CONWAY TAKES THE HELM 6 LEADERSHIP CHANGES 4 UNION CRAFTSMANSHIP 24 LEO W. GERARD: SOUL OF A UNION MAN 14 59563_USW_WORK_Mag_Summer19.indd 1 7/29/19 10:29 PM “I WILL DO EVERYTHING I POSSIBLY CAN DO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO BE A GOOD UNION. I WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN … WE’RE GOING TO FIGHT. WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WIN.” INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT THOMAS M. CONWAY, JULY 15, 2019. CURRENT INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD THOMAS M. CONWAY International President JOHN SHINN Int’l. Secretary-Treasurer DAVID R. McCALL Int’l. Vice President (Administration) FRED REDMOND Int’l. Vice President (Human Affairs) KEN NEUMANN Nat’l. Dir. for Canada LEEANN FOSTER Int’l. Vice President LEADERSHIP CHANGES EXCELLENCE REFINERY FIRE ROXANNE BROWN Thomas M. Conway was sworn in as USW members at Interior Crafts are Quick work by Local 10-1 members Vice President at Large the USW’s eighth International Presi- proud of making fine furniture at one helped to save Philadelphia residents dent on July 15. He succeeded Leo W. of the last large-scale furniture shops from a life-threatening catastrophe DIRECTORS Gerard, now president emeritus. in Chicago. at an oil refinery. Now, they have to DONNIE BLATT 04 24 fight to keep their jobs. District 1 28 MICHAEL BOLTON District 2 STEPHEN HUNT FEATURES District 3 SPEAKING OUT TRADE WATCH NEWS BRIEFS DEL VITALE USW active, retired members and The Alliance for American Manufac- Kevin Johnsen to lead Rubber/Plastic District 4 their families are invited to “speak turing warns that China is trying to Industry Council. A federal court over- ALAIN CROTEAU out.” Letters should be short and to take over the market for transit cars turns efforts to relax an Obama-era District 5 the point. We reserve the right to and buses. safety inspection rule for miners. MARTY WARREN edit for length. 26 Some 235 members of Local 12-1 District 6 03 are back on the job at Dow Chemical in Texas. USW members ratified new MIKE MILLSAP District 7 contract with Appalachian Regional Healthcare. ERNEST R. “BILLY” THOMPSON COVER 32 District 8 New International President COMMUNICATIONS STAFF DANIEL FLIPPO Thomas M. Conway 04 JIM McKAY JESS KAMM BROOMELL AARON HUDSON AND GREG COLE District 9 Editor Director of Communications Graphic Designers PHOTO BY ERICA DIETZ. BOBBY “MAC” McAULIFFE CHELSEY ENGEL, LYNNE HANCOCK, R.J. HUFNAGEL, TONY MONTANA, BARBARA WHITE STACK AND INTERN KATHLEEN MACKEY District 10 EMIL RAMIREZ USW@Work (ISSN 1931-6658) is published four times a year by the United Steelworkers EMAIL: [email protected] District 11 AFL-CIO•CLC 60 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Subscriptions to non-members: $12 for one MAIL: USW@Work year; $20 for two years. Periodicals postage paid at Pittsburgh, PA and additional mailing offices. 60 Blvd of the Allies ROBERT LAVENTURE Pittsburgh, PA 15222 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: USW@Work, USW Membership Department, District 12 60 Blvd. of the Allies, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 USW@WORK RUBEN GARZA Volume 14/3 Copyright 2019 by United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO•CLC. All rights reserved. No part of this Summer 2019 District 13 publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the United Steelworkers. 2 USW@Work • Summer 2019 59563_USW_WORK_Mag_Summer19.indd 2 7/29/19 11:56 PM SPEAKING OUT Champion for Workers the civil rights that unions have fought for, our nation would Leo Gerard is a champion for workers. I knew it the first die on the garbage heap of corporate greed. time I heard him speak. I lost my job in a factory 20 years ago The fight for the future of this country is a moral fight. because of NAFTA and unfair trade. President Becker and Unions are our best hope, and I believe God is calling us as then Secretary-Treasurer Gerard asked me to stand with them people of faith to support and help organize unions. in Seattle against the WTO and NAFTA. So, I went to Seattle The Rev. Dr. Ron Wanless and protested in the streets with my fellow union brothers and Ligonier, Pa. sisters. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and it was an honor to stand up against something that has been so Flag Folding wrong for American workers. The picture on page 25 of the spring edition of When I returned home, my life was changed. When USW@Work showing how to fold a flag is wrong. No folded something I believe was wrong, I spoke out and said why. I flag should show any red. I was told that red would signify understand the power of politics and how it impacts workers’ blood. lives. So, I ran for Ohio State Senate. If one is going to talk David Taylor the talk then walk the walk, right? East Chicago, Ind. Thank you, Leo Gerard, for all you have done, your long hours of dedication, your passion for workers and your loyal- Editor’s note: The written instructions with the photo correct- ty to what is right. You have helped workers in so many ways ly say only a triangular blue field of stars should be visible on you will never know about because of your commitment to a folded flag. We regret choosing a stock photo that showed educate workers of their rights in the workplace. You have some red. always been a champion and you will always continue to be a champion. Making Tires in Akron Mary Fleure I am a member of GMP Local 419, now USW, at the Homer Attica, Ohio Laughlin China Co., in Newell, W.Va., working almost 30 years. In my mail box a few days ago, I received my union Thanks for the Good Life magazine. I read it and was fascinated with the article on the Firestone Tire Co., in Akron, Ohio. I was born in Barberton, I got married when I was 17 and worked two jobs to make Ohio, and raised as a youngster in Akron. My late grandfather, ends meet. My wife worked full time too. Then she suggested I Homer W. Carpenter, worked at Firestone for many years. find a job that paid well enough so she could stay home with our It was so good to see Firestone is strong and building a children. new factory, guaranteeing jobs in Akron and boosting the I unexpectedly got hired at the Kelly Springfield tire plant, economy indeed! which had a United Rubber Workers union. After 90 days, I was at full pay. Unimaginable! Not that I didn’t work as hard William Haywood as possible to deserve it. Wellsville, Ohio Through the many years working there our local union, as well as our International, fought long and hard to deliver good Love the Cover contracts. Over the years, the URW merged with the United I’m a first-time union member – just began working as Steelworkers and our plant changed hands to Goodyear and a welder at a factory in Pittsburgh – and I was proud to see then to Titan. I am thankful to have had union representation. on the cover of my first USW@Work magazine a story about Now that I am retired, I am so grateful for your vision for immigrants! our pensions. I never gave it a thought while working. I can I’m a direct descendent of immigrants who came to this now sit back, relax, and truly enjoy life. May God bless all of country to work in mines and factories. It’s a history that we you fine union workers as you have blessed so many others shouldn’t forget and that is still a critical part of our work force. with your tireless efforts to obtain good contracts. I’m proud to be a part of this union after reading that ar- AARON HUDSON AND GREG COLE ticle, and I’m really excited to see the positive things you are Graphic Designers Michael Saxby, Local 745 Freeport, Ill. doing and continue to do in the future. Kiersten Schilinski, Local 5032 Our Country Needs Unions Pittsburgh EMAIL: [email protected] MAIL: USW@Work As an active member of the Pennsylvania Interfaith Pro- 60 Blvd of the Allies gram and a retired pastor, I believe that the time has come for Pittsburgh, PA 15222 workers to organize much like what happened in the 19th and EMAIL: [email protected] USW active, retired members and their USW@WORK early 20th centuries. MAIL: USW@Work families are invited to “speak out.” Letters Volume 14/3 60 Blvd of the Allies should be short and to the point. We Summer 2019 I believe unions are the real hope to restore the soul of our Pittsburgh, PA 15222 reserve the right to edit for length. nation. Without workers, this nation would fall apart. Without USW@Work • Summer 2019 3 59563_USW_WORK_Mag_Summer19_X.indd 3 7/30/19 6:58 PM Leadership CHANGES CONWAY SUCCEEDS GERARD AS INT’L PRESIDENT homas M. Conway was good labor agreements and overall secretary-treasurer by former District 4 sworn in as the USW’s social and economic justice. Director John Shinn, who was replaced eighth International Pres- “We’re going to grow. We’re going as director by his assistant, Del Vitale. ident on July 15 by his to be political. We’re going to be Landry, an International Vice President Tpredecessor Leo W. Gerard in an active,” Conway said. “We’re going to at Large, was the first woman to join installation ceremony that marked the stand up for a country that we know the IEB when she was appointed in largest uncontested transition of union can be so much better than what we 2008.