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Big Union Energy: Next Generation of USW Activists Rise Up This article was originally published in the Spring 2024 issue of USW@Work. --- A fervent spirit of the union swept through the streets of downtown Pittsburgh in early March as hundreds of fresh United Steelworkers activists convened at the second-ever international Next Generation conference. The group spent four days working to amplify their engagement in the union and to share their passion for the labor movement with all who could hear. The NextGen conference, held March 3 to 7, gave young and new union activists a chance to pump each other up and gain new skills as they served on panels, learned from USW staff and member trainers in workshops, rallied in the streets to show solidarity with other unionizing workers, and gave back to the community through various service projects. The early-morning wake-up call on the conference’s first day didn’t deter the crowd of rowdy Steelworkers from shaking the room to life with the sounds of cheers, applause and hit music – provided by a live DJ – at the opening ceremony. A handful of talented young USW members served as emcees to the program, including Noah Ledesma of Local 12-52, Ashley Seabrook of Local 8888, and Montrell Steib of Local 5702. The emcees brought energy to the stage each day of the conference, while still maintaining the spirit and purpose of all large USW gatherings – to learn, engage, and gather useful information to build solidarity with the rest of their union siblings. District 10 Director Bernie Hall, who began his union leadership career as a founding member of the USW’s NextGen committee and served as the first NextGen coordinator of his district, kicked off the conference by welcoming the new members and inspiring them to take action. “When NextGen took off, I was 30 years old and this union put their faith in me to go and speak – not just for this union, but for the entire labor movement,” said Hall, who is the first person elected to the USW International Executive Board to rise from the ranks of the NextGen arm of the union. “The labor movement isn’t a sprint – it’s a marathon,” said Hall. “Take your first steps now, and you’ll do things beyond your wildest imagination.” Activism Through Art International NextGen Conference Coordinator Trisha Garcia of Local 8599 delivered the conference’s keynote address, speaking on the power of ideas and the important role creativity can play in the labor movement. Garcia highlighted the work of Julian Hernandez of Local 183, a health care worker and NextGen member who designed and painted a colorful backdrop mural for the conference at Pittsburgh’s historic Carrie Furnace on a freezing, snowy day in February. “The idea was to use this concept of creating to tap into the vibrancy that is street art, to convey the newness and energy of NextGen,” said Garcia. Unexpectedly cold temperatures and winds created challenging conditions for Hernandez – who hails from Southern California – to use his paint cans and brushes, but Garcia and other USW staff helped Hernandez complete the project over the course of two days. The artwork utilizes colorful, street art-style techniques and features diverse caricatures of workers in a variety of USW industries. “It’s truly been an honor being able to merge my art and activism for this conference. It’s a dream come true,” said Hernandez. “This piece feels like the heart and soul of what we’re going to do this week.” NextGen conference-goers took photos in front of the backdrop over the course of the week. Learning the Ropes Throughout the week, USW staff and member trainers provided nearly 60 workshops for conference attendees to hone their activism skills. Workshops focused on history and labor education, labor law, bargaining and enforcing contracts, health and safety, organizing, legislative and political strategies, social justice activism, communications and more. Paige Cisco and Andria Tipton, both members of Local 689 who work at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Piketon, Ohio, led a course in “Community Service Safety and Health,” which highlighted the potential health and safety hazards to consider when planning community service activities for members. Many of the principles of the course seemed simple – wear rubber gloves when picking up trash, wash your hands well, don’t mix ammonia and bleach. But the room came to life with hands-on demonstrations that engaged members and drew upon Cisco and Tipton’s experience with handling potentially radioactive material at the Ohio nuclear site where they work. In one activity, Cisco poured fake blood over each participant’s gloved hands to demonstrate how to safely remove rubber gloves and about the importance of properly fitting PPE. In another, participants drew images on a page with a Q-tip dipped in baking soda and water. Blackberries were then smudged across the page, and the acidity in the berries reacted with the baking soda to reveal the images. “Even if you can’t see something, it could still be a present hazard,” explained Cisco, who began working at the Portsmouth plant as a janitor just a few years ago and is now a process operator and full-time safety representative. In another unconventional workshop, members of the Pittsburgh Labor Choir taught people how to use union chants and music to manage attention, build morale and direct collective action. With drums, shakers and tambourines, members of the class took turns leading chants and learning the most effective ways to use music to pump up the picket line. Bridging the Gap The NextGen conference provided an opportunity for longtime USW leaders and retirees, along with the newest generation of members, to build relationships and learn from each other. Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) President Bill Pienta began his USW career in 1966 as an electrician at a steel mill. Before taking on his leadership role in SOAR, he served as president of Local 2693 and later on the international executive board as director of District 4. Pienta said that the NextGen conference provided connections between younger members and more seasoned activists, both of whom have much to learn from each other. “As I get older, I learn how much I don’t know,” Pienta said. “We have to move forward, and we have to do it together.” Conference-goers participated in a day of service on the final morning of the conference, branching out all over the city to volunteer at nearly a dozen sites that included churches, community centers, food banks and other non-profit organizations. While washing windows at the Kingsley Association, a community center in Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood, Precious Pittman, a member of Local 8888 who helps to build submarines at the Newport News, Va. shipbuilding facility, said she came to NextGen with nearly a dozen other members of her local. “I’m excited to see how we’re bridging the gap between the older generation and the newer generation, and it’s only getting better with time,” said Pittman. Zack Mainhart, co-chair of the NextGen committee for Local 1557 at U.S. Steel’s Clairton Coke Works, said he was glad to be able to build connections with some of the union’s most experienced leaders, who have demonstrated that, through solidarity, workers can overcome any obstacles in their path. “For us to be able to understand our struggles,” he said, “we need to learn from them and how they navigated those situations.” Lifetime of Activism The final night of the conference honored AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond, who formerly served as the USW International Vice President, with the Lifetime of Activism Award to acknowledge his investment in and support of the NextGen group of activists. “There’s nobody better to receive this award than the godfather of NextGen, Fred Redmond,” said E.J. Jenkins, a NextGen activist from Local 1014 in Gary, Ind., who was honored with the Legend Award for his contributions to the labor movement that same night. In his address to the ballroom full of young activists, Redmond highlighted their “electrifying” nature and the important role they have in organizing new workers. “Future generations of workers are depending on you to make sure that our union remains the fighting union that we are,” Redmond said. International Vice President Roxanne Brown said she believes that fighting spirit will continue for generations to come. “Seeing the enthusiasm in the eyes of our young activists, I know this union will be in good hands,” she said. International President Dave McCall ended the conference with closing remarks to the room full of bright-eyed activists, who left energized and ready to take their newfound knowledge back to their workplaces. “When you go home, share what you learned this week, talk to our members in the workplace about the power of our solidarity – to have a voice, to be able to succeed in protecting our members and their families,” said McCall. “There is no greater power,” he said, “than what we can do together on behalf of our members and on behalf of their families.” --- Click below to listen to a USW Solidarity Works podcast episode about Next Gen. — May 2
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Meet District 8 Civil and Human Rights Coordinator Michael Lewis Michael Lewis is not only proud to be a union member of 45 years; he’s proud to be a social justice activist and Civil and Human Rights Coordinator. Labor runs in the District 8 Sub-District Director’s blood. His great-uncle worked at Bethlehem Steel in Maryland when it was first organized with the USW in 1941, while his grandfather finished his career as a longshoreman. Before Lewis joined the USW as staff in 2014, he, like his great-uncle, worked at the Sparrow’s Point (formerly Bethlehem Steel) mill right out of high school until it shut down in 2012. “I’ve been a Steelworker all my working life,” said Lewis. During his time at his local, he served in a variety of roles, including grievance rep, safety rep, and financial secretary. As the years went on, however, he realized his biggest passion was civil rights. Although Lewis recognizes that not every worker understands why labor unions get involved in fights surrounding racism and LGBTQ+ rights, he believes it’s vital to keep the conversations going. He refers to a quote by President John F. Kennedy to explain it: “Our labor unions…have raised wages, shortened hours and provided supplemental benefits. Through collective bargaining and grievance procedures, they have brought justice and democracy to the shop floor. But their work goes beyond their own jobs, and even beyond our borders.” “I always start my presentations with this quote,” said Lewis, “because the struggle is not over. If we aren’t part of the solution, we’re part of the problem.” Lewis knows that discussions regarding race and justice can be difficult, but that leaders in this space merely need to meet people where they are. At a recent training with over 90 USW members at Wheeling-Nippon Steel in West Virginia, he prompted a conversation about Colin Kaepernick’s fight for freedom of speech in the NFL. “I spoke about how Colin used his labor rights and his union representation to file a grievance on his behalf like other unions do for their members,” Lewis said. “When you apply these issues to workers’ lives, they understand it.” Lewis said District 8 Director Larry Ray has been a big proponent of the civil and human rights trainings and the value they bring to the movement. Lewis is currently preparing to attend the USW Civil and Human Rights Conference in Detroit this June, the first since 2019. “It’s been too long,” Lewis. “I’m really looking forward to the fellowship.” Click here to learn more and register for the Civil and Human Rights Conference. — Apr 26
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USW leaders meet with SOEPU activists in Argentina to strengthen global solidarity Leaders with the USW traveled to Argentina this month to attend the SOEPU (United Petrochemical Workers and Employees Union) Congress and forge relationships with chemical workers in South America. USW attendees included International Secretary-Treasurer John Shinn, Carolyn Kazdin (retired from Strategic Campaigns Department), and Local 12075 President and Dow-Dupont North American Labor Council Chair (DNALC) Kent Holsing. On the first day of the conference, April 8, Shinn was able to provide a report on the state of the chemical sector in North America while Holsing spoke on the DNALC. Activists from Argentina presented reports on the negative effect of President Milei's recent decree on labor law, which will potentially devastate working families, unions, and the country as a whole. “It is incumbent on all of us to educate our members not just on the situation we experience at home but also about the experiences of workers around the world,” said Shinn. “Corporations have gone global, therefore our movement must be global as well.” The second day of the conference provided an opportunity for the USW attendees and others to meet with municipal and provincial leaders. They were also presented with a proclamation recognizing the USW’s participation and the importance of the SOEPU and its Congress. The SOEPU Congress closed with Secretary General Mauricio Brizuela urging delegates to understand the history and importance of labor's struggle, and the fight that is forthcoming to ensure the wellbeing of the union's members and their families. “This conference was a ringing success for the SOEPU and solidified the importance of solidarity across borders,” said Holsing. “The struggle and challenges that are faced in one country and its unions will be felt and experienced by another country and its unions.” — Apr 22
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Local 1557’s Renee Hough reflects on how the union helped her find freedom from abuse Renee Hough has been a member of USW Local 1557 at U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Works in southwestern Pennsylvania for 27 years. She works as a utility technician, or loader; it’s a job that Hough loves and that came along at the right time, and saved her life. As Hough prepares to retire in less than two years, she finds herself looking back on her decision to leave an abusive marriage more than two decades ago. At the time, she knew she needed a good-paying job that would provide her the resources to leave and take her kids with her, and her job then as a cook at Denny’s wasn’t cutting it. Then she saw an advertisement announcing that U.S. Steel was hiring in Clairton. It seemed like it was written in the stars, as getting the job would make her a fourth-generation union member. “I needed better pay and security so I could remove myself from that situation,” Hough said. A LIFE-CHANGING PROCESS She got the job and began saving money. Seven months in, she was well on her way when her husband beat her so badly she had to spend a night in the hospital. Hough’s mother convinced her that this incident was a turning point she could not ignore. The next day, Renee moved in with her mother and began the process of divorcing her husband. “I wouldn’t have been able to leave if I didn’t have my job to fall back on,” Hough said. “I owe both the union and my mother so much for that.” What followed was a pain-staking year involving lots of counseling, court hearings, and other appointments. Hough believes unions can and should use their bargaining power to add language into contracts that allows time off for survivors of domestic violence for this reason. Some local unions in recent years have done exactly this, including Local 2699 in Ontario, Canada. The USW’s Raising the Bar on Women’s Health and Safety action guide can be a resource for other locals looking to do the same thing. Hough, who serves as chair of her local’s Women of Steel Committee, believes that this topic needs to be discussed more because of the shame and stigma that can go along with it, especially for men. She also wants other survivors to know they aren’t alone. “If my story helps just one person, then it’s worth it,” Hough said. When she isn’t working, Hough loves to bowl and spend time with her family, especially her three grandchildren. --- If you or a loved one are experiencing domestic violence in the United States, you can contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE, or 7233. Additionally, teen survivors of domestic abuse can call Love Is Respect, a dedicated hotline for minors, at 1-866-331-9474. You can also reach out to USW District 1 Assistant to the Director Teresa Cassady, who has offered to be a safe and nonjudgmental ear for members experiencing abuse, at [email protected]. — Apr 11
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April Update from SOAR President Bill Pienta One of SOAR’s Three-Fold Purposes SOAR has identified its purpose as threefold. Per the SOAR constitution, one of the three reasons for our existence is "to engage in political and legislative action." The USW has given us a number of ways to do this. One of the ways SOAR members can be involved is by participating in an online membership survey currently accessible on the uswvoices.org website. Information on how to access this survey is available in the beginning of this newsletter. This survey asks you to identify priorities regarding important issues facing working and retired Americans today. As you know, the USW endorses candidates, not parties. Therefore, candidates must commit to supporting the core issues deemed important by our members. In April, the USW will begin holding town hall meetings to hear from our members so they can weigh in on the matters we consider most important to us. I encourage SOAR members to participate in these meetings when scheduled in your area. In May, the SOAR Executive Board will meet in Washington, D.C., and then participate in the USW Rapid Response, Legislative and Policy Conference. One of the tools SOAR representatives will be armed with when meeting with our elected representatives to discuss the issues our union has identified as a priority is their voting record compiled by the Alliance for Retired Americans, whose mission is "to protect and expand retirement security for all Americans." The Alliance publishes all U.S. senators’ and representatives’ annual and lifetime voting records on key retirement security issues. Learn more about the 2023 Congressional Voting Record on page 11 of this newsletter. SOAR Chapters will soon be asked to get involved in helping to elect candidates whose values best align with ours as a union and who support our position on issues determined to be important by our members. SOAR members can volunteer by attending rallies, making phone calls, helping to write postcards to our members, and writing letters to the editor to ensure our members understand who stands with us on our issues and who does not. The link for signing up to volunteer to write postcards is already active on the uswvoices.org website. Whether taking the survey, participating in a town hall meeting, or writing postcards, SOAR members have plenty of opportunities to engage in political and legislative action. -Bill Pienta, SOAR President — Apr 2
United Steelworkers Press Releases Feed
- Big Union Energy: Next Generation of USW Activists Rise Up
- Meet District 8 Civil and Human Rights Coordinator Michael Lewis
- USW leaders meet with SOEPU activists in Argentina to strengthen global solidarity
- Local 1557’s Renee Hough reflects on how the union helped her find freedom from abuse
- April Update from SOAR President Bill Pienta