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.
No Vote Until NAFTA is Fixed! Please join us August 20th for a National Day of Action.
For a quarter-century, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has failed workers. CEOs continue to shutter factories in the U.S. while pursuing low wages and lax environmental standards as they set up shop in Mexico. For those U.S. workers who hang on to their jobs, there is still downward pressure on wages and benefits from this lopsided playing field. In Mexico, workers struggle to make gains.
Just ask Mickey Ray Williams, President of USW Local 12. He keeps a tire in his conference room as a reminder. It’s an Assurance All-Season tire that was first developed at Goodyear’s Gadsden factory in 2014, the same facility where Williams has worked for 17 years, following in his father’s footsteps, who retired from the plant after 36 years. Now, possibly all of these tires are being built in a brand-new, half-billion-dollar plant in San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
At the very same time, Williams is dealing with Goodyear’s decision to lay-off his members. You see, at his plant, a U.S. worker makes around $24 an hour. In Mexico, Goodyear pays workers less than $2 an hour for the same work. This broken system isn’t designed to benefit workers here or in Mexico. It’s designed to maximize corporate profits.
In addition to the need for labor enforcements, a renegotiated NAFTA must also fix the monopoly rights for pharmaceutical corporations that would allow them to keep drug prices sky high (more info at usw.to/meds). We have the opportunity to do this right.
On Tuesday, August 20th, Dial your U.S. Representative toll-free: 866-202-5409
Dear Brothers and sisters on Thursday 8-14 and Friday 8-15 the bargaining committee met with the company represenitives. The Company represenatives were Thomas M. Wynne VP and General Counsel, William M. Thornton CFO and Jason Toth Director of training for Interlakes. The union participants consisted of Gary Dubey Wheelsman from the boats Jamie Wakler International Represenative and myself. We discussed local issues such as training, safety and other local issues. We also exchanged proposals on 8-14-2019 the company returned on 8-15- 2019 without much of a response. So far very little has been accomplished.We have not set a date as of yet to meet again with interlakse. We are asking everyone to stand strong in solidarity and to be patient. To try and get a fair deal will take time and your committee is working towards that goal. Gary Dubey was a good asset to have at the table to help in the bargaining. Up next is Key Lakes on 8-20, 8-21 and 8-22. We are also trying to get a date to continue to bargain with central Marine. we are not giving details out yet on our proposals since nothing has been finalized. As bargaining goes on we will do our best to update you.