Blog

HUC Info Meeting

Essentia Health is looking to move most (though not all) of the HUCs from an 8 hour to a 12 schedule.  The union requested to bargain over the proposed changes in working conditions.  Please attend this meeting to hear an update on how the negotiations have gone, to ask any questions, and to pass on any concerns that you may have.  We will be holding four meetings on March 29 to maximize everyone’s opportunity to attend.

FRIDAY, MARCH 29, at 6 to 8am,  1 to 2pm,  3:30 to 430pm and  7:30 to 8:30pm at the Local 9460 union office: 2002 London Road, Room 202 – Duluth, MN

Local 9460 Launches College Scholarship

We are excited to announce that our union local has just launched a new college scholarship!  Following research by our Scholarship Committee, we voted at our Feburary membership meeting to launche a new scholarship for the children of our members who will be attending technical or four year college programs for the 2019-20 school year.  Below is an application that you can print off to find more details, and to fill out and mail in.  You can send filled out applications to United Steelworkers Local 9460, 2002 London Road Suite 202, Duluth MN 55812. 

Welcome Our New Vice President!

There have been some changes to our union's Executive Board these past few months.  Following the resignation of Stacy Spexet as president in December, Adam Ritscher moved into that role.  Then at our January Executive Board meeting, we elected Deanna Hughes as our new Vice President.  Deanna will be joining Adam as a full time staffer in the union's office.  Deanna is a long time activist with the union who has served as a steward and as President of the Hayward Unit for many years. 

New LSCHC Professional Contract

The members of the union's Professional Unit at the Lake Superior Community Health Center voted unanimously to accept the new contract that was negotiated between the company and the union.  It was a tough set of negotiations that began with the two sides very far apart, but by the end we came to a compromise.  For our part, we were glad to be able to prevent any of the concessions that the company was asking for, and to at least get some modest gains in wages and benefits.  There are more changes and improvements that we are hoping to win in future contract negotiations, however.  Thank you to the Negotiating Committee for its hard work, and to all of the members who came out to vote.  Solidarity works!  

The Most Dangerous Job in America

Nurses and health aides in state-run residential care and nursing facilities experience the highest rates of injury and illness of any occupation, writes Ashley Nerbovig for the Business Times, making these the most dangerous jobs in the U.S.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 13.7 incidents per 100 workers in 2016. This means that these health care jobs had higher rates of injury and illness than even police officers and firefighters, a distinction they have held since 2012.

Growing Income Inequality in the U.S.

Democracy is tough for 1 percenters.

They’ve got all that money but, hypothetically, no more voting power than their chauffeur or yacht captain or nanny.

In this one-person, one-vote democracy, though, they’ve got a plan to fix all that for themselves. They’re paying for it. And they’re accomplishing it, even though that means stripping voting rights from non-rich minority groups. Their goal is to make America more of a one-dollar, one-vote plutocracy.

Fall Update From Our President

It is that time of year, please get out and vote on November 6th. 

The Greenbook ratified a new three year agreement.  It was a long process with many long days.  I would like to thank the committee, and Staff Representative Cathy Drummond, for all of their hard work and for representing the membership.  The committee was Brenda Simon, Laura Vu, Lori Johnson and Lindajean Thompson.  Thank you to everyone that took the time out of their day to come out and vote.

Health Care Workers Attend International Women's Conference

Some 1,200 union activists participated in the 2018 Women of Steel Conference Oct. 15-17, representing a massive, energetic showing that brought together USW members from across North America.