Steelworker News

For Immediate Release: April 17, 2024

Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, (412) 562-2444, jkamm@usw.org 

(PITTSBURGH) – Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) today proudly welcomed President Joe Biden to the union’s International Headquarters as he announced a series of aggressive steps his administration is taking to further ensure U.S. trade policy supports workers and their communities.

This included Biden’s announcement that his administration is initiating an investigation of Chinese commercial shipbuilding in response to the Section 301 petition the USW and four other labor organizations filed last month. 

“A robust commercial shipbuilding industry is necessary for meeting our national defense and economic security needs, but unfortunately, our domestic capacity has withered as a result of China’s non-market policies,” said USW International President David McCall. “We’re grateful that the president is taking this threat seriously and pursuing a full investigation.”

Biden further announced that he is calling on the U.S. trade representative (USTR) to triple tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum to help curb global overcapacity, as well as pushing Mexico to address the surge of Chinese and other foreign-made steel and aluminum that is entering the United States over its Southern border.

He also reiterated his position that U.S. Steel should remain domestically owned and operated, rather than allowing it to be sold to Japanese-owned Nippon Steel.

“Tens of thousands of good, union jobs hang in the balance as a result of illegal trade practices and corporate greed,” McCall said. “We’re grateful that President Biden is continuing to take bold action to ensure a level playing field for American workers.”

Ultimately, McCall said, a truly worker-centered trade policy goes beyond short-term fixes to include ongoing strategic investments to build out the nation’s supply chains and manufacturing base.

“By combining a firm stance on unfair trade with the work the administration has done on infrastructure, clean technology, microchips and more, President Biden is ensuring U.S. global competitiveness and widespread prosperity well into the future,” McCall said.

The USW represents 850,000 workers in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

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For Immediate Release: April 16, 2024
Contact: Cheyenne Schoen, (412) 562-2446, cschoen@usw.org 

(PITTSBURGH) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall released the following statement today in response to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) publication of a final rule updating standards to reduce worker exposure to silica dust:

“The USW welcomes the new rule on silica dust exposure. After the previous administration failed to act on this recognized hazard, our union is grateful that President Joe Biden and his administration once again are prioritizing workers’ health and safety.

“This rule will improve the working conditions and the quality of life for all workers covered under MSHA in the United States. By setting a low permissible exposure limit for silica dust, the new rule will help current miners and future generations of mine workers stay healthy on the job.

“The new ancillary requirements will help miners and other workers under MSHA’s jurisdiction, like those at cement plants, to identify high-hazard areas and the controls needed to reduce miners’ exposure to harmful silica dust. These provisions will allow workers to identify health issues earlier and lead to healthier and safer lives for all American mine workers.

“With this new rule, MSHA has taken a major step forward in making life better for American mine workers, on and off the job.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

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For Immediate Release: March 29, 2024
Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, 412-562-2444, jkamm@usw.org

(PITTSBURGH) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall released the following statement today in response to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) publication of a final rule on the Walkaround Representative Designation Process, commonly known as the walkaround rule:

“Simply put, the OSHA walkaround rule will make American workers and workplaces safer. This is good news for all working people, both union and non-union.

“It only makes sense to allow workers to designate their own representatives in OSHA investigations. This is the same right we afford to employers, and there is no reason workers should receive different treatment. This rule is critical to the success of OSHA safety investigations, and to our efforts to make all workplaces safer.

“The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), under the same Labor Department umbrella as OSHA, already extends to miners the right to decide who will represent them during investigations. Now, thanks to this rule, millions of other workers will be able to exercise this same power. 

“The walkaround rule provides American workers with a stronger voice on the job and gives them greater confidence that workplace safety investigations will be thorough, precise and reliable. This rule will improve OSHA’s ability to effectively conduct inspections and gather evidence of workplace hazards, and we thank Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su for her continuing support.

“This is a victory for every American worker.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

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For Immediate Release: March 25, 2024
Contact: R.J. Hufnagel, 412-562-2450, rhufnagel@usw.org  

(PITTSBURGH) –United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall released the following statement today in response to funding announcements by the U.S. Department of Energy to support carbon-reducing projects in a host of critical industries, including steel, aluminum, glass and cement:

“The USW is excited that the Biden administration is making these forward-thinking, transformative investments in our nation’s manufacturing future, and doing so in a way that puts workers, families and communities first.

“These investments will allow companies to make needed upgrades and reduce pollution while also helping our manufacturing base compete globally.

“As the largest union in many of the industries these investments will support, the USW is proud to partner with companies to ensure that this funding from the Inflation Reduction Act will work to grow our nation’s manufacturing capacity in critical industries while also reducing our carbon footprint.

“We’re pleased to see projects funded at our existing facilities, as well as paving the way for future workers to enjoy the benefits of unionization. We look forward to working with all our partners to move this effort forward and ensure the jobs these investments create are good, safe and community-supporting union jobs.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, mining, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining, the service, public and health care sectors and higher education. For more information: www.usw.org.

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Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, (412) 562-2444, jkamm@usw.org

(PITTSBURGH) – The United Steelworkers (USW) union today proudly endorsed Joe Biden for a second term as president of the United States.

“President Biden proved time and again during his first term that he stands with working families,” said USW International President David McCall. “His vision and leadership allowed our nation to strengthen workers’ access to collective bargaining, grow the middle class, and embark on a path to widespread prosperity.”

The union’s endorsement was the culmination of a months-long process that included surveying USW members regarding their top priorities. The union also sent prospective presidential candidates in both parties a detailed questionnaire to determine where each of them stands on key issues affecting working people.

“Our members told us that they value retirement security, affordable health care and labor laws that support our ability to form unions and negotiate strong contracts,” said McCall. “President Biden’s record on all these issues speaks for itself. He also laid out a strong plan for building on this momentum well into the future.”

In 2021, USW members led a union-wide effort backing large-scale infrastructure investment with strong Buy American provisions.

“President Biden, through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, Inflation Reduction Act and other pro-worker legislation, is making good on his promise to create good, union jobs and healthier communities across the country,” McCall said. “Our nation has long needed this sort of sweeping investment. President Biden made it happen.”

McCall noted that by strategically combining these historic investments with a worker-centered trade policy that is rebuilding supply chains and supporting critical industries, President Biden is promoting domestic manufacturing and widespread prosperity, not just in the short term but well into the future.

This is in addition to the many other ways in which Biden and his administration helped advance workers’ interests, McCall said.

“President Biden’s leadership revitalized the Department of Labor and National Labor Relations Board so that they are once again fulfilling their mission to empower working people.

“And he consistently held firm on protecting Americans’ retirement security, fending off attacks on Social Security and Medicare.

“Among the many accomplishments of Biden’s American Rescue Plan was shoring up the troubled multi-employer pension plans that put more than a million workers’ retirements in jeopardy through no fault of their own – including 120,000 USW members and retirees. These workers can now look to the future with optimism rather than fear.”

McCall said that workers and their families need their elected officials to share their priorities.

“Workers and their families are more secure than they were four years ago, thanks to President Biden’s leadership. From infrastructure to retirement security, international trade to safer workplaces, President Biden got the job done,” McCall said. “We’re honored to back him as he runs for reelection.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

(PITTSBURGH) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall today issued the following statement in response to President Joe Biden indicating that U.S. Steel (USS) should “remain an American steel company that is domestically owned and operated:”

“The USW welcomes President Biden’s statement on the proposed USS-Nippon deal and shares his concerns over the sale’s long-term implications for our economic and national security.

“Allowing one of our nation’s largest steel manufacturers to be purchased by a foreign-owned corporation leaves us vulnerable when it comes to meeting both our defense and critical infrastructure needs.

“The president’s statements should end the debate: U.S. Steel must remain ‘domestically owned and operated.’ 

“President Biden told USW members he has our backs, and there’s no question that he meant it. We’re grateful for his unfailing support and his ongoing commitment to advancing the interests of working families and their communities.”  

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, 412-562-2444, jkamm@usw.org  

(PITTSBURGH) – The United Steelworkers union (USW) today led a coalition of labor organizations in filing a Section 301 petition, calling on the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to initiate an investigation of Chinese commercial shipbuilding.

The People’s Republic of China (PRC), over the past two decades, enacted a comprehensive strategy to dominate global transportation and logistics networks, including employing an array of non-market policies. Meanwhile, U.S. shipbuilding capacity continues to diminish.

“The United States once had nearly 30 major shipyards; now we’re down to just a handful,” said USW International President David McCall. “That correlates with more than 70,000 lost shipbuilding jobs, not to mention all the secondary jobs the industry supports.”

A single commercial ship can require approximately 13,000 tons of structural steel, 60,000 gallons of paint, 130 miles of electrical cable, and many other products tens of thousands of USW members proudly produce.

“The PRC is using commercial shipbuilding to dominate the full spectrum of global trade, choking out all competitors,” McCall said. “If we do not act quickly, we will soon be dependent on China not only for the products their vessels bring into our ports but also for the ships themselves.”

McCall noted that in addition to the grave economic consequences of the PRC’s policies, the growing imbalance in shipbuilding also threatens U.S. national security.

“China has surpassed the United States and now operates the world’s largest navy,” said McCall. “Rebuilding our Merchant Marine is not only essential to increasing our nation’s sealift capability, it will help shore up the critical supply chains our military and commercial shipbuilding industries share, making us safer and more resilient.”

Other unions joining the USW in filing the trade petition include the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and the Maritime Trades Department, AFL-CIO.

U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Bob Casey today sent a letter to the Biden administration in support of the trade petition, representing a growing coalition of policymakers fighting to revitalize the shipbuilding industry.

“Labor unions and the Biden administration have worked together to establish a worker-centered trade policy and ramp up domestic manufacturing capacity through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act,” said McCall. “Reviving the commercial shipbuilding industry will enable America to expand those investments, ensure a steady supply of goods at home, and grow the middle class.”

USTR Katherine Tai has 45 days to determine whether she will pursue an investigation of Chinese shipbuilding.

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in health care, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

For more information: www.usw.org.

Contact: Randie Pearson, rpearson@usw.org, (412) 562-2295

(Pittsburgh, PA) – The USW International Union released the following statement in honor of International Women’s Day, March 8:

“From our inception the USW valued inclusivity. Our union constitution begins: ‘To unite in one organization, regardless of creed, color or nationality, all workmen and working women eligible for membership.’ This was a key tenant of the Steel Workers Organizing Committee (SWOC) founding principles that helped shape our union and still guides the work we do today.

“Through organizing, educating, and legislative and political engagement, the Women of Steel program continues to forge a path of inclusivity for women workers across the United States, Canada, and beyond. Our activists are everyday people who lead committees, serve in local office, raise their families, and fight for their communities.

“This diversity in background and experience gives us strength and empowers us to negotiate contracts that provide justice and fairness to workers.

“The USW’s Women of Steel program is committed to continuing to mentor, educate, and activate our members to empower women and female-identifying workers, and uplift their achievements.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in health care, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

Contact: Joe Smydo, jsmydo@usw.org, 412-562-2281

(Pittsburgh) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall released the following statement in advance of President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address tonight:

“President Biden delivered win after win for working people during his first three years in office, and USW members look forward to working with him as he continues his fight to grow the middle class and an economy for all.

“Under President Biden’s leadership, America’s historic investments in infrastructure and manufacturing created a record 15 million jobs so far while also modernizing the nation and enhancing national security.

“Hundreds of thousands of USW members across the country know the power of these investments firsthand. We’re negotiating stronger contracts, bargaining higher wages, producing more goods, and upgrading manufacturing facilities because of the Build America, Buy America provisions that President Biden inserted into legislation like the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“Many more Americans will be empowered to build better lives in the coming years as President Biden continues to combine his focus on the economy with his commitment to labor rights, particularly workers’ right to organize for a voice on the job. President Biden has proven to be the most pro-worker president in history, and we’re confident he’s just getting started.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, mining, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining, the service, public and health care sectors and higher education. For more information: www.usw.org.

Contact: Tony Montana – (412) 562-2592 or tmontana@usw.org

PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers (USW) today issued the following statement from International President David McCall after Cleveland-Cliffs announced an indefinite idling of operations at its Weirton tin plate facility:

“Weirton Steelworkers can compete with anyone on a level playing field, but the ITC’s recent negative determination continues to leave our markets vulnerable to foreign dumping. 

“The current market for tin mill products has already been decimated by over 50 percent penetration of illegally dumped foreign tinplate. Now, with the idling of tinplate production in Weirton, unfair trade is one step closer to choking out our domestic industry entirely.

“The short-term thinking of American tinplate consumers, who sided with the foreign cheaters to oppose our petition, will eventually lead to long-term regrets.

“It should be obvious that foreign suppliers are destroying our domestic supply chain so that American consumers of tin mill products become dependent on foreign producers and have no options when their subsidized and dumped products are no longer available at cheap prices. 

“The USW will work with Cleveland-Cliffs to provide as many options to our members as possible, as well as continue our fight against the unfair trade practices that continue to cost good, community-sustaining jobs and threaten our economy.”

The USW (www.usw.org) represents 850,000 workers employed in manufacturing, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in tech, public sector and service occupations.

Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, (412) 562-2444, jkamm@usw.org

(PITTSBURGH) – United Steelworkers (USW) International President David McCall today issued the following statement as workers continue to fight to enforce their contracts with U.S. Steel and protect the domestic steel industry:

“Steel is vital to our national security and critical infrastructure, and USW members are proud to manufacture some of the highest quality products in the world.

“Unfortunately, the proposed sale agreement between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel puts our members’ and our nation’s interests in jeopardy.

“Today we received personal assurances that President Joe Biden has our backs. He’s always been a friend to the American worker and our union, and we’re grateful he’s taking an interest in this matter.

“It’s essential that we continue to safeguard our domestic steelmaking capacity, and we appreciate the president’s ongoing commitment to revitalizing our critical supply chains and rebuilding our nation’s economic strength.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

Contact: Chelsey Engel, cengel@usw.org, 412-212-8173 

(Pittsburgh) -- USW International President Dave McCall and Vice President of Human Affairs Kevin Mapp issued the following statement in honor of Black History Month:

“Black History Month is observed every February to recognize the many contributions Black Americans have made to our country’s culture and progress. But it is vital to remember that honoring Black history also requires fighting for a just future.

“Now, more than ever, the labor movement must be proactive in the battle against extremist attempts to thrust our country backward in time.

“We encourage USW activists to get involved in securing our democracy by joining voter outreach programs, volunteering at the polls, and educating our communities about issues impacting Black workers and families.

“We also invite all union members to attend this year’s USW Civil and Human Rights Conference, which will be held in Detroit, Mich., on June 9-12. We must all play our part in ensuring the survival of our values of equality, freedom, and dignity for all.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in health care, metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

Contact: Ben Davis, 412-562-2501, bdavis@usw.org

(Pittsburgh) – The United Steelworkers union (USW) today congratulated the Independent Union of Workers of Goodyear Mexico (SITGM) in San Luis Potosí on their successful negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement that brings their members under the coverage of Mexico’s industry-wide contract (contrato ley).

The contract will significantly increase wages, benefits and job security for the workers, who had been illegally excluded from the industry-wide contract since the plant opened in 2018.

“Fair contracts and a strong, democratically elected labor movement in Mexico benefit workers across North America,” said USW Vice President Emil Ramirez, who leads USW bargaining with Goodyear. “This deal will help close the gap between USW members and their Mexican counterparts, slowing the race to the bottom on wages and working conditions that hurts us all.”

After the company-installed CTM union was caught on security cameras stealing a ballot box in a previous vote, Goodyear was forced to negotiate with the SITGM as a result of a complaint filed under the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This led to an election in August that the Independent Union won by a vote of 899-30.

“The USW thanks the members of Congress who supported Goodyear workers in Mexico over the past six years and in particular Sen. Sherrod Brown, who worked tirelessly on their behalf,” said USW Rubber and Plastics Industry Conference Chair Kevin Johnsen.

“We also appreciate the Biden administration’s hard work on this case, especially the leadership and staff of the United States Department of Labor and the Office of the United States Trade Representative, as well as the actions of Mexican authorities who contributed to a positive outcome.”

The USW represents 850,000 workers in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.