Approximately 500 Steelworkers converged in Detroit, MI for the United Steelworkers (USW) International Civil and Human Rights Conference from June 9-13, 2024.
The conference wove together themes from the civil rights movement and its vibrant history in Detroit, tackling the many forms of racism, Indigenous rights and collective bargaining, being involved in elections, immigration and migrant workers’ rights, 2SLGBTQIA+ rights and organizing within our unions and communities.
The conference heard compelling presentations from representatives of a number of areas of the union, national and international labour partners and external allied organizations.
Conference delegates also participated in a number of informative and skills-building workshops on topics such as setting up a civil and human rights committee, becoming allies with Indigenous or Native American members, union action to address the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, organizing for racial justice, state level elections and civil rights, being in a union as a young racialized worker, hazard mapping, representing immigrant workers, 2SLGBTQIA+ 101 and understanding pronouns, bargaining for inclusion, raising the bar on women’s health and safety and much more.
Canadians pitched in to contribute to the conference by presenting in plenary sessions and leading workshops, including Indigenous Engagement Coordinators for District 3 and 6 Julia McKay and Josh George, who led workshops and spoke as part of a panel, We are Indigenous – We are Steelworkers, along with Chelsea Olar from USW Local 2251 (District 6) and USW Education and Equality Department Leader Adriane Paavo.
Rohini Arora from USW Local 2009 and member of the National Anti-Racism Committee and Earl Samuel from USW Local 2794, both spoke as part of the panel Our Mutual Destiny, which discussed their shared challenges on the road to equity and equality. Nik Redman, USW Local 1998 member spoke as part of the panel Organizing for Everyone, which focused on organizing work in marginalized communities and the importance of engaging these communities in the labour movement.
USW District 6 Trans Liaison Mayson Fulk and Cindy A. Lee, Staff Representative from District 3, both led workshops and USW Communications and Political Action Department Leader Shannon Devine, also led workshops and spoke as part of the plenary on the work of the new National Steel Pride working group.
Delegates also took to the streets for a rally nearby, at the Transcending Arch, Detroit’s monument dedicated to the labour movement. Delegates energetically called on all Steelworkers to engage in the U.S. elections this fall at every level.
Participants came away from the conference with a renewed sense of purpose and understanding of the ways that fights and social movements for justice are all connected.
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