-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
April Update from SOAR Director Julie Stein Your Union, Your Voice Based on the cover of this newsletter, you've likely concluded that our union is embarking upon another round of the Your Union, Your Voice campaign. Our union first launched Your Union, Your Voice in 2020 to ensure USW members' and retirees' opinions were reflected at every level of our union's work. We circulated a union-wide membership survey and held dozens of town hall meetings, providing valuable opportunities for our district directors, other elected union leaders and staff to hear what was on our members' and retirees' minds. Because this feedback proved so vital in shaping our union’s work, we repeated this effort in 2022 (see the results on page 9 of this newsletter), and it continues to inform our efforts as we head into 2024. Beginning in April, USW districts will again hold town hall meetings in locations across the United States. All USW members, retirees, and families are welcome to attend and participate in these important discussions. Additionally, our union has launched another membership survey to gauge our members' and retirees' views on some of the biggest issues facing working and retired Americans today. You can access the survey here. Town hall meetings will be posted on this website, publicized through our social media channels, and shared by USW districts. Our common values, such as fair pay, safe workplaces, a secure retirement, and vibrant communities, connect us as union members. Please take the time to attend a town hall meeting, participate in this survey, and share this information widely throughout your SOAR chapters and fellow USW retirees and families. — Apr 2
United Steelworkers Press Releases Feed
- 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
- April Update from SOAR Director Julie Stein