We are the United Steelworkers, North America’s largest industrial union. We’re 1.2 million members and retirees strong in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. We proudly represent men and women who work in nearly every industry there is.
Our Local union's membership meeting will be on the 18th. We'll be meeting at 5:30pm in Hall A in the basement of the Duluth Labor Temple. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend.
We will be holding a vote on the Tentative Agreement between Local 9460 and Ecumen Lakeshore on Thursday, Feb. 20. We'll be in the Gales room (which is next to the Chapel) from 6am to 3pm. Copies of the TA and ballots will be handed out on site, and the Committee will be hand if you have any questions. You must be present to vote. Hope to see you there!
ECUMEN: Local 9460 and Ecumen Lakeshore have reached a tentative agreement in our contract negotiations. The TA is for a 3 year contract containing a 13% raise (6% for year one, 4% for year two and 3% for year three). There is also an increase in preceptor pay from 50 cents an hour to $1/hr, and new language allowing workers to decline up to 3 mandates a year. We will be holding a vote on the Tentative Agreement on Thursday, Feb. 20. We'll be in the Gales room (which is next to the Chapel) from 6am to 3pm. Copies of the TA and ballots will be handed out on site, and the Committee will be hand if you have any questions. You must be present to vote. Hope to see you there!
/*C*hem Lab Operator- FSP//Rolling Mill Operator- FSP//Mill Controller- HSP//Mill Assembler- HSP//Mill Operator- HSP//If you would like to bid but are unable to do so at the MARC kiosk because of quarantine, please call the number below and leave a message.//All bid by phone voicemails should include the occupation, your name, clock number and AIN number located on the back of your badge. All voicemails need to be left while the bids are active to be valid.//Thank you,//330-471-3353/
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/*C*hem Lab Operator- FSP//Rolling Mill Operator- FSP//Mill Controller- HSP//Mill Assembler- HSP//Mill Operator- HSP//If you would like to bid but are unable to do so at the MARC kiosk because of quarantine, please call the number below and leave a message.//All bid by phone voicemails should include the occupation, your name, clock number and AIN number located on the back of your badge. All voicemails need to be left while the bids are active to be valid.//Thank you,//330-471-3353 /
/*C*hem Lab Operator- FSP//Rolling Mill Operator- FSP//Mill Controller- HSP//Mill Assembler- HSP//Mill Operator- HSP//If you would like to bid but are unable to do so at the MARC kiosk because of quarantine, please call the number below and leave a message.//All bid by phone voicemails should include the occupation, your name, clock number and AIN number located on the back of your badge. All voicemails need to be left while the bids are active to be valid.//Thank you,//330-471-3353/
/*C*hem Lab Operator- FSP//Rolling Mill Operator- FSP//Mill Controller- HSP//Mill Assembler- HSP//Mill Operator- HSP//If you would like to bid but are unable to do so at the MARC kiosk because of quarantine, please call the number below and leave a message.//All bid by phone voicemails should include the occupation, your name, clock number and AIN number located on the back of your badge. All voicemails need to be left while the bids are active to be valid.//Thank you,//330-471-3353/
Your Bargaining Committee met with the Rogers Committee earlier this week. YOUR committee tabled a comprehensive package that would address the disparities with every other certification (Surrey, Vancouver & IBEW contracts).
Unfortunately, Rogers continues to act like your previous employer Shaw, with the same bargaining team, and the same disappointing and disrespectful tactics from Shaw. Sadly, we have come to expect these behaviours from this employer, and are prepared to fight back.
After two days of bargaining, the emerging theme from the employer towards you can be summed up in one word - Isolation. They want to keep Abbotsford isolated from the other two USW Certs of Surrey and Vancouver. In the same breath they tabled language from the Surrey/Vancouver contracts but without the Surrey/Vancouver wages. In 2025 Abbotsford will be behind all USW Union Certs by close to $4 per hour for Journeymen and $2.50 per hour for Installers!
Abbotsford members work shoulder and shoulder in the others’ areas, which is masked as “regional teams”, without the equal Abbotsford representation or monetary compensation. We say, the same work for the same pay. The same KPI’s for the same pay. The same treatment with the same pay.
The Shaw bargainers claim a mandate to keep Abbotsford isolated from Surrey and Vancouver, but want to make sure that the contractors that come in to your jurisdiction area have abundant protections. These contractors often have similar skillsets and are subject to the same KPIs, but have higher wage rates.
Your committee is pushing back on these tactics and has made it clear: "We Won't Be Bullied!"
We are committed to securing fair wages, fair treatment, and a fair contract—one that recognizes the work you do and the value you bring.
Stay engaged, stay united, and be ready to take action. The strength of our bargaining position comes from you, the members. Together, we will fight for the contract you deserve.
Our next bargaining dates are scheduled for the end of February. Stay tuned for updates, and let’s keep up the momentum.
“Workplace safety and health is only improved when it is based on the perspectives and input of those who are best-informed about the barriers to their own safety and health,” Green-Hawkins said.
“Workplace safety and health is only improved when it is based on the perspectives and input of those who are best-informed about the barriers to their own safety and health,” Green-Hawkins said.
The U.S. labor force has increased and diversified over previous decades. *Employers must adapt to the growing work force and ensure that ALL workers are protected.*
The U.S. labor force has increased and diversified over previous decades. *Employers must adapt to the growing work force and ensure that ALL workers are protected.*
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*References*
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¹DEATH ON THE JOB THE TOLL OF NEGLECT A NATIONAL AND STATE-BY-STATE PROFILE OF WORKER SAFETY AND HEALTH IN THE UNITED STATES 33RD EDITION • APRIL 2024. (n.d.). https://aflcio.org/sites/default/files/2024-04/2411%20DOTJ%202024%20DIG%20NB%20REV.pdf [1]
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²Shakesprere, Jessica, et al. Racial Equity and Job Quality Causes behind Racial Disparities and Possibilities to Address Them. Sept. 2021.
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³Seabury, Seth A., et al. “Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Frequency of Workplace Injuries and the Prevalence of Work-Related Disability.” Health Affairs (Project Hope), vol. 36, no. 2, 1 Feb. 2017, pp. 266–273, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6198680/, https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2016.1185. Accessed 1 July 2020.
Black and Latino workers are dying of work-related injuries and illnesses at higher rates than all other workers.
In 2022, the most recent data available, the fatality rate for Black workers was the highest it has been in nearly 15 years¹. Latino workers faced the greatest risk of dying on the job compared to all other workers¹. The job fatality rate for Latino workers has risen 24 percent over the past decade¹. Of the 1,248 Latino workers killed on the job in 2022, 60 percent were immigrants¹.
The occupational injury, illness and fatality rates across the board continue to get worse for Black and Latino workers every single year at alarming numbers. So, why is this? There is no single decision, person or policy to blame. Research to identify causes is woefully lacking on this important topic. Often, studies do not even include representation of many ethnic groups, including Indigenous people, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Latinos².
Despite this, here’s what we know:
Racial disparities in occupational health are shaped by a number of interrelated components, including social, economic and environmental factors2. These disparities have been largely driven by:
Historical inequalities
Systemic racism
Differences in access to healthcare, education and employment opportunities²,³.
In addition, minority workers, especially those in non-unionized workplaces, are less likely to report unsafe conditions or speak out about unsafe conditions due to fear of retaliation by their employer¹. Further research shows that Black and Latino workers are overrepresented in high-risk occupations more than other groups¹. This segregation by race into more dangerous industries and occupations plays a substantial role in driving fatality rate disparities. Many workers of color are disproportionately represented in temporary, part-time or contract work, which typically lack benefits like health insurance, sick leave or retirement plans¹. Research on the COVID-19 pandemic suggests that workers of color were more negatively impacted by the virus due to unequal access to personal protective equipment (PPE), paid leave and health insurance².
Lastly, language barriers in the workplace also create significant challenges that directly affect occupational safety and health, particularly among immigrant workers. These challenges include policies/procedures only offered in one language, miscommunication in training, and lack of translated safety and health materials in general.
Tackling these issues requires addressing broader structures of inequality, advocating for targeted policies, utilizing legal enforcement when possible and continuing to organize union...