Two bus loads of delegates filled with curious labor leaders from around the globe crossed the river from the AFL-CIO October 2017 Convention in St Louis, arrived for a tour of the idled steel mill and a tour of the historic Tri Cities Labor Temple in Granite City.
They fell silent during a first-hand tour of the idled mill as they dwelled on the local families who have been impacted by overcapacity and loosely enforced trade agreements. Those global unionists who signed up for the tour are all too familiar with the negative consequences of globalization and faulty free trade agreements as they too have witnessed similar circumstances in their home countries.
This event was an extension of an ongoing effort to build global alliances among unions. The USW is a founding member of IndustriALL, a worldwide labor federation established in 2012 that represents more than 50 million workers in 600 unions from 140 countries around the world. By reaching out to fellow workers across national boundaries, U.S. unions have been able to gain new leverage in what has otherwise been an era of stagnant wages and a deteriorating standard of living with problems compounded by lousy trade deals. The idled Granite City Steel plant was exhibit number one for the very attentive tour group to witness first hand.
USW District 7 Sub-2 Director Dave Dowling welcomed the group with a historical presentation. Many of the delegates had interpreters on hand or mobile interpretation devices as Dowling spoke of the growth in manufacturing and the unions influence during Granite City’s formative years during the early 1900’s. Dowling also described the history of The Tri Cities Labor Temple. He told the group how Granite City’s manufacturing and population growth in the early 1900’s created the need for a central meeting place as the influx of European immigrants settled in the tri cities area and unions were so prevalent. He spoke about the history of a building committee formed in 1917 that was composed of members from the 59 labor organizations that once called the Labor Temple home and how those representatives from a cross section of industries and ethnicities created a construction plan with the building finally completed in 1919 with donated time by union members.
Looking through the camera lens, I found it fascinating to watch the convention delegates, labor leaders from around the world as they surveyed the building pulling out their cameras taking pictures of the displays within a building where many elements offer the appearance of time stood still. As the tour walked from room to room, the delegation remained wide eyed as if the building was a renowned museum of labor history. This really helps one to step back and place perspective on the relevance of what all SOAR members have experienced and from what we have learned from previous generations regarding the influences originating from that structure; those alliances and solidarity which had formed over the years leading to generational rewards of collective bargaining that provided us with a decent standard of living and a better life for our children.
USW President Leo Gerard and many other USW luminaries were accompanied by groups like the London based Human Rights Development Foundation which provides legal representation for migrant workers; the Central Trades Union Organization from Kenya; the president of the largest union in Morocco; the near legendary leader of the metal and mineworkers union of Mexico, Los Mineros’ Napoleon Gomez along with labor leaders from Bosnia, Turkey, Columbia, Australia, the President of the Metal workers of Brazil, all big deals in their part of the world. Pretty amazing coalition of people all fighting for the same issues as steelworkers, all joining as one in our town, our building as they build programs to combat damage inflicted by multi-national corporation on workers in the global race to the bottom.
USW President Leo Gerard mentioned more than once, “We are not fighting among workers in other nations. We are fighting to stop rigged trade rules that reward corporate greed, improve labor standards in trade agreements and global overcapacity that destroys your communities as well as those in the US.”
An event similar to this group most likely will never again be repeated in Granite City, but the global coalitions will carry on with their common goals. Meantime, pictures of the Labor Temple are now being shared in union halls around the globe. That’s pretty cool stuff!
If any of you are on Facebook, and you have not joined the USW District 7 SOAR Group, I encourage you to submit a request to be added to that group. Once there, go back on the timeline to October 23 and you can see the pictures I posted of this event for yourself.