Tom Conwayth Becomes the USW’S 8 International President
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A magazine for the United Steelworkers October 2019 SPECIAL ELECTION ISSUE TomUSW’s New International Conway President USW@Work Welcoming a New USW President, October 2019 Official Publication of the United Steelworkers in Canada Thomas M. Conway International President Fighting for Progressive Government Ken Neumann National Director for Canada was proud to be part of a historic ceremony on July 15 Stephen Hunt District 3 Director in Pittsburgh for the swearing in of Thomas M. Conway Alain Croteau District 5 Director as the eighth International President of our great union. Marty Warren District 6 Director IFormerly a Vice-President of our union for 14 years, Tom John Shinn Int’l Secretary-Treasurer David McCall Int’l Vice-President (Administration) is a skilled leader and a champion for our members and Fred Redmond Int’l Vice-President (Human Affairs) working people everywhere. Tom is the Roxanne Brown Int’l Vice-President at Large President that Steelworkers need to Leeann Foster Int’l Vice-President lead our union into the future. The leadership transition in July was bittersweet as it marked the retire- ments of two great Canadian and international labour leaders – Leo W. Gerard and Carol Landry. Leo, our International President for 18 years, and Carol, the first woman to serve as a USW Interna- USW Canadian Leaders: Marty Warren, Ken Neumann, tional Vice-President, Alain Croteau, Stephen Hunt provided our union Editor and Department Head: Bob Gallagher Contributing Editors: Shannon Devine, with tremendous Clairandrée Cauchy, Dominique Fontaine, leadership, Kim Hume, Daniel Mallette, Denis St. Pierre, Pat Van Horne, Scott Weaver, Brad West vision and Designer: Lesley Stodart inspiration. Direct inquiries and articles for USW@Work to: United Steelworkers Communications and Political Action Department [email protected] www.usw.ca uswmetallos @SteelworkersCA Join our online community of activists. Printed on USW-certified paper. COVER PHOTO: Thomas M. Conway, incoming USW International President and Ken Neumann, USW National Director at the union’s international headquarters in Pittsburgh. nted w ri it P h Ink V B i g si r i t w .o e o ww apim l .n b Renewa Certified Reg#Sun391 MAIL PUBLICATION AGREEMENT #40006737 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: United Steelworkers Communications Department 234 Eglinton Ave. E., 8th Floor, Toronto, ON M4P 1K7 Welcoming a New USW President, ELECTION 2019 Fighting for Progressive Government Election Report Card Elections matter Grading the parties p. 4 While Leo and Carol have retired, they will both be voting in the Oct. 21 Canadian federal election. That’s because elections matter and Steelworkers vote. Leader Profiles In this election, Canadians need leadership that Singh, Trudeau, Scheer, May p. 6 is on our side, that will defend our jobs and take meaningful action on critical issues facing working people. Candidate Profiles NDP is on our side Given what has happened over the last four years, p. 8 I urge you as a USW member to vote for the New Democratic Party candidate in your riding. Here’s why: Justin Trudeau and the Liberals are the government of Activists broken promises. In the last election – as they always USW members get political do – the Liberals made promises straight out of the p. 10 NDP policy book. But once in power they governed much like the Conservatives – to serve corporations Voting Guide and the wealthy elite. What you need to know to vote Over the last four years, only the NDP has consistently p. 12 shown that it is fighting for Steelworkers and all working families. Only the NDP stood with Steelworkers from Day 1 in fighting steel and aluminum tariffs and opposing New USW Int’l President Thomas M. Conway takes the helm NAFTA2, particularly while the illegal tariffs remained p. 13 in place. Only the NDP stood with Steelworkers and workers across the country to fight rampant pension theft Our Heroes: Leo & Carol A tribute as leaders retire in corporate bankruptcies. The NDP, led by MP and p. 14 Steelworker Scott Duvall, introduced legislation to protect workers and pensioners – but it was opposed by Liberals and Conservatives. ABI Workers Ratify Only the NDP and Leader Jagmeet Singh are Local 9700 returns to work p. 16 proposing policies that put workers first, like the New Deal for People that will create hundreds of thousands of good, sustainable jobs. Hot Edict So let’s not be fooled. Let’s vote for our principles and Local 1-1937 fights for rights for hope for a better future. Let’s choose the party p. 19 that’s on our side – Jagmeet Singh and the NDP. Solidarity for Health and Safety In solidarity, Local 7085 stands strong p. 20 Inquiry Demands Action Ken Neumann USW responds to MMIWG report National Director p. 23 Report Card GOOD JOBS on the Issues USW has graded the parties on the issues that matter to Steelworkers. The NDP gets better grades because its policies will do more for workers than what we’ve A+ D- F seen from Liberals or Conservatives. NDP will create ȩ Signed bad ȩ Failed to hold 300,000 good jobs, trade agreements foreign corporations particularly clean- negotiated by accountable for their energy jobs Conservatives (CETA, jobs promises, like Will require TPP) U.S. Steel all infrastructure ȩ Overrode ȩ Legislatd Air VOTE projects use Canadi- collective Canada and postal an-made steel and bargaining by workers back to work Election Day aluminum legislating postal ȩ Ignored worker Commits to workers back to work protections in trade Mon., Oct. 21 ban replacement ȩ Delayed agreements (NAFTA, workers promise to ban CETA, TPP, etc.) unpaid internships RECONCILIATION NDPA+ will fully ȩ BungledD- the ȩ ChronicallyF implement the National Inquiry underfunded vital #LiberalBrokenPromises UN’s Declaration into Missing and services for Indig- Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have broken many of the on the Rights of Murdered Indig- enous peoples promises made during the 2015 election. Indigenous Peoples enous Women and ȩ Announced ȩ ABANDONED electoral reform and Reconciliation Girls funding for 25,000 ȩ REFUSED to end pension theft Commission’s 94 ȩ Fired Jody homes but fewer ȩ MAINTAINED subsidies to oil and gas companies Calls to Action Wilson-Raybould, than 100 were built ȩ BACKED AWAY from ban on assault-style rifles Commits to the first Indigenous ȩ Conservatives ȩ investing in children Attorney General in the Senate SHELVED implementing federal fair-wage policy and ending funding and kicked her out delayed bill to ȩ CONTINUED elitism and entitlement discrimination of the Liberal caucus implement UN’s ȩ OVERRULED collective bargaining for doing her job Will immedi- Declaration on the ȩ NO FRAMEWORK for Indigenous governance ately invest to end ȩ Fought Human Rights of Indigenous ȩ all drinking water Rights Tribunal Peoples and caused UNFAIR TAX BREAKS, mainly to over $200K earners advisories by 2021 decision in court it to die The government’s own “mandate tracker” website on funding child includes five election promises under the status “Not welfare services being pursued.” 4 USW@WORK • October 2019 • www.usw.ca TRADE PENSIONS A D- F NDP is the ȩ Accepted ȩ Conserva- NDPA+ MP and ȩ RefusedD- to ȩ StephenF only party that bad trade deals tives negotiated Steelworker Scott support NDP or Harper pushed back stood with USW in negotiated by Canada-European Duvall proposed a Bloc bills that put retirement age to rejecting NAFTA2, Harper Conserva- Union Trade law to put retirees retirees first when 67, a two-year delay particularly while tives (TPP and CETA) Agreement (CETA) first in corporate companies go for Old Age Security illegal steel and ȩ Rammed threatening bankruptcies bankrupt and Guaranteed aluminum tariffs through secretly health-care system NDP commits ȩ Liberal Income Supplement remained in place negotiated TPP, and Canadian jobs to making workers Finance Minister ȩ Ended lifetime Always puts killing tens of ȩ Negotiated the top priority for Bill Morneau pensions for injured people before thousands of job-killing trade repayment sideswiped labour veterans providing corporations Canadian jobs deals in secret NDP will stop by introducing Bill only a lump sum Will modernize ȩ Signed NAFTA2 including CETA the move towards C-27 to bring in ȩ 20,000 Steel- the Investment without securing and TPP, putting target pensions that target-benefit plans worker pensioners Canada Act to removal of illegal corporate profits threatens defined in the public sector lost health benefits protect Canadian U.S. tariffs as a ahead of jobs and benefit plans Following Sears thanks to Harper’s opportunity bankruptcy, failed to jobs signing condition secret deal with U.S. strengthen laws to Steel protect pensioners HEALTH CARE HOUSING A+ D F NDP commits ȩ Liberals ȩ Allowed NDPA+ consis- ȩ DelayedD- ȩ StephenF Harper to universal promised pharmacare Canada Health tently supports National Housing cut social housing pharmacare by but delivered only Accord with the investments in social Strategy – most subsidies in 2013 2020, covering studies and delay provinces to expire, and affordable funding only begins and chronically everyone ȩ Continued leading to provincial housing after election underfunded Will include Harper’s erosion by disparity and creeping Commits to ȩ Parliamentary housing programs dental and vision not renewing the privatization creating 500,000 Budget Officer said ȩ Initially care for all Health Accord ȩ Abandoned units of affordable strategy would invested in social Will immedi- ȩ Continued federal leadership housing in the next reduce funding to housing and home ately increase Harper’s health care role on health care 10 years needy households ownership, then cut funding and funding formula Will provide ȩ Liberals ended these programs resources towards immediate relief for federal housing the opiod crisis families struggling program under Paul to afford rents Martin USW@WORK • October 2019 • www.usw.ca 5 The 2019 federal election is about issues but it’s also about the leaders – their qualities, track record and where they stand on the issues that matter to working people.