AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 1

MICHAEL H. BOLTON, DIRECTOR

DISTRICT 2 CONTACT INFORMATION A Message from Michael Bolton Independent added, ―There are times when I USW District 2 Office disagree with (Clinton was a U.S. 1244A Midway Road The 2016 Democratic Menasha, WI 54952 Senator from New York). But, let me tell you, (920) 722-7630 Convention got off to a rocky whatever our disagreements may be, I have come Northern WI & MI Sub-District Office start last month following 1244A Midway Road here to tell you, we must put them aside for the Menasha, WI 54952 the release of thousands (920) 722-7630 good of our country.‖

Southern WI Sub-District Office of emails stolen from 1126 South 70th Street the Democratic National Bloomberg continued his speech advising the Suite N509A West Allis, WI 53214 Committee’s computers by audience that, ―As an Independent, an (414) 475-4560 Russian hackers. The emails entrepreneur, and a former mayor, I believe we Northern MI Sub-District Office 503 North Euclid Avenue were embarrassing, but also need a president who is a problem solver, not a Suite #10 - Euclid Plaza Bay City, MI 48706 indicated that some higher ups in the party were bomb thrower. We need someone who can bring (989) 667-0660 actively involved in an effort to discredit the members of Congress together to get things done. Southern MI Sub-District Office 20600 Eureka Road, Suite 300 presidential campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders. And I know Hillary Clinton can do that because I Taylor, MI 48180 (734) 285-0367 Because the committee is supposed to remain saw it firsthand.‖ neutral, Sanders’ supporters were understandably USW District 2 The former Mayor wrapped up his remarks by Council Steering Committee upset by the information divulged by the emails. saying that Hillary Clinton is the responsible choice The District 2 Council By-Laws established a However, as the Convention moved forward, District 2 Council Steering Committee comprised of for President and encouraged all Americans to visit a rank and file structure. It was set up to assist in delegates appeared to be putting the debacle the following: their city or county clerk’s office to register to vote  Development of agenda for Council Conference. behind them and coming together in their resolve to ● Planning of the District Council Conference Educational and then be sure to vote on November 8. Conferences. keep a Democrat in the White House. ● District 2 strategic planning. ● Determining and assessing educational needs within the During the Convention a lot of Steelworkers got District. Probably the most disappointed people in  Generating and leading activism and other purposes their first chance to meet the candidate Clinton consistent with the mission and directives of District 2 Philadelphia were Senator Bernie Sanders’ and the USW. selected to serve as Vice President, U.S. Senator The elected members of the Steering Committee supporters. The Vermont Senator ran an excellent are listed below by manufacturing sector. If you Tim Kaine. The 58 year old native of St. Paul, MN, need to contact a Steering Committee Member, campaign. However, he fell short of the number of please do so by using the email provided below. is the oldest of three sons born to Mary and Albert delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination Name LU# Sector Email Address Kaine, Jr. He comes from a working class

Steel and for President. But Bernie wasn’t wasting time Hawley Warren 1299 [email protected] Related household where mom worked as a home feeling sorry for himself, and he told his supporters Dennis DeMeyer Jr. 2-15 Paper [email protected] economics teacher while dad owned and ran a they shouldn’t be doing that either. He urged Kevin Bishop 1533 Amalgamated [email protected] successful Union welding shop. Automotive 2-232 [email protected] Jesse Edwards Related delegates, ―If you don’t think this election is

Chemical & 12075 [email protected] The Kaines moved to Kansas City where Tim Kent Holsing Energy Related important, if you think that you can sit this one out,

Mary Jane Holland 9184 Health Care [email protected] take a moment to think about the Supreme Court completed his primary education. After serving a

John Mendyk 12934 Public [email protected] Justices will nominate and what that stint as a lay Jesuit Missionary in Honduras, Kaine Dave Page 1327 At Large [email protected] would mean to civil liberties, equal rights and the returned home and met his future wife, Anne At Large future of our country.‖ Holton. The pair moved to her hometown of Jim Whitt 2-145 Allied Industrial [email protected] Richmond, VA, where they received law degrees But Sanders wasn’t the only one warning of the from Harvard. Spurred on by his father-in-law, risks of a Trump presidency. Former New York City is published by the Linwood Holton, a former Republican Governor of Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, a registered United Steelworkers District 2 Virginia, Tim ran for Richmond City Council and AFL-CIO·CLC Independent, cautioned listeners, ―Through his won. He later went on to win elections as mayor, MICHAEL H. BOLTON, Director career, Trump has left behind a well documented 1244A Midway Rd., Menasha, WI 54952 Virginia Governor and as a U.S. Senator from the (920) 722-7630 record of bankruptcies, thousands of lawsuits, angry same state. The Senator is one of only 30 Contributors to this issue include: shareholders, contractors who feel cheated and Lori Gutekunst; Jay McMurran; Tammy Duncan; individuals in U.S. history to serve terms as a Carol Landry, USW Int’l Vice President; Hillary Clinton; customers who feel ripped off. Now Trump says he Cindy Czappa; USW Media Department; Mike Browne, Mayor, Governor and U.S. Senator. As mayor and History Channel; One Wisconsin Institute; New York Times wants to run the nation like he’s running his William J. Broad, David E. Sangeraug, governor, he racked an impressive record of Articles and photos are welcome business. God help us.‖ and should be sent to: accomplishments. Art Kroll, Editor, District 2 News He went on to say that as a big city mayor he 20600 Eureka Road, Suite 300, Taylor, MI 48180 During his acceptance speech at the Convention, [email protected] • 734-285-0367 has had disagreements with both political parties, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016, is the deadline for Kaine stated, ―If you want to know the character of submissions for the next issue. which probably accounts for his status as a former somebody in public office, look to see if they have a Democrat and Republican. The now registered — Continued on Page 2 —

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 2

Did you know? A Message from Director Bolton — continued passion that began long before they were in office and that they have consistently held it throughout their careers.‖ He went on to say, ―Folks, Hillary Clinton has a passion for kids and families. She has battled to put kids and family first since she was a teenager.‖ He added that the former First Lady continued that fight as a lawyer for the Children’s Defense Fund and in the White House where she led the successful effort to provide health insurance coverage for over 8 million low income children. He closed his remarks by saying that Hillary still has that passion today and, if elected President will put it to work for you and your family. Confirming that Clinton-Kaine would be kids and families first was a program Vice President talked about during his address to the convention. Joe, a close friend of the United Steelworkers Union, briefly discussed the ―New College Compact‖, which was developed jointly by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. If passed, it would save parents and students thousands of dollars. The program would make community college free to all students and allow students to attend a four year public college debt free. That would include a tax credit of up to $2,500 per student and would be paid for by closing certain tax loopholes available to the wealthy. Joe Biden is probably one of the most effective public speakers in Washington, DC. I know I would not want to speak after him. But the next speaker gave the Vice President a run for his money. That speaker was, of course, President . The President, who despite being her political opponent just eight years earlier, left little doubt who he was supporting this November. The President said, ―You know there is nothing that truly prepares you for the demands of the Oval office. Until you’ve sat at that desk, you don’t know what it’s like to manage a global crisis, or send young people to war. But Hillary has been in the room; she’s been part of those decisions. She knows what’s at stake in the decisions our government makes for working families, senior citizens, small business owners, soldiers and the veterans. Even in the middle of a crisis, she listens to people, keeps her cool and treats everyone with respect. And no matter how daunting the odds, no matter how much people try to knock her down, she never, ever quits.‖ Obama went on to say, ―That’s the Hillary I know. That is the Hillary I have come to admire. And that’s why I can say with confidence there has never been a man or woman more qualified than Hillary Clinton to serve as President of the of America.‖ I have to say that I share the President’s confidence in Secretary Clinton. She gets bad wrap, which I don’t think she deserves. But that is what happens when you are For more on the history of the in the public eye and make decisions that affect others. You make a call, people photograph above, go to page 10 &11 disagree with you and they get mad at you. And in this day of the 24 hour news cycle

and people having the ability to communicate with thousands of people at one time, if The Union Plus Credit Card program. someone is mad at you -- a lot of people are likely to hear about it.

With 3 card choices - designed to meet the needs of union members. All with competitive rates, U.S. based customer I just hope that our members will look beyond the reputation her right wing service and more. Plus, exclusive hardship grants for eligible cardholders*. opponents have created and see the experience that she brings to the table. As a The Union Plus Credit Card Program is designed to member of the President’s Cabinet, Hillary knows how to make critical decisions and meet the needs of hard-working union members and their families. how to defend those decisions under fire. Then as U.S. Senator, she came to To apply by phone, call: 1-800-522-4000. understand how the legislative process works and learned to build bipartisan support for important legislation. And as a First Lady, she witnessed first-hand the inter

working of international relations and learned the importance of protocol and United Steelworkers District 2 traditions when dealing with foreign dignitaries. In short, if elected, she can hit the AFL-CIO·CLC MICHAEL H. BOLTON, Director, 1244A Midway Road, Menasha, WI 54952 ground running - helping us stop TPP and get the working class growing again. (920) 722-7630 Faced with challenges in her favorability polling numbers, Senator Clinton was HAVE YOU BEEN TO DISTRICT 2’S looking to hit a home run during her Convention speech. I believe she accomplished FACEBOOK PAGE? www.facebook.com/USWDistrict2 her goal. In contrast to the dark picture Donald Trump painted of the country, the former Secretary acknowledged, ―Yes. We have issues. But America doesn’t need — Continued on Page 3 —

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 3

A Message from Director Bolton — continued one person to be made great again. We already are!‖ The theme that I took away from Hillary’s speech was that America is at its greatness when we pull together for the common good. Regarding the threat of domestic terror attacks, Clinton told convention goers, ―We are clear eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid. We will rise to the challenge, just as we always have.‖ To reassure those at the convention center and watching on television that America still has a bright future, Senator Clinton said, ―I want to tell you tonight we are going to empower all Americans to live better lives. My primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States. From my first day in office to my last. Especially in places that for too long have been left out and left behind. From our inner cities to our small towns, Indian Country to Coal Country. From the industrial Midwest to the Mississippi Delta to the Rio Grande Valley.‖ While Republican nominee has been using rhetoric to divide Americans, Clinton sought to pull the country together saying, ―Every generation of Americans has come together to make our country freer, fairer and stronger.‖ For months Trump has been telling voters that America has problems that only he has the ability to resolve. Like earlier this year when he said he was the only person who knew how to find the money to sustain our current Social Security system. And last week he stated America is a divided crime scene that only he can fix. To remind us that no one human being has all the answers, Hillary concluded her remarks by saying, ―Not of us can do it alone. And that is why we are stronger together.‖ All in all, I would say the Democrats, despite facing two huge hurdles (the DNC email leak and disappointed Sanders supporters), put together a winning program and displayed incredible unity heading into the fall elections. In closing, I would like to ask each of you to join with me in supporting Hillary Clinton for President. Our country is faced with many serious issues. Those issues include: terrorism, jobs, stagnant wages, establishing new trade policies, making Social Security and Medicare solvent again, education and Union rights. All of them are important and we cannot take the chance of leaving such a risky person as Donald Trump to address them. Hillary Clinton has the experience, the ability and the passion to work with us to keep America moving forward.

Local 59 Helps Support a Local Neighborhood Table

On March 17th and July 19, 2016, USW Local 59 helped their community by funding a meal for the needy. The meal is served at a local church in Wisconsin Rapids for people who are less fortunate in the community although everyone is welcome. Help also came from the Neighborhood Table Coordinator, who plans the meal to be served. The local then gets volunteers from their membership and family members to help in performing the duties needed for this day. Some of the tasks are: preparing the meal; setting tables; serving beverages and desserts; greeting guests and serving guests at the tables; cleaning up and clearing tables and of course dish washing duties. This is just one of the ways Local 59 tries to give back to the community.

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 4 2016 District 2 Calendar of Events JANUARY 15–18 Martin Luther King Jr. Civil & Human Rights Conference JUNE Washington Hilton, 1919 Connecticut Avenue NW • Washington, D.C. 7–8 Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (NMI) 22 WOS Quarterly Meeting Great Hall Banquet & Convention Center, 5121 Bay City Rd • Bay City, MI Milwaukee Area Labor Council Building, 633 S. Hawley Road • Milwaukee, WI 9–10 Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (SMI) 26 WOS Quarterly Meeting Village Conference Center, 1645 Commerce Park Drive • Chelsea, MI Ronn Hall (USW Local 4950 Hall), 1206 Baldwin Avenue • Negaunee, MI 14–15 Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (NWI) Riverwalk Hotel, 123 E. Wisconsin Avenue • Neenah, WI 29 WOS Quarterly Meeting 16–17 Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (SWI) Kronenwetter Village Hall, 1582 Kronenwetter Drive • Kronenwetter, WI Olympia Resort & Conf. Center, 1350 Royal Mile Rd. • Oconomowoc, WI 17 WOS Quarterly Meeting FEBRUARY USW Dist. 2 Southern MI Office, 20600 Eureka Rd., Suite 300 • Taylor, MI 20–24 USPA – 50 Years of Telling the USW Story 3 WOS Quarterly Meeting Wyndham • Pittsburgh, PA USW Local 2-148 Hall, 1201 Gillingham Road • Neenah, WI 24 WOS Quarterly Meeting 8 LM Review Session Dog Scouts of America - MI Camp, 5040 E. Nestel Road • St. Helen, MI USW Local 2-21 Hall, 1201 Sheridan Road • Escanaba, MI 30 WOS Quarterly Meeting 9 LM Review Session Kent Ionia Labor Hall, 918 Benjamin Ave NE • Grand Rapids, MI Kronenwetter Village Hall, 1582 Kronenwetter Drive • Kronenwetter, WI 10 LM Review Session JULY Lucky Dog’z Labor Temple, 157 S. Green Bay Road • Neenah, WI 12–13 2016 National Oil Bargaining Conference 11 LM Review Session Sheraton Station Square - Pittsburgh, PA Milwaukee Labor Council Building, 633 S. Hawley Road • Milwaukee, WI 22 WOS Quarterly Meeting Milwaukee Area Labor Council Bldg, 633 S. Hawley Rd • Milwaukee, WI MARCH 29 WOS Quarterly Meeting Kronenwetter Village Hall, 1582 Kronenwetter Drive • Kronenwetter, WI 1 LM Review Session USW Local 12075 Hall, 3510 James Savage Road • Midland, MI AUGUST 2 LM Review Session American Legion Hall, 10 Mason Street • Manistee, MI 22 WOS Quarterly Meeting - 2nd Annual Princess Mud Run Mosquito Hill Nature Center, N3880 Rogers Road • New London, WI 3 LM Review Session Teamsters Local 7 Hall, 3330 Miller Road • Kalamazoo, MI 4 LM Review Session SEPTEMBER USW Dist. 2 Southern MI, 20600 Eureka Road, Suite 300 • Taylor, MI 6 Presidents Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon) 7–10 USW International Women’s Conference Next Generation Meeting (1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.) USW Local 12075 Hall, 3510 James Savage Road - Midland, MI Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh, 600 Commonwealth Place • Pittsburgh, PA 7 Presidents Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon) 21 Presidents Meeting/Next Generation Meeting (900 – noon) Next Generation Meeting (1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.) Ronn Hall (USW Local 4950 Hall), 1206 Baldwin Avenue • Negaunee, MI USW Local 1299 Hall, 11424 W. Jefferson Ave. - River Rouge, MI 22 Presidents Meeting/Next Generation Meeting (9:00 – noon) 8 Presidents Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon) Fraternal Order of Eagles, 1104 S. Oak Avenue • Marshfield, WI Next Generation Meeting (1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.) 23 Presidents Meeting/Next Generation Meeting (9:00 – noon) USW Local 2-1010 Hall, 718 Shoppers Lane - Kalamazoo, MI Lucky Dog’z Labor Temple, 157 S. Green Bay Road • Neenah, WI 12–16 USW Health, Safety and Environment Conference 24 Presidents Meeting/Next Generation Meeting (9:00 – noon) Westin Convention Center - Pittsburgh, PA Milwaukee Area Labor Council, 633 S. Hawley Road • Milwaukee, WI 20 Presidents Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon)

Next Generation Meeting (1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.) APRIL Ronn Hall—Local Union 4950, 1206 Baldwin Ave. - Negaunee, MI 1 WOS Quarterly Meeting 21 Presidents Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon) USW Dist. 2 Southern MI Office, 20600 Eureka Rd., Suite 300 • Taylor, MI Next Generation Meeting (1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.) 4–7 USW Paper Sector Bargaining Conference Fraternal Order of Eagles, 1104 S. Oak Ave. - Marshfield, WI Westin Convention Center and Hotel, 1000 Penn Avenue • Pittsburgh, PA 22 Presidents Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon) 6 WOS Quarterly Meeting Next Generation Meeting (1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.) Kent Ionia Labor Hall, 918 Benjamin Ave NE • Grand Rapids, MI Lucky Dogz Labor Temple, 157 S. Green Bay Road - Neenah, WI 8 WOS Quarterly Meeting 23 Presidents Meeting (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon) USW Local 12075 Hall, 3510 James Savage Road • Midland, MI Next Generation Meeting (1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.) 8 WOS Lock-In Milwaukee Area Labor Council, 633 S. Hawley Road - Milwaukee, WI USW Local 12075 Hall, 3510 James Savage Road • Midland, MI 25–30 WOS Leadership Development Course - Levels 1 & 2 The Waters of Minocqua, 8116 Hwy 51 South • Minocqua, WI 11 Presidents Meeting/Next Generation Meeting (9:00 – noon) Teamsters Local 7 Hall, 3330 Miller Road • Kalamazoo, MI 27 WOS Quarterly Meeting Holiday Inn Express, 1110 Century Way • Houghton, MI 12 Presidents Meeting/Next Generation Meeting (9:00 – noon) USW Local 12075 Hall, 3510 James Savage Road • Midland, MI 12 WOS Quarterly Meeting OCTOBER Central Community Center (old elementary school), 413 Maple St. • Munising, MI 31–Nov 4 Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (WI) Dates and Locations to be determined (Neenah & Oconomowoc, WI) 13 Presidents Meeting/Next Generation Meeting (9:00 – noon) USW Local 1299 Hall,11424 W. Jefferson Avenue • River Rouge, MI 25–27 USW Rapid Response & Legislative Conference NOVEMBER Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street • Washington DC 28–Dec 2 Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (MI) Dates and Locations to be determined (Midland & Chelsea, MI)

MAY DECEMBER 4–8 USW District 2 Council Conference 5–9 USW Civil Rights Conference Hyatt Regency, 333 West Kilbourn Avenue • Milwaukee, WI Sheraton Birmingham Hotel - Birmingham, AL

This schedule is designed to assist in planning this year’s events. However, there is a possibility dates and/or locations could change due to unforeseen circumstances. Please watch your mail and email for notices as each event draws near. An up--toto--date calendar can be found on our website and will be published monthly in our electronic newsletter.

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 5

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 11, 2016 CONTACT: Wayne Ranick (412) 562-2444, [email protected]

GMP Approves Merger with USW

(Pittsburgh) -- The Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International Union (GMPIU) overwhelmingly approved a merger with the United Steelworkers (USW) at its 75th quadrennial convention, both unions announced today. The merger unites two historic international unions with complimentary memberships in the United States and Canada. ―The GMP is itself the product of many mergers, and each one made the GMP stronger and better,‖ said GMPIU International President Bruce R. Smith. ―We expect history to repeat itself with the USW merger.‖ The GMP, headquartered in Media, Pa., represents some 25,000 craft and industrial workers primarily in glass, foundries, molding, plastics and pottery as well as ceramics, china, fiberglass and insulation, and other industries. ―The merger will undoubtedly strengthen and benefit our members in the glass industry and beyond,‖ said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. ―The GMP shares our goals and will be a vital part of the USW.‖ The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations. ―We are all committed to building a better, stronger union,‖ said USW International Secretary-Treasurer Stan Johnson. ―We want our members to enjoy the best possible wages, benefits, workplace safety protections and retirement in their industries and workplaces.‖ # # #

USW Local 59 Women of Steel Committee Helps the Wood County Humane Society

USW Local 59 Women of Steel Committee held a pet drive for the South Wood County Humane Society. They placed collection boxes at entrances to the Domtar Mill in Nekoosa, WI. In those boxes, fellow union members and salaried employees brought in donations like pet food, bedding, cleaning supplies, treats, toys and paper. USW Local The committee then delivered it the humane society. It was a great success. It's just a small way to this group project helped in the community. The South Wood County Humane Society shelter houses dogs, cats, kittens, puppies, a rabbit and a guinea pig. All the mentioned animals received a donation from this collection event, even the guinea pig!

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 6

USW International Union Vice President At Large Carol Landry’s Remarks at the ERT Training at Linden Hall, Dawson, PA, on August 3, 2016

About 80 times since January, our ERT folks did something I lived in dread of having to do every minute that I was the president of my local union - answered a call telling them a worker had been seriously injured or killed on the job. I want to share a story with you. Shortly before the holiday season in 1998, I was asked to go to our local at the Polaris Mine on Little Cornwallis Island in the Northwest Territories. If you look on a map, you will find it just 100 km northwest of Resolute – pretty much in the middle of nowhere – heck, it is in the middle of nowhere. Land of eternal winter, polar bears and beautiful northern lights. I went there to provide some Steelworker training to our local union activists who worked at the zinc mine there. Working at Polaris meant you lived at the mine for 8 weeks then went home for 4 weeks. Living at Polaris meant everyone lived in one large complex, built on stilts to avoid the huge snow drifts and hungry polar bears who liked to bury themselves in the snow drifts close to the buildings in CAROL LANDRY the hopes of getting some scraps from the garbage – or the leg of a human, whichever presented itself first. USW International Vice President At Large While there, I spent a lot of time chatting with the local union president, Eric. Two fairly new local union presidents, both working for Cominco and coming from the mining industry, we had lots to talk about. We finally got around to talking about what we found most stressful in our jobs as presidents – and we both came up with the same fear in the roles we might have to play in our position: getting that call from the mine site that one of our members had been killed on the job. How would we deal with it? The thought of having to go to the site to view the accident; and worst of all – having to go to the member’s family to give them the news. A few short weeks after I left Polaris, my phone rang one morning at the office and when I picked up, the caller said, ―Hello Carol. This is Eric. I got the call.‖ And for a moment I had no idea what he was talking about – then I remembered our conversation about our greatest fear. And Eric proceeded to tell me the story of the brother who had lost his life during the night at the mine. I have another memory of my visit to Polaris. The morning I was leaving, I had to get up early to catch the plane back to Resolute. As I was sitting in the lobby of the complex, one of the workers came along and we started to chat. I found out he was from Nova Scotia, which gave us lots to talk about, me coming from Newfoundland. You Canadians will understand that. I asked him if he was on shift that day and he said no. I asked him why he was up so early and he said he couldn’t sleep. He was too excited. I asked him why. We were getting close to Christmas and this year he was going home for the holidays. You see if you worked in Polaris, you didn’t get to go home every Christmas. The shift rotation got you home for Christmas every 4 years and this was his year. He and his wife hadn’t told the kids he would be home for Christmas. He would fly in late on Christmas Eve, go home after the kids were in bed and surprise them in the morning under their family tree. Yes, he was so excited about it, he couldn’t sleep. When I asked Eric the name of the brother who had been killed that night, and when he told me, I knew Wayne was going home for Christmas but he would not be surprising his kids

under the Christmas tree. The picture of Wayne, standing in that foyer, grinning from ear to ear as he told me his plans for Christmas, is a picture that has never left my mind. And every time I hear of one of our members being killed on the job, I think of him. And I think what it would be like if I had been the one who had to take that message to his wife and girls just days before Christmas. And our ERT people, many of you included, had to deliver that message some 80 times last year. Nothing I did over the past 12 months can even be compared to the strength and courage you have shown, as you visited worksites where members were injured or killed; the times you had to visit a family and help them find the strength and courage to make it through their greatest loss.

— Continued on Page 7 —

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 7

USW International Union Vice President At Large Carol Landry’s Remarks at the ERT Training at Linden Hall, Dawson, PA, on August 3, 2016 — continued

I wanted to share that story with you today for a couple of reasons: first of all, so you would know how much your work is appreciated, of course by the workers and families themselves, but also by the USW as a whole. And secondly, to let you know that the USW recognizes and acknowledges that you are called upon as part of your work to face the most difficult and stressful times we face as an organization – the tragic loss of a member. We cannot rest till those dreaded calls stop. There are many unions that can brag about how good they are and how well they take care of their members – and I don’t doubt that. But sisters and brothers, we are the only union that takes care of our members when they are sick or hurt – and are there for their families when a loved one is seriously injured or killed on the job. Our ERT program is just one more example of something good that came out of one of our many mergers – our merger with PACE. And it has evolved over the years as our Union evolved and grew and as the needs of our members changed. Going from a staff of 3 to 42 and moving from a program that was available only in the U.S., now we have trained staff in the three districts in Canada as well. One of the things that I have learned from Al and Duronda is that you don’t just show up when the incident happens and then leave right after. You are there for the families and co-workers when everyone else has gone – when most have forgotten it and moved on with their lives. – everyone that is except the families. You stay in touch with the families to continue to offer help and support. And all too often, we tend not to think about the co-workers and first responders when someone is critically injured or killed on the job - the emotional impact it has on them. Again, something I learned from Al and Duronda, the need for assistance for those folks as well. They are also survivors who are often left struggling with the loss of a union sister or brother, a co-worker, a community member; or the impact of having to continue to work where an accident has occurred. Through the work you have done in the ERT program, many of us have learned about post-traumatic stress and how it relates back to co-workers’ injuries and deaths. Al shared with the Executive Board the study that was done on workers where significant injuries or deaths had occurred; that study showed that those members experience higher incidents of PTS disorder than police, firefighters or even the military. Telling you my story about losing the brother in Polaris and my fears about being put in a position where I would have had to deal with one of my local members being seriously injured or killed, well, that’s a pretty good indication to me that I would probably not be very effective to do what you all do. And I am certainly not the only person in our Union who feels like that. And I want that to be a message to you as well. This type of work is NOT for everyone. And that’s okay. Sure, we all have compassion and sympathy, even anger, when someone is hurt or k illed on the job; we have compassion and sympathy for their families. But it takes more than that to be an advocate for them. I tell you this because if you find this work is not for you, don’t feel bad, don’t feel guilty, don’t think you are weak. Just recognize the fact that it is not something you are comfortable with doing; there are lots of other roles you can play to help our memb ers in their time of need. Al tells me there is a sabbatical program build into our ERT program to help you deal with burn out. Take advantage of that program if you need it. It’s there because we recognize the toll this type of work can have on a person. Sometimes you need someone to talk to; someone to help you through the rough spots; no matter how tough you may think you are, you cannot do this work day in and day out without a good support system for you as well. If there was any job I would like to see no longer needed within our union, it is yours. But unfortunately, I don’t see that happening in the near future. Not as long as we have employers who refuse to meet their legal – and moral – obligations to provide safe working conditions for all workers. Not as long as employers continue to put profit and productivity over the safety of workers. Not as long as those right-wing politicians refuse to do their jobs by passing stronger safety standards and regulations and make bad employers accountable when workers are injured or killed on the job. I do want to take a moment to say a special thank you to Al and Duronda for the leadership roles they play in our ERT Progr am right across all our Districts. They make sure that we continue to provide top quality training for all of you with regular upgrad e of skills, knowledge and materials. And I know they also provide the kind of support you need as you go about your work. As I said, it takes very special kinds of people to do this work – it also takes some very special leaders – and we are so fortunate to have Al and Duronda. So thank you for all you do for our members and their families. Thank you for bringing a little light and hope to them in their times of greatest need. As Steelworkers and as advocates for health and safety of working people, we cannot rest till the day comes when every single worker makes it home, safe and sound, to their family every night.

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 8

Debate Over Trump’s Fitness Raises Issue of Checks on Nuclear Power—By William J. Broad & David E. Sangeraug Hillary Clinton has fueled a debate over whether her rival for the presidency, Donald J. Trump, is fit to command America’s atomic forces. ―Imagine him in the Oval Office facing a real crisis,‖ she said in her address at the Democratic convention last week. ―A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.‖ This portrayal has become such an issue in the campaign that President Obama was asked about it at a news conference on Thursday, where he echoed Mrs. Clinton’s concerns. Her charge raises a question: Is there any check on a president’s power to launch nuclear arms that could destroy entire cities or nations? The short answer is no, though history suggests that in practice, there may be ways to slow down or even derail the decision-making process. No one disputes, however, that the president has an awesome authority. If the United States appeared to be under nuclear assault, the president would have minutes to decide whether the threat was real, and to fire as many as 925 nuclear warheads with a destructive force greater than 17,000 Hiroshima bombs, according to estimates by Hans M. Kristensen, the director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, a private group in Washington. The commander in chief can also order the first use of nuclear weapons even if the United States is not under nuclear attack. ―There’s no veto once the president has ordered a strike,‖ said Franklin C. Miller, a nuclear specialist who held White House and Defense Department posts for 31 years before leaving government service in 2005. ―The president and only the president has the author ity to order the use of nuclear weapons.‖ Washington keeps details of the nuclear chain of command and its workings secret. The spokesman for the National Security Council, Ned Price, refused to say whether any other member of the chain of command could stop a presidential order to use nuclear weapons. Mr. Trump has expressed a deep concern about the power of nuclear weapons in recent interviews, and argued that the nuclear command and control system was so antiquated that some sites still used floppy disks. (He was right, according to an inspector general’s report.) He has not explained under what circumstances he might use nuclear weapons, nor has he ruled out using them first. Asked in an interview in March whether he would ever use nuclear weapons in a conflict in which the United States was not f irst attacked with atomic arms, he said he would do so as ―an absolute last step.‖ ―I think it’s the biggest, I personally think it’s the bigge st problem the world has, nuclear capability,‖ he added. He then turned the subject to climate change. Yet in a March interview on MSNBC, Mr. Trump asked. ―Somebody hits us within ISIS, you wouldn’t fight back with a nuke?‖ He added, ―I would never take any of my cards off the table.‖ Mrs. Clinton has herself taken hawkish positions in the past. During her bid for the presidential nomination in 2007, she refused to exclude the possible use of nuclear arms against terrorists. Mr. Obama had ruled out such a step against Osama bin Laden, then in hiding. Mrs. Clinton portrayed herself then as the more experienced candidate. Presidents, she declared, ―should be careful at all times in discussing the use and nonuse of nuclear weapons,‖ adding that she would not address hypothetical questions. ―Presidents since the Cold War have used nuclear deterrents to keep the peace,‖ she said, ―and I don’t believe any president should make blanket statements with the r egard to use or nonuse.‖ But just a year earlier — before running against Mr. Obama — she seemed to have a different view. Asked about how the Bush administration should try to confront the Iranian nuclear program, she said: ―I would certainly take nuclear weapons off the table. This adm inistration has been very willing to talk about using nuclear weapons in a way we haven’t seen since the dawn of a nuclear age. I think that’s a t errible mistake.‖ This issue of nuclear arms does not rank at the top of voter concerns, but polls suggest the advantage on this issue is shi fting in Mrs. Clinton’s favor. This week, a Fox News poll found that voters had more faith in her ability to handle decisions on nuclear weapons than Mr. Trump, 56 percent to 34 percent. In mid-May, when Fox News first asked the question, the margin in Mrs. Clinton’s favor was half as large. This is not the first time nuclear weapons have been an issue in a presidential race. In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson, in his campaign against Barry Goldwater, broadcast — just once — a television ad that showed a little girl counting flower petals in a field moments before a mushroom cloud filled the screen. In movies and popular culture, the president is depicted as having a finger on the button. In fact, there is no button, but rather a vast complex of rules and equipment, including careful procedures for the military to authenticate the identity of the commander in chief. The president’s emergency satchel — a black briefcase full of war plans, authentication codes and communication devices — follows him (or her) just about everywhere, carried by an aide trained in the procedures. The president’s authority over nuclear decision-making challenges the Constitution’s clear declaration that only Congress holds the power to declare war. In practice, the arrival of the nuclear age dismantled the traditional rules by rewriting the timelines of war. It would take 12 minutes or less for weapons fired from submarines to reach Washington, and 30 minutes for warheads from most intercontinental missile s. Bombs dropped by aircraft, if they could pierce the country’s air defenses, would take only hours. As a result, Congress began delegating the powers of nuclear war-fighting to the president, starting with Harry S. Truman — the only president who has ever ordered a nuclear strike against another nation. In real life, the lines of authority have blurred — markedly so during the Nixon administration, when there were at least two instances in which top officials tried to slow, or undermine, the president’s nuclear authority. The first came in October 1969, when the president ordered Melvin R. Laird, his secretary of defense, to put American nucle ar forces on — Continued on Page 9 —

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 9

Debate Over Trump’s Fitness Raises Issue of Checks on Nuclear Power—continued

high alert to scare Moscow into thinking the United States might use nuclear arms against the North Vietnamese.

Scott D. Sagan, a nuclear expert at Stanford University and the author of ―The Limits of Safety,‖ a study of nuclear accide nts, said Mr. Laird tried to ignore the order by giving excuses about exercises and readiness, hoping that the president who sometimes embraced t he ―madman theory‖ — let the world think that you are willing to use a weapon — would forget about his order. p Murray (1886-195 But Nixon persisted. Dr. Sagan reports that during the operation, code-named Giant Lance, one of the B-52 bombers carrying thermonuclear arms came dangerously close to having an accident. Then, in 1974, in the last days of the Watergate scandal, Mr. Nixon was drinking heavily and his aides saw what they feared was a growing emotional instability. His new secretary of defense, James R. Schlesinger, himself a hawkish Cold Warrior, instructed the military to divert any emergency orders — especially one involving nuclear weapons — to him or the secretary of state, Henry A. Kissinger. It was a completely extralegal order, perhaps mutinous. But no one questioned it. ―Although Schlesinger’s order raised questions about who was actually in command,‖ Eric Schlosser writes in ―Command and Co ntrol,‖ a 2013 book, ―it seemed like a good idea at the time.‖ Experts agree that the real nightmare of nuclear command centers not on launching attacks, but responding to them. In a rec ent memoir, William J. Perry, secretary of defense to President Bill Clinton, called it ―the immense peril we face when in mere minutes o ur leaders must make decisions affecting the whole planet.‖ In 1980, Zbigniew Brzezinski, the national security adviser to President Jimmy Carter, was awakened by news of an impending nuclear attack that was lighting up the screens at the military’s early-warning command centers. He asked the military officer who called him for more information and confirmation. The next call said that the attack involved not just submarines but thousands of warheads fired from land-based missiles. As Mr. Brzezinski prepared to phone the president, the officer called again to say it was all a mistake — a computer had generated a false alarm. The episode poses the ultimate question for a new administration, a set of judgments that the president, the secretary of defense and the national military command often rehearse in secret, especially at the beginning of a presidency. Because all warning systems are subject to error, the president has to decide, often in minutes, whether to ―launch on warning,‖ to ―launch on attack‖ or — perhaps the hardest decision of all — to absorb a first nuclear attack rather than risk launching on false information. In the case of Mr. Trump, some members of the Clinton campaign have raised a different fear: that the man who regards himse lf as America’s best negotiator may try to use the threat of employing nuclear weapons as a bargaining chip. This week, Joe Scarborough on MSNBC’s ―Morning Joe‖ said that Mr. Trump had asked an unnamed adviser what the utility of nu clear weapons was if no one was willing to use them. The Trump campaign denies that. Some who have discussed nuclear strategy with Mr. Trump — often in the context of the Iran deal signed last summer — said that he had never expressed a desire to use such weapons, but lacked knowledge of the history of deterrence, and that the negotiator in h im seemed interested in the question of whether the United States should ever threaten to use its arsenal. That threat alone, of course, could have tremendous consequences. It could give another country a motive to invest in a nuclear arsenal. Or if — like North Korea or Pakistan — it already possesses nuclear weapons, the threat could prompt the country to use them pre-emptively. As long ago as 1984, when he was a 38-year-old developer, Mr. Trump told reporter Lois Romano that he would like to be the negotiator on nuclear weapons with the Soviets. “Some people have an ability to negotiate,” he told her. “It’s an art you’re basically born with. You either have it or you don’t.” He assured her he could learn about missiles quickly. “It would take an hour and a half to learn everything there is to learn about missiles.… I think I know most of it anyway,” he said. Decades of arms reductions, and President Obama’s oft-stated goal of making nuclear weapons less central to American defenses, have put only a modest dent in Washington’s ability to initiate the unthinkable. Some scholars (and Wikipedia entries) insist that a system of checks and balances puts the secretary of defense in the decision loop. But Bruce G. Blair, a research scholar at Princeton University who as an Air Force officer would have launched a nuclear missile if an order had come from the president, said that rule applied in the silos but not at the t op of the command chain. ―There’s nothing the secretary of defense can do,‖ Dr. Blair, who wrote a book on nuclear command and control, said in an interview. ―He has no authority to refuse or disobey that order.‖ Mr. Sagan, the Stanford expert, agreed, but noted that there were other ways for the secretary of defense to slow things do wn. ―I think we’d be in uncharted waters if a president ordered the use of nuclear weapons and the secretary of defense refused to concur,‖ he said. ―This has never happened.‖ No one, he added, could predict what would ensue if the nation’s top defense official tried to declare that the pr esident was unfit to issue such an order. ―In some scenarios,‖ Mr. Sagan added, ―such as an unprovoked nuclear attack by a president in peacetime, a constitutional c risis would be more likely than a prompt following of rules regarding succession and command authority.‖

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 10

This Month in Labor History: Social Security Act of 1935

On this day in 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs into law the Social Security Act. Press photographers snapped pictures as FDR, flanked by ranking members of Congress, signed into law the historic act, which guaranteed an income for the unemployed and retirees. FDR commended Congress for what he considered to be a ―patriotic‖ act. Roosevelt had taken the helm of the country in 1932 in the midst of the Great Depression, the nation’s worst economic crisis. The Social Security Act (SSA) was in keeping with his other ―New Deal‖ programs, including the establishment of the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, which attempted to hoist America out of the Great Depression by putting Americans back to work. In his public statement that day, FDR expressed concern for ―young people [who] have come to wonder what would be their lot when they came to old age‖ as well as those who had employment but no job security. Although he acknowledged that ―we can never insure one hundred percent of the population against one hundred percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life,‖ he hoped the act would prevent senior citizens from ending up impoverished. Although it was initially created to combat unemployment, Social Security now functions primarily as a safety net for retirees and the disabled, and provides death benefits to taxpayer dependents. The Social Security system has remained relatively unchanged since 1935.

PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENT SIGNING THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT - AUGUST 14, 1935

Today a hope of many years' standing is in large part fulfilled. The civilization of the past hundred years, with its startling industrial changes, has tended more and more to make life insecure. Young people have come to wonder what would be their lot when they came to old age. The man with a job has wondered how long the job would last. This social security measure gives at least some protection to thirty millions of our citizens who will reap direct benefits through unemployment compensation, through old-age pensions and through increased services for the protection of children and the prevention of ill health. We can never insure one hundred percent of the population against one hundred percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life, but we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age. This law, too, represents a cornerstone in a structure which is being built but is by no means complete. It is a structure intended to lessen the force of possible future depressions. It will act as a protection to future Administrations against the necessity of going deeply into debt to furnish relief to the needy. The law will flatten out the peaks and valleys of deflation and of inflation. It is, in short, a law that will take care of human needs and at the same time provide the United States an economic structure of vastly greater soundness. I congratulate all of you ladies and gentlemen, all of you in the Congress, in the executive departments and all of you who come from private life, and I thank you for your splendid efforts in behalf of this sound, needed and patriotic legislation. If the Senate and the House of Representatives in this long and arduous session had done nothing more than pass this Bill, the session would be regarded as historic for all time.

AUGUST, 2016 • VOLUME 6, ISSUE 8, PAGE 11

Hillary Clinton Statement on Social Security Act Anniversary

For Immediate Release, August 14, 2016 Contact: [email protected]

Today, on the 81st anniversary of the Social Security Act, Hillary Clinton issued the following statement:

“For eighty-one years, Social Security has been America at its best. It reflects our shared belief that every American should be able to retire with dignity after decades of hard work. That no American should face poverty because he or she is disabled. That we are stronger together.

“Social Security benefits 59 million Americans today—but Republicans are relentlessly trying to attack and undermine this bedrock American guarantee. They want to cut benefits and gamble seniors‟ retirement security on the stock market through privatization.

“And Donald Trump is no different—just look who he chose as his running mate. Mike Pence spent his time in Congress championing efforts to dismantle Social Security—and to privatize it even faster than President George W. Bush and Paul Ryan proposed.

“We cannot and we will not stand for that. When I served in the Senate, I helped lead the fight against the Bush privatization scheme. Instead of cutting or privatizing Social Security, we will defend and expand it.

“When President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law, he said it „represents a cornerstone in a structure which is being built but is by no means completed.‟ Social Security works, but we can make it better. Millions of women—and men—who are widowed or who take time out of the paid workforce to raise a child or care for a sick family member are being left behind. As President, I‟ll ex- pand benefits to cover these hardworking Americans, because no one should have to live in poverty because their spouse died or they did the vital work of taking care of a loved one.

“Social Security isn‟t just a program—it‟s a promise. And I won‟t stop fighting until every American shares fully in that promise.” ###

Social Security Act Signing Ceremony—AUGUST 14, 1935

There were many photographs taken of the Social Security Act signing ceremony. The posing was different in many of the photographs and in no single photograph are all the participants visible. This composite photograph shows all of the participants in a single image.

1. Rep. Jere Cooper (D-TN) 8 . This individual is presently unknown. 15. Rep. David J. Lewis (D-MD)

2. Rep. Claude Fuller (D-AR) 9 . Sen. Robert LaFollette, Jr., (PROG-WI) 16 . Sen. Byron Patton "Pat" Harrison (D-MS)

3 . Rep. Robert Doughton (D-NC) 10 . Rep. John Dingell, Sr. (D-MI) 17. Sen. Joseph Guffey (D-PA)

4. Rep. Frank Buck (D-CA) 11. Sen. Augustine Lonergan (D-CT) 18. Senator Edward Costigan (D-CO)

5. Rep. John Boehne, Jr.(D-IN) 12 . Frances Perkins 19. Rep. Samuel B. Hill (D-WA)

6 . Sen. Robert Wagner (D-NY) 13. Rep. Frank Crowther (R-NY) 20. Rep. Fred Vinson (D-KY)

7 . Sen. Alben Barkley (D-KY) 14. Sen. William H. King (D-UT) 21 . President Franklin D. Roosevelt.