USW NEWS BREAK - Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Economic/Political Articles

USW Sets Record Straight on Mitt Romney Jobs Record
United Steelworkers International Vice President Tom Conway held a press call today to set the record straight about the millions of dollars that Mitt Romney, candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, has made as a corporate buyout specialist by eliminating American jobs. Conway was responding to Romney’s Iowa campaign stop at Missouri Valley Steel in Sioux City, IA, where the Republican candidate talked jobs and the economy. “One of Romney’s favorite things we’ve been hearing him say on the campaign trail is that … more

Steelworkers, CN Rail Reach Tentative Deal
Agreement Renews Labour Contract for Maintenance-of-Way Employees in Canada
CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) and the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 2004 announced today that they have reached a tentative agreement to renew the labour contract for approximately 2,800 maintenance-of-way employees in Canada. The current agreement is scheduled to expire on Dec. 31, 2011. Details of the new agreement are being withheld pending ratification by USW members, who inspect, maintain and repair CN's track, bridges and structures in Canada. The ratification process is expected to take approximately … more

If You’re Going to Declare War on the Unemployed, at Least Have the Decency to Own Up to it
Time was when Republicans at least had the decency to pretend that they care about the unemployed. Now, secure in their arrogance and self-righteousness, Republican lawmakers have dropped the facade of compassion and concern, revealing their true agenda, which seems to be creating a permanent underclass, while also embarrassing and harassing those caught in a seemingly never-ending cycle of poverty. In an economy where there are four job seekers for every open job, Republicans seem intent on rubbing the … more

Safety Concerns Heighten Over Petrochemical Plants
It took two days for the fire to cool down enough to allow inspection following a devastating explosion at the Phillips Petroleum Company’s chemical plant in Houston in 1999. When industry officials entered they were met with a shocking sight: embedded in a cooling tower across the burnt processing unit, was a propeller half the size of a house. “It was a devastating explosion,” said Jim Lefton, a Texas based United Steelworkers (USW) representative who has serviced most of the big oil companies over the years. Changes in the … more

Republicans: The Single Greatest Threat to America
The single greatest threat to the United States is not joblessness, foreclosures, another recession or skyrocketing debt or health care costs. Nor is it terrorism, China or declining influence abroad. No, the single greatest threat to our country is today's Republican Party. That's because the GOP is relentlessly pursuing a policy of the American public be damned, so that next year Republicans can regain the national political dominance they held from 2001 to 2006. Their sole, selfish aim is to complete the transformation of the … more

Steelworker Articles

Steelworkers Rally with Supporters in Findlay - District 1
Thousands Around the World Tell Cooper Tire "End the Lockout!"
Thousands joined the United Steelworkers (USW) today at a solidarity rally to support 1,051 members of Local 207L who have been locked out of their jobs at Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. since Nov. 28, 2011, when the company refused the union's offer to remain on the job while negotiations proceeded. "Management at Cooper Tire needs to stop holding our jobs and this community hostage, end this unfair lockout, join us at the table and bargain in good faith," said USW Secretary Treasurer Stan Johnson, who heads the USW's tire … more

USW Local 13-1 Holds "Fill the Truck Event" - District 13
On December 15, United Steelworkers (USW) from Local 13-1 along with sisters and brothers from Shell and Momentive joined to collect toys for the "Fill the Truck Event." The event was organized by the Shell Deer Park Worker's Committee to help with the local Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. "Our members in District 13 are always ready to jump into action to assist at rallies or events." said USW District 13 Director Mickey Breaux. "But it's events like this at Local 13-1 that show our true community spirit." The … more

Meetings set to try to save refineries - District 10
Even as the year is winding down, there’s a flurry of activity stretching from Marcus Hook to Washington, D.C., as union and community officials attempt to save the Delaware County refineries. On Monday, representatives from groups impacted by the potential closures from elected officials to business people to union leaders and state administrators will meet for the second time at the Marcus Hook Community Center. The first was in September. U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., will attend the meeting. A day later, on Tuesday, Marcus … more

Vectren locks out union workers in dispute - District 7
Vectren has locked out 270 union workers at several Indiana worksites after the union rejected a proposed three-year-contract. Vectren says the lockout that began Friday affects workers who serve 570,000 customers in 49 south and central Indiana counties. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1393 and United Steelworkers Locals 12213 and 7441 represent the workers. IBEW business agent Bob Fox tells The Herald Times (http://bit.ly/uJbWv9 ) the union was willing to extend the old agreement or work without a … more

Recall Petitioners Drawing Crowds in Conservative Areas - District 2
Kelly Gallaher stands bundled-up outside a shopping mall in the town of North Bay in Racine County. Over her winter clothing, she’s wearing a bright green vest bearing the words, Recall Here. “The first couple days or the first week I would say you could hold out a clipboard and cars just flocked. You didn’t need a sign, you didn’t need anything,” Gallaher says. Gallaher says she’s been out circulating recall petitions every day since the recall drive began against Governor Walker more than a month ago. She claims the stream of signers … more

Audios/Videos

Pres. Rodney Nelson, USW 207L on the Cooper Tire Lockout - Rodney tells us about how Cooper is throwing their dedicated workforce to the curb right at the start of the holiday season … more

I recall - 507,533 signatures to recall Scott Walker and counting. The people of Wisconsin are uniting to recall Scott Walker … more

Gingrich: I Would Send Police To Arrest 'Activist Judges' - Continuing his crusade against the courts, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich railed against judges “imposing secularism” on the country on this morning’s Face The Nation … more

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USW NEWS BREAK - Tuesday, December 20, 2011