Milton Simmons is the Triangle of Prevention (TOP) representative at United Steelworkers (USW) Local Union 9-675, representing members at 3M in Guin, Ala. Simmons is also an active worker-trainer for the Tony Mazzocchi Center (TMC) with experience in TOP courses, Incident Investigation, Near-Miss Prevention and more. Simmons shared his solidarity poems with us in order to add to our #TMCtogether initiative, which aims to being us all together even though we are apart during the coronavirus pandemic. Thank you, Milt!

United Steelworker Proud

Sweat, blood, and long hours – will it end?
Death, mutilation, pain and for little pay,
Not much quality of life is it my friend?
Safety? What safety, I just hope to live another day.

Working hard is a family tradition, in my genetics as is dying,
But I long for my children to have a life better than me.
The company says, “We will take care of you.” – are they lying?
A job well done, pat on the back, but crippled in old age looks like what I will see.

For generations this cycle has ran its course,
Long hours, for my family, how I wish to do better,
But stuck in this never ending circle of bad to worse,
A broken down man, - I can see how it will end down to the letter.

A Union! Did I hear correctly? I now know there is hope,
Is it true? United Steelworkers we are to vote,
Is it a dream that maybe I am not at the end of my rope,
I hear that a brave group has met, a list they wrote.

A list of change, a list for safety no less,
A list of demands, benefits and better pay,
YES is the vote, a brotherhood and sisterhood, Unity for progress,
Thank you United Steelworkers, it is now a better day!

Solidarity

What good is the Union, you might ask
I know my company has my best interest at heart
Could there be something dark behind their mask?
I say the company is the ultimate thespian playing a villainess part
The bottom line and in profits the company will bask
The Union has an answer to this question at hand
Strength in numbers is comfort they say
Solidarity is the battle yell, worker’s rights is the cry across the land
Empowerment at our feet will lay
From struggles of warriors’ past
Brotherhood – Sisterhood, we come together as one
On mounts of sweat, blood and tears will forever last
Steelworkers will battle, the work is never done
The weak will say, Activism is for the others you know
The strong will answer with action and a plan
United Steelworkers empowered with knowledge to grow
To fight for our rights – United WE Stand!
Safety, training, and knowledge is power
We will own it, and show it as our decree
Our time has come, it is our finest hour
United Steelworkers roots are deep as a trusty ole oak tree
To the...

Whoever frames the debate wins the argument. I first heard Tony speak those words over 20 years ago. There was a group of us (there was always a group of us) standing around a kitchen counter in a Florida hotel suite listening to Tony’s words of wisdom.

When he said that, something just clicked. Over the last two decades I have used these words as the guiding principal for my approach as a union activist.

In around 2000 I was handling an arbitration for a member who had been fired. Chester (who showed up to his arbitration dressed like a cowboy) was a maintenance mechanic assigned to an equipment room that housed a huge compressor.

The compressor suffered $20,000 worth of damage when it threw a rod that blew a massive hole in the side of the machine.

The company blamed Chester for the event and fired him. With Tony’s voice in my head, I reframed the question to point to the machinery as the culprit rather than the operator. The arbitrator accepted our frame of the question and we won the arbitration, including full back pay.


Thank you, Tony.

Learn more about Tony Mazzocchi by clicking here.

Hero photo (The Immortal Tree) courtesy of Kristina Mazzocchi.

Members and Retirees of Local 5328

Good evening all. 

 A lot of changes the last few months! As you see on the schedule, the company is ramping up jobs to have stock to ship during the shutdown as they say business has picked up. 

 The company has indicated business will pick up in the next month or so. For next week, there are 17 recalls. 

 The company will not be running any production jobs during the shutdown but will require 13-15 people for utilities and confined space for furnace. A sign up list will be posted for those with no vacation to cover the summer and winter shutdowns. 

 Pays are becoming an issue again!! Please go over your pays with a fine tooth comb!!! It’s your money!! 

 Be aware that the company is having a supervisor park himself at the cleaning lines to monitor loads, breaks, lunches and relief on days and afternoons, mainly on the cleaning line but watching bundling and wiredrawing as well. 

 Do not use your cell phone on the job, running or not! Watch attendance! They are monitor everyone and if you have excessive days off, they will schedule a meeting with you and ask you to come up with a plan to fix your absenteeism and sign a letter. You are not obligated to sign anything except the deduction of union dues when you are hired. 

 This is not the same company/management style we are used too! 

 Due to Covid, we are not able to conduct normal union business or memberships meetings. We try and meet the company when needed but we, the grievance committee, did schedule a meeting with the company yesterday, that they cancelled!! 

 On a lighter note, congratulations to Jon Ehler on his retirement!! Jon decided a few weeks ago to pack it in and enjoy life!! Jon,  Local 5328 wishes you a happy and healthy retirement!! Enjoy Brother! 

 Have a great and safe weekend! 

In solidarity,

Anthony Ciaramella 
President
USW Local 5328