I want to start by talking about my friend and our late International President Tom Conway, who never forgot his time working in the steel mill. He was a person who carried with him the concerns of Steelworker members, whether he was in front a membership meeting, sitting across the table from a CEO or talking to the President of the United States of America.
Tom was funny, hardworking and direct. He had a no-nonsense way about him, focused on getting the job done – whatever it was. He also had a vision for a bigger, broader union where anyone in nearly any job could find a home here and where Steelworkers on both sides of the border would benefit from a reinvigorated domestic supply chain and North American procurement.
On behalf of all of the Canadian Directors and the USW International Executive Board, I also want to congratulate our new International President David McCall, former International Vice President (Administration) since 2019.
Previously, David served as the Director of District 1 (Michigan and Ohio), beginning in 1998. He also served as Sub-District Director in Gary, Ind., from 1989 until 1997, when he became Assistant to the Director of District 7.
McCall’s career of fighting for fairness and justice began in Northwest Indiana with Local 6787 at Bethlehem Steel’s sprawling Burns Harbor integrated steel facility. While working as a millwright, he was elected to various positions, including grievance chairman and vice president, before he joined the staff of the union in 1985.
Another exciting change is the appointment of Emil Ramirez as the new International Vice President (Administration). Emil served as District 11 Director since 2014. Ramirez served as USW District 11 Director since 2014, representing workers in nine Midwestern states. Adding to this leadership renewal is the appointment of the union’s first-ever female District Director, Cathy Drummond in District 11. Cathy served as the Assistant to the District Director since 2019. Congratulations to both Emil and Cathy.
A strong union is the best strategy to take on inflation
Every day, we see how workers are feeling squeezed with the cost of living rising dramatically year over year, sometimes even month to month. For some of us, this means putting off big expenditures, cutting household budgets and or making major life changes to keep up.
Workers are paying for corporate greed at the grocery store cash register when paying for basic necessities and when it comes to housing, in particular. In a submission to the Parliamentary inquiry into food inflation this past summer, the Centre for Future Work in Vancouver documented how food retail profits have roughly doubled since the pandemic, with corporate shareholders benefitting mightily from this price gouging. Working people and their families are also struggling with high rents and mortgages with a major shortage of affordable housing in a growing number of regions.
I am so proud of the way that our union and local union bargaining committees are pushing back at the negotiating table – this won’t change the wrong-headed approach of the Bank of Canada, but it is helping people. USW bargaining committees, in some cases, are winning the best contracts anyone has seen in decades. A union card is still the best way to combat inflation and make sure workers share in the wealth that they help create – especially now when this is urgently necessary. Members are banding together to push for what they need – higher wages, improvements to benefits, pension increases, stronger health and safety language and more.
Across the board, unionized workers make on average $5.14/hour more than non-union workers. Workers under age 25 earned an extra 26% from jobs covered by a collective agreement. I am proud of the work our union is doing not just to help workers and their families keep up, but also to have a sense of stability and hope for their own futures.
Together, we are stronger, so if you are not already involved in the union, please contact your shop steward or local union executive to find out how you can get involved. If you are involved, thank you for your efforts – you make our union better.
In solidarity,
Marty Warren
USW National Director
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