INSIDEUSW@WORK Putting Workers in Danger fraction of U.S. citizen wage and benefit expecta- INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE BOARD tions. We stand without apology for the principle of China can make and sell products cheaper by Leo W. Gerard putting its workers in danger. We need a bigger economic pie, not a bigger International President paying people well … That is both morally right, and we Look at the photograph at the bottom of page piece of the remaining economic pie that is shrink- believe the right way to organize an economy. ing daily. The U.S. government is selling title to Stan Johnson “ 18 in the spring issue of USW@Work. The man has everything of value in our country to foreign manu- Int’l. Secretary-Treasurer Ron Bloom no face protection, no eye protection, does have former assistant to the USW International President, in a 2008 speech to a Campaign for America’s Future gloves, but they are short and badly worn. facturers and their governments. The U.S. govern- Thomas M. Conway conference. Bloom now heads the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry. (see ”page 30) He looks bone tired. He is an accident waiting ment is calling this “Investing in America.” Int’l. Vice President to happen. Why? Gerald Spencer (Administration) No one represents him or cares about his safety Houston, Texas Fred Redmond and welfare, and no one makes sure he is paid Int’l. Vice President fairly or that he works a reasonable shift. He is (Human Affairs) obviously not a member of the United Steelworkers Make It in America union. If he tried to organize a union, he would be Jobs and quality are two good reasons why Ken Neumann in prison. North American-made products should be used in Nat’l. Dir. for Canada 04 06 our own bridge, highway and other infrastructure Jane C. Donnelly, Associate Member projects. Carol Landry Make it Here Fighting the Wave Fletcher, N.C. One good example of this is the $6.3 billion Vice President at Large As the economy continues to sputter, The USW stands up for tire industry reconstruction of the San Francisco Oakland Bay more people are beginning to realize workers whose jobs are jeopardized by Jon Geenen Bridge, now delayed by welding problems at a that manufacturing matters to the United a wave of cheap Chinese imports. China’s Aluminum Industry Int’l. Vice President China-based steel fabricator. States and Canada. I just finished reading the article on China’s steel industry and the pollution they cause as It was bad enough that California circumvented Gary Beevers Buy American requirements to purchase fabricated Int’l. Vice President well as how much they produce. I have worked at an aluminum smelter for the past 33 years and steel bridge parts from the Zenhau Port Machine James H. Dunn have heard many stories about China’s aluminum Co. of Shanghai. Associate Secretary-Treasurer industry and similar statistics on production and Now welding problems have halted delivery pollution in their aluminum smelters. (I once heard from Shanghai of the Chinese-made steel ordered Ron Hoover to reconstruct the bridge’s eastern span, which col- Exec. Vice President (R/PIC) that the average life expectancy of an aluminum 12 20 worker in China was only 45 years because of the lapsed in a 1989 earthquake. Lewis Peacock Safety Matters Keep Up the Pressure unhealthy work environment.) In fact, our plant The welding problems were first discovered last Vice President (Organizing) A pilot safety training program in Dis- USW activists continue to press for the is shutting down partly because we can no longer year, and executives said they had been corrected. trict 2 honors the life of USW member Employee Free Choice Act as potential compete with places like China. Now the problems seem to be more serious than James K. Phillips, Jr. originally thought. Kevin Wilson, who was killed at work compromises are discussed in Wash- Tom Wiley, Local 320 Vice President at Large two years ago. ington, D.C. Once again safety has become an issue with Columbia Falls, Mont. products from China. Everything from tires to toxic DIRECTORS FEATURES ON THE COVER toys to toothpaste produced in China has been subject to recalls. David R. McCall, District 1 Speaking Out 03 Labor Day illustration by Daniel Marsula Union Made is Hard to Find This issue is particularly relevant to Local 6966 CAPITOL LETTERS 18 I’ll try to keep this letter short, but it will be Michael Bolton, District 2 at PDM Strocal Inc. here in California. We have News Bytes 32 hard. I’ve been a union member for over 40 years, Stephen Hunt, District 3 and I used to buy union-made clothing, cars and skilled workers experienced in bridge welding who are now laid off. William J. Pienta, District 4 whatever. But it now is hard to find American- made goods, let alone union made. Why are we importing faulty products to repair Daniel Roy, District 5 an earthquake-damaged bridge span when our Wayne Fraser, District 6 Ron Boileau, Local 1279, retired domestic steel industry is running at 40 percent of Larsen, Wis. Jim Robinson, District 7 capacity and thousands of our own steelworkers are Volume 04/No.3 Summer 2009 out of work? USW active and retired Ernest R. “Billy” Thompson, District 8 members and their C ommunications S taff : Official publication of the United Steelworkers Recreate Manufacturing Industries Jesus Modesto, Local 6966, President Daniel Flippo, District 9 families are invited to Jim McKay, Editor Direct inquiries and articles for USW@Work to: The USA needs to withdraw from all interna- Stockton, Calif. John DeFazio, District 10 Wayne Ranick, Director of Communications United Steelworkers Communications Department tional trade treaties and place a high import duty “speak out” on these Gary Hubbard, Director of Public Affairs, Washington, D.C. Five Gateway Center pages. Letters should be Robert Bratulich, District 11 tariff on all imported products in order to re-create Aaron Hudson and Kenny Carlisle, Designers Pittsburgh, PA 15222 the manufacturing industries and the jobs that these short and to the point. Robert LaVenture, District 12 Lynne Baker, Kelly Barr, Jim Coleman, Deb Davidek, phone 412-562-2400 trade treaties and our government destroyed over We reserve the right to Gerald Dickey, Connie Mabin, Tony Montana, fax 412-562-2445 J.M. “Mickey” Breaux, District 13 edit for length. Scott Weaver, Barbara White Stack online: www.usw.org the last few decades. Yes, everything will cost the consumer more. Mail to: CO-DIRECTORS Both political parties and the U.S. govern- USW@Work (ISSN 1931-6658) is published four times a year by the United Steelworkers AFL-CIO•CLC Five Gateway Center, Pittsburgh, ment have allowed and may have encouraged U.S. USW@Work Gerald P. Johnston, District 1 PA 15222. Subscriptions to non-members: $12 for one year; $20 for two years. Periodicals postage paid at Pittsburgh, PA and additional Five Gateway Center, mailing offices. importing companies, U.S. manufacturing corpo- Lloyd Walters, District 9 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: USW@Work, USW Membership Department, 3340 Perimeter Hill Drive, Nashville, TN 37211 rations, Wall Street financial geniuses, business Pittsburgh PA 15222 or e-mail: Kenneth O. Test Copyright 2009 by United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO•CLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the manipulators, and others to outsource U.S. jobs written consent of the United Steelworkers. to foreign countries where labor costs are a small [email protected] 2 USW@Work • Summer 2009 USW@Work • Summer 2009 3 St. Louis Rally USW Photo by Scott Weaver President Obama recently said, “The Moody’s Economy.com fight for American manufacturing is the founder and chief economist Mark Zandi, fight for America’s future.” U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and He couldn’t have been more right. InterMedia Partners managing partner Every manufacturing job creates five Leo Hindery have also said a policy more jobs. That’s compared to just one that supports domestic manufacturing is job created for every service sector job needed. such as those in retail and restaurants. The auto sector alone is responsible Get involved for 7.2 million jobs in the United States As the call for investment in domestic – from teachers and small-business manufacturing heats up, it’s important owners to first responders and health care for USW members to remain leaders on workers. the issue. Talk about it outside the union In the United States and Canada, do- hall. Attend meetings with neighborhood mestic manufacturing provides a secure groups. Talk about manufacturing and tax-base that helps communities fund our campaign with your church, school health care for children and the elderly, or civic organizations. Work with local maintenance, schools and emergency officials and elected leaders, encouraging services. them to not only pass and implement our So it’s no wonder that the loss of Buy America resolution, but to put pres- more than 5 million manufacturing jobs sure on officials in every level of govern- since 2000 in the United States and mil- ment to make manufacturing a priority. lions more in Canada has devastated our Manufacturing isn’t an isolated issue economies as shaky financial bubbles and you shouldn’t talk about it that way. burst. For example, as we move towards a greener economy and energy, talk about Industrial policy needed why it’s important to make sure the wind Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson turbines, solar panels and other items wrote in a June 2009 column that needed are made locally.