The USW is known for successfully fighting for workers at the bargaining table and in the halls of political power.
In just the last year, the union has moved the workers’ agenda forward through Steelworkers Vote schools, getting involved in politics, lobbying politicians in Ottawa and at provincial capitals, and meeting with local elected representatives at home.
Pension protection and anti-scab legislation are just two of the recent examples of success.
For years, the USW has brought to Members of Parliament (MPs) and Senators the heartbreaking stories of workers who had their pensions robbed because they were forced to the back of the line when their employer went bankrupt.
In late April, with the support of opposition parties in Ottawa and partners in the labour movement, the USW won protection for workers’ pensions, through the passage of Bill C-228. This will require insolvent employers to pay defined benefit pension plan entitlements before claims by secured lenders, such as banks.
The federal Liberals have finally heard the USW’s calls for anti-scab legislation to ban so-called replacement workers in the event of a strike or lockout.
While the announcement by the federal Liberals that they will make good on the commitment the NDP forced them into in the Supply and Confidence Agreement was encouraging, the USW continues to push the government to not only table, but also pass anti-scab legislation before the end of this year.
“We’re happy the commitment to ban scabs is there, but there is no good justification to delay the legislation until the end of 2023,” said Marty Warren, USW National Director.
At the recent National Policy Conference which saw the ramping up of the anti-scab legislation campaign, USW members committed to keep fighting for all workers and their families and communities, and to keep working to protect jobs for our members now and in the future.
This article appears in the Summer 2023 issue of USW@Work magazine.
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