SPOTLIGHT ON PUBLIC WORKERS 4 NEW WESTROCK CONTRACT 10 HOUSE PASSES PRO ACT 19 NEXT GEN FIRED UP 28 65023_USW_Work_Winter20_X.indd 1 2/17/20 12:03 PM “AS WE LOOK ACROSS THE UNION, WE SEE WE ARE IN A TRANSITION. YOU SHOULD BE AMBITIOUS. YOU SHOULD WORK AT LEARNING SKILLS AND MASTERING THOSE TOOLS BECAUSE THIS UNION IS PREPARING TO TURN IT OVER, AND WE INTEND TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU.” INTERNATIONAL PRESIDENT THOMAS M. CONWAY AT NEXT GENERATION CONFERENCE, NOV. 18, 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 PAPER CONTRACT GREEN BUSES, GOOD JOBS RAPID RESPONSE ROXANNE BROWN Workers ratify a new contract at Proterra, a manufacturer of More than 700 activists who Vice President at Large packaging giant WestRock that battery-powered buses and charging participate in the USW’s Rapid establishes wages, benefits and stations, has recognized the USW Response program lobbied Congress DIRECTORS working conditions for 9,400 USW as the bargaining agent for skilled for legislation to protect unions and DONNIE BLATT members. assembly workers in California. preserve endangered pension funds. District 1 10 12 20 MICHAEL BOLTON District 2 STEPHEN HUNT FEATURES District 3 SPEAKING OUT TRADE WATCH NEWS BRIEFS DEL VITALE USW members, retirees and their The USW and the AFL-CIO endorsed Local 8888 reaches 10,000 District 4 families are invited to “speak out.” a reworked replacement for the di- members. ATI bargaining is underway. ALAIN CROTEAU Letters should be short and to the sastrous North American Free Trade Back to work at Lucky Friday mine. District 5 point. We reserve the right to edit Agreement that includes stronger USW sues to save Chemical Disaster MARTY WARREN for length. protections for workers. Rule. Mendoza named paper sector District 6 3 24 chair. Persad Center workers vote union. USW launches podcast. MIKE MILLSAP District 7 33 ERNEST R. “BILLY” THOMPSON COVER District 8 Roberson Castor, Local 9158 COMMUNICATIONS STAFF DANIEL FLIPPO Photo by Steve Dietz. JIM McKAY JESS KAMM BROOMELL AARON HUDSON AND GREG COLE District 9 Editor Director of Communications Graphic Designers 4 BOBBY “MAC” MCAULIFFE CHELSEY ENGEL, LYNNE HANCOCK, R.J. HUFNAGEL, TONY MONTANA, CHEYENNE SCHOEN, JOE SMYDO 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 GAYLAN PRESCOTT 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 15/1 Copyright 2020 by United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO•CLC. All rights reserved. No part of this Winter 2020 District 13 publication may be reproduced without the written consent of the United Steelworkers. 2 USW@Work • Winter 2020 65023_USW_Work_Winter20_X.indd 2 2/17/20 12:03 PM SPEAKING OUT Your Union, Your Voice Union Strong I attended the USW’s “Your Union, Your Voice” town hall I was glad to read the latest edition of the USW magazine. meeting this January in Midland, Mich., and I really enjoyed it. It seems to me that the strength of unions is increasing and I was able to learn more about what the USW’s core issues the movement is spreading. are and how that affects which candidates the union endorses, Keep up the good work. and how the USW influences politics, policies and bills. Sam Alessi I am glad that hearing our voices and what matters to us Jamestown, N.Y. is important enough to the USW that the union created this forum for us to take notes and send them to the International headquarters. Educating Next Generation I also appreciate how many different people the USW rep- The Next Gen conference (held in Pittsburgh last Novem- resents. I work in an auto industry-related field. The woman ber) was so many things: powerful, touching and extremely who was next to me works in health care. Other people there educational. To say I left the conference feeling hungry for were from foundries or from Dow. There were both active more is an understatement. members and retirees. The idea that our union puts such great effort toward For members who have a chance to attend one of the up- educating its membership is amazing! Providing over 900 coming town hall meetings, I highly recommend that you go. Steelworkers with the knowledge needed to build a better The union’s facilitators did an amazing job. They taught, they union environment will result in lasting impact. I’m proud listened, they kept us on track, speaking on the issues. that our union is educating the next generation of leaders, I feel like I am a more informed voter now. while at the same time addressing today’s issues that will Echo Carson, Local 690L affect us all tomorrow. Auburn Hills, Mich. Eric Gaskins, Local 1014 Gary, Ind. Fighting Workplace Violence As a nurse and member of Local 7600 in Fontana, Calif., A Great Event it was an experience of a lifetime to travel to Washington, The first International Next Gen conference was a great D.C., and watch the U.S. House of Representatives vote on event. Meeting members from all over North America and and pass the Workplace Violence Prevention Act. sharing stories with them was very inspiring. Some of our Being able to witness firsthand how our democracy works members are doing amazing things at their locals and I was was a blessing. Seeing the fruits of our labor come to fruition glad to learn from them. Our group came back energized and while watching the vote from the gallery was an experience I ready to get to work at our local. will never forget. Each year, some 2 million Americans report having been Rick Pietrick, Local 979 a victim of workplace violence. The vote was a win for all of Cleveland, Ohio us who selflessly work in the health care industry and serve as caretakers across this nation. To every legislator who listened The Union’s Future to our stories and who took the time to vote in solidarity with As the Next Gen coordinator for District 1, I could not be us, thank you. more proud of how the first International conference turned Although we came through with a victory, it was disheart- out! Next Gen is the future of our union. It is our job as cur- ening to witness opposition to our bill from a few legislators rent leaders to mentor and prepare the younger generation to whose reservations didn’t pertain to the bill itself, but were fight for workers’ rights, good contracts, sustainability of our more a matter of party partisanship. great union and the labor movement. These young activists I look forward to the day when bipartisan support on bills showed promise, dedication and determination during this AARON HUDSON AND GREG COLE will be the new normal, as it should be. How powerful we Graphic Designers historic week! will become when we all rise together. Tiffany McKee, Local 200L DeJonae Shaw, Local 7600 Delphos, Ohio Fontana, Calif. EMAIL: [email protected] MAIL: USW@Work 60 Blvd of the Allies EMAIL: [email protected] USW active, retired members and their Pittsburgh, PA 15222 MAIL: USW@Work families are invited to “speak out.” Letters 60 Blvd of the Allies should be short and to the point. We USW@WORK Pittsburgh, PA 15222 reserve the right to edit for length. Volume 15/1 Winter 2020 • 65023_USW_Work_Winter20_X.indd 3 2/17/20 12:03 PM PUTTING FIRST Castor, a Local 9158 member USW Public and construction project man- Workers ager. “You’re working not just for yourself. You’re working Thrive Despite for everyone.” Challenges For the USW’s public workers in Boston and around hen Joe Plagenza the country, that community- travels the streets of first spirit permeates their Boston, the reception workplaces and their union W halls. Nearly two years after he gets resembles a family hol- iday or a high school reunion. the Supreme Court gave public Seemingly on every block in the employees the right to reap the city of 700,000, a resident has a benefits of union representation smile and a kind word for him. without paying dues, USW For the Local 9158 treasur- public employee locals are er and 30-year city employee, strong and growing thanks to it’s just another day at the a renewed focus on organiz- office. That’s because, for him, ing, both inside and outside of the office is synonymous with USW workplaces. his hometown. In June 2018, the right-wing Plagenza has spent most of court majority overturned de- his career responding to res- cades of precedent by ruling, in idents’ concerns on behalf of the case of Janus vs. AFSCME, the Boston parks department. that public workers no longer He also is one of the more than had to pay dues or even smaller 25,000 public workers across “fair share” fees to cover the North America who are mem- cost of bargaining, arbitration bers of the USW. and other union business. “As public employees, you “The Janus ruling was an attack on working people, but Greg Mosman, Local 9158 carry a great burden on your Photos by Steve Dietz shoulders,” said Roberson it also was a call to action,” • 65023_USW_Work_Winter20_X.indd 4 2/17/20 12:03 PM The Steelworkers do Stefanie Seskin, Local 9158 a great job of keeping checks and balances.