosing of its smelter in Ravenswood, W.Va., idling 575 members of USW Local

5668.The plant was the site of an historic and victorious contract campaign against the

former owner, Ravenswood Aluminum, which had locked out 1,700 USW employeesin 1990 and hired permanent replacements.

Century’s decision to close came despite efforts by USW-represented workers andutility companies to cut costs and keep the nearly 60-year-old plant operational. In astatement, the USW said it recognized with “deep regret” that the plant could not con-tinue operating under the current economic conditions.

“The aluminum production facility at Ravenswood has contributed to the economicwell being of Jackson County for more than 50 years,” said International President LeoW. Gerard. “We are living through the most severe economic downturn since theGreat Depression and the hard working people at Ravenswood are among the latestvictims.”

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he National Labor Board has ordered anew representation election for the 950

production and maintenance employees ofthe MeadWestvaco paper mill inCovington, Va.

The decision overturned a contestedNLRB representation election between anewly formed independent union and USWLocal 8-675, the longtime bargaining agentfor employees.

The USW, which narrowly lost the elec-tion to the Covington Paper Workers Union(CPU) by 14 votes, remained the certifiedrepresentative during an appeal process.

NLRB Administrative Law Judge EricM. Fine overturned the March 2008 NLRBelection and returned the case to theNLRB’s regional director in Winston-Salem, N.C., to hold a new election.

Judge Fine found that conduct by theCPU and its officers during the electioncreated a coercive atmosphere that inter-fered with the holding of a free and fairelection.

“We’ve been saying all along that theelection was flawed,” said Local 8-675President Bobby Harrison. “The votingenvironment was tainted. People did nothave a free and fair opportunity, under thelaw, to determine who their bargaining rep-resentative would be.”

Harrison said the local’s executive boardhas extended an “olive branch to those whomay have thought an independent unionwas the way to go and they continue to bewelcome to re-unify with us.

“But we’re looking forward to a newelection, if necessary,” Harrison added.“We want to restore our local union as oneof the strongest units within the USW.”

SSaavvee tthhee DDaatteehe 2009 USW Health, Safety & Environment Conference will be held Aug. 17 to 21at the Hilton Americas Houston in Houston, Texas. Watch our Web site,

www.usw.org, for updates and registration information.

CCoolleemmaann CCaammppeerr MMaakkeerrss DDeemmoonnssttrraatteeteelworkers who build Coleman camper trailers for FTCAInc. in Somerset, Pa., demonstrated for a fair contract outside

the Original Pittsburgh RV Show in January. Members ofLocal 2632 distributed information on their labor dispute withFTCA, a unit of Blackstreet Capital, which last year purchasedthe business formerly owned by Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc.The USW International filed an unfair labor practice chargealleging that the company violated labor law by unilaterallyimplementing proposals to reduce wages, eliminate pensionbenefits and cut health insurance benefits. The plant employs211 union workers, down from 600 in 2004.

CCoonnttiinneennttaall TTiirree LLaammbbaasstteeddith negotiations stalled in a two-year fight with Continental Tire for

a fair contract, USW Local 850 inCharlotte, N.C., sponsored a “truck oftruth.” The truck circled Las Vegas, reach-ing over 50,000 key industry insiders at theSpecialty Equipment Market Association(SEMA) Show, the largest automotive spe-cialty products trade event in the world.Conti called the local in the midst of theconvention to set up meeting dates.

TTeeaacchheerrss RReeppaayy aa FFaavvoorreveral years ago when the Granite City, Ill. Federation of Teachers was forced tostrike, Steelworker locals stepped up to show their support.In December, when U.S. Steel

announced an indefinite shutdown atits Granite City plant, members ofTeachers Local 743 rememberedtheir allies with cash donations tothree USW locals in Granite City.

(Left to right) Russ Saltsgaver, Local1899; Jason Chism, Local 50; Jeff Evans,Local 68; Mike Vorce, president of GraniteCity Teachers Local 743; and RandyVirgin, Local 1899.

LLooccaall HHoonnoorrss MMLLKK wwiitthh SSeerrvviicceeembers of USW Local 3657 from Pittsburgh, Chicago, Gary,Ind. Newport News, Va., and Des Moines, Iowa, commemo-

rated Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday this year by volunteeringto do community service work in New Orleans.

The January event, sponsored annually in a different city by theAFL-CIO Civil, Human and Women’s Rights Department, drewsome 1,000 union members from across the county to participatein work projects.

Local 3657 members built baseball fields on the west bank ofthe Mississippi River, across from the oil refineries of St. BernardParish and in New Orleans’ historic 7th Ward, where HurricaneKatrina damage was still evident.

VViirrggiinn IIssllaannddss PPoorrtt AAuutthhoorriittyy SSuuppeerrvviissoorrss WWiinn PPaayy HHiikkee

SW-represented managers and supervisors of the VirginIslands Port Authority won a 2 percent general wage

increase for the third and final year of their contract throughinterest arbitration.

The award to the 40-member unit was retroactive to Oct. 1, 2007, and followed difficult bargaining for a firstcontract.

The managers and supervisors chose to becomeSteelworkers after their salaries were unilaterally reducedfollowing a drop in tourism after the Sept. 11, 2001 terroristattacks.

Management’s goal in the negotiations was to replace theexisting pay plan with a merit-based system, which theunion resisted. The issue went to arbitration after both par-ties agreed they were at an impasse over wages.

Management withdrew its demand for a merit-based paysystem and demanded the arbitration panel give no salaryhike for the third year. Overall, the unit received a 9 percentgeneral wage increase through the contract’s life andretained 100 percent employer-sponsored health care.

UUnniioonn SStteeeell iinn FFrreeeeddoomm TToowweerrpecial bar quality steel from a USW-represented plant ownedby the Timken Co. is being used atop the Freedom Tower

under construction at New York’s World Trade Center site.Local 1123 President Randy Feemster confirmed that the bars

are made at Timken’s plant in Canton, Ohio, by union workers.The steel will be used to build the supporting legs of a 450-foot

antenna tower at the top of the building, which will stand 1,776feet tall.

HHeellppiinngg OOtthheerrss iinn NNeeeeddocal 5133 at U.S. Steel’s East Chicago plant made cash dona-tions to charitable organizations that are seeing increased need

because of the troubled economy. The local donated $1,500 eachto Haven House, a battered women's shelter in Hammond, Ind.,Manna for Hammond-St. Joe's soup kitchen and the SalvationArmy of East Chicago. It also held a gate collection in Decemberfor the Salvation Army's Angel Tree.

FFiillmm FFeeaattuurreess UUSSWW RReettiirreeeeMan Named Pearl,” a documentary film on topiaryartist Pearl Fryer, a retired local union president from

Bishopville, S.C., is now available on DVD.Director Scott

Galloway announced thatthe award-winning filmfeaturing Fryer can bepurchased atAmazon.com orwww.newvideo.com. Abonus soundtrack CD isincluded.

Fryer, former presi-dent of Local 8634 at theRexam Beverage CanAmericas plant inBishopville, is nationallyrecognized for his self-taught topiary skills. Hewas featured inUSW@Work in 2007.

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Photo by Hank deLespinasse

Photo by Steve Dietz

Pearl Fryer works on his garden

U S W @ W o r k • w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 3534 w i n t e r 2 0 0 9 • U S W @ W o r k

NNOOTTIICCEE TTOO AALLLL EEMMPPLLOOYYEEEESS CCOOVVEERREEDD BBYYAA UUNNIIOONN SSEECCUURRIITTYY CCLLAAUUSSEE

All USW represented employees covered by a union security clause have the right, under NLRB v. General Motors, 373 U.S.734 (1963), to be and remain a nonmember subject only to the duty to pay the equivalent of union initiation fees and periodicdues. Further, only such non-member employees have the right, under Communications Workers v. Beck, 487 U.S. 735 (1988),to limit payment of union-security dues and initiation fees to certain moneys spent on activities germane to a union’s role as col-lective bargaining representative. This latter statutory right is embodied in the USW’s Nonmember Objection Procedure.

1 Any right of a resignee to pay a reduced amount under this Proceduremay or may not be superceded by the resignee’s check-off authorization.”

The Procedure is available to any USW representedemployee who is subject to a union security clause but who isa non-member and who objects to his or her union securityfees being expended on nonrepresentational activities.Paragraph 1 of the Procedure states:

“1. Any individual, who is not a member of the UnitedSteelworkers and who is required as a condition of employ-ment to pay dues to the United Steelworkers pursuant to aunion security arrangement but objects to supporting ... politi-cal or ideological expenditures by the United Steelworkerswhich are not necessarily or reasonably incurred for the pur-pose of performing the duties of an exclusive collective bar-gaining representative shall have the right upon perfecting anotice of objection to obtain an advance reduction of a portionof such individual’s dues obligation commensurate withexpenditures unrelated to collective bargaining as required bylaw.”

An eligible employee who objects to the USW expendingmonies for nonrepresentational activities such as charitable orpolitical activities may choose to perfect a notice of objectionunder Paragraph 2 of the Procedure, which states:

“2. To perfect a notice of objection, the individual mustsend an individually signed notice to the InternationalSecretary-Treasurer during the first thirty days following eitherthe individual's initial date of hire into the USW representedunit or an anniversary date of such hiring: provided, however,that if the individual lacked knowledge of this Procedure, theindividual shall have a 30 day period commencing on the datethe individual became aware of the Procedure to perfect anotice of objection; and, provided, further, that a member whoresigns membership shall have the opportunity to object withinthe 30 day period following resignation.1 Any objection thusperfected shall expire on the next appropriate hiring anniver-sary date unless renewed by a notice of objection perfected asspecified above.

Objectors are not USW members and have no right to votein union elections or to be a candidate, no right to participatein union meetings or activities, and no right to vote on contractratification.

Upon perfecting properly a notice of objection, the objectoris entitled to an advance reduction of a portion of his or herunion security obligation commensurate with expendituresunrelated to collective bargaining, as required by law.International Secretary-Treasurer James D. English has deter-mined, based upon expenditures for the calendar year 2007,that the reduction percentage under the Procedure is 9.45%(22.08% if organizing expenditures were to be included).

There are court decisions holding that organizing activitiesare non-representational activities. The USW does not agreewith those rulings. However, without intending to waive itsposition that its organizing expenditures are not subject toobjection and without intending to waive its right to assert itsposition if there is a challenge to the reduction percentage, theUSW has deemed it expedient to apply the 22.08% figure tomost current and future objectors. Therefore, an objector willbe charged 77.92% of the regular dues amount. Each objectorwill be given a detailed breakdown between representationaland non-representational activities with a report by an indepen-dent auditor.

The Procedure contains an appeals system under whichchallenges to the reduction percentage determination must befiled within 30 days of the Notice of Determination and are tobe decided by an impartial arbitrator appointed by theAmerican Arbitration Association. Disputed amounts areescrowed pending appeal.

While a notice must be individually signed and timelymailed, there is no form for a notice. Processing is faster, how-ever, when the notice contains the objector’s name, address,local union number, and employer.

CCooooppeerr TTiirree DDeeaall CCeelleebbrraatteeddll those who helped to keep open Cooper Tire’s plant in Texarkana, Ark.,were invited by Local 752L to a celebration Jan. 24 at the local Four

States Fair Grounds.After Cooper announced last year that it planned to shut down one of four

North American tire plants, state and local governments and utility companiespledged financial relief to help the Texarkana plant survive.

The 1,450-member bargaining unit at the plant negotiated a new contractthat included a job security agreement and commitments to expand.Ultimately, a non-union tire plant in Albany, Ga., was closed.

(Left to right) Arkansas 4th District Congressman Mike Ross, USW Staff Rep. DonDavies, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, USW Local 752L President David Boone andUSW Local 752L Vice President Tommy Engledo.

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he Michigan Senate’s newMinority Leader, Mike

Prusi, mined iron ore in hisnative Upper Peninsula formore than 20 years as a USWmember.

As a miner, Prusi, 49, fol-lowed in his father’s footstepsand became active in Local4950. He served as the local’spresident before winning elec-tion to the state legislature in1995.

Prusi recently took overthe Democratic leadershippost from Mark Schauer, whowas elected to Congress. Prusisupports job training for dis-placed workers, extendedunemployment benefits andhelp for homeowners to avoidforeclosure.

“I’ve lived through the upsand downs of layoffs and on-the-job injuries, fought forpeople’s jobs and fought forpeople’s rights on the job,’’he said.

BBuuiillddiinnggCCoommmmuunniittyy RReellaattiioonnssiinn NNaasshhvviilllleen conjunction with a UnitedWay campaign, employees atthe USW Nashville office gavegenerous support to a pre-school center for disadvan-taged children at the MarthaO’Bryan Center in EastNashville. The involvementbegan with volunteer readingin the classroom and expandedto a Thanksgiving food drive,a Christmas donation of 100stuffed animals, and a winterhat, coat and glove drive.

CCaarr WWaasshh PPaayyss BBaacckk WWaaggeesscar wash in Los Angeles has agreed to pay $450,000 in back wages to 60 employees to settlea lawsuit brought by California Labor Commissioner Angela Bradstreet.The decision was applauded by the USW-backed Carwash Organizing Committee (CWOC).

Since CWOC's launch last March, car wash workers have been organizing and speaking outabout abuses.

"Car wash workers are among the most exploited workers in California, and CommissionerBradstreet's efforts are a significant step towards bringing them justice and dignity on the job,"said CWOC spokesman Dave Campbell, secretary treasurer of USW Local 675.

PPAACC RRaaffffllee SSuucccceessssffuullarry Morris (center), a member of Local 12L at the Goodyear plant inGadsden, Ala., won a Harley-Davidson motorcycle that was raffled off

in January as part of a Political Action Committee drive. Also shown arelocal President Dennis Battles (left)and Shane Mitchell, the local’s record-ing secretary, Rapid Response coordi-nator and PAC chairman. The driveled to a 300 percent increase in PACcontributions, Mitchell said. PACs andthe funds they raise play a key role inthe USW’s ongoing activism on behalfof working people and their families.

RRaappiidd RReessppoonnssee RRaafffflleeore than 250,000 USWmembers sent cards urging

Congress and the new president topass the Employee Free ChoiceAct. Each card doubled as a ticketto a drawing for a 2009 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle orcash equivalent. The winner ofthe drawing was Robert Embertof Local 8567 in District 10. TheUSW Rapid Response programhas led the labor movement ingenerating these messages.

om Warzecha, of Local2924 in Syracuse,

N.Y., took a workingvacation to Cartagena,Colombia, as a photojour-nalist covering the MissColombia contest. He tookthis photo of TalianaMaria Vargas, MissColombia 2007 and MissUniverse first runner-up2008, holding an issue ofUSW@Work.

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International Secretary-Treasurer James D. English draws the winner.

Debi Taylor reads to students.

Mike Prusi

Photo by Tom Warzecha