is published by the

United Steelworkers District 2 AFL-CIO·CLC

MICHAEL BOLTON, Director 1244A Midway Rd., Menasha, WI 54952

(920) 722-7630

Contributors to this issue include: Jay McMurran, Tammy Duncan, Lori Gutekunst,

Kelly Caldera, Al Calhoun, Steve Doherty, USW LU 1319, Inside U.S. Trade

Articles and photos are welcome and should be sent to:

Art Kroll, Editor, District 2 News 20600 Eureka Road, Suite 300, Taylor, MI 48180

d2@usw.org • 734-285-0367

MAY 29, 2015, is the deadline for submissions for the next issue.

Now that Michigan and Wisconsin are Right to Work states, having a successful Local Union Organizing Committee in place becomes even more important. As workers, the most effective tool we have in our collective bargaining kit is the threat of a strike. We don’t have to strike, but we have to have the ability to say we will use that option. In order for that threat to be effective, we will keep an eye on the membership at each USW represented workplace; and if the membership should fall below 87%, a red flag will go up signaling it’s time to get to work to address that problem. The District and the Local Union will then work together to develop an Internal Organizing strategy to convince non-members to re-join the Steelworkers. But, Internal Organizing is about more than maintaining a certain level of membership. It’s about building stronger and more active locals. To be successful, Organizing Committee members must be good communicators. Whether it’s trying to convince a potential new member to sign an authorization card or persuading a former member to re-sign a card, they must be comfortable talking to workers on a one-on-one basis. We train all potential organizing candidates to develop these skills, but local unions can use them in other ways to help keep these skills sharp. Rapid Response, District 2 Political Action and other local union activities require one-on-one communication with members to make them work properly. Organizers can be used to supplement existing teams on various committees and can help educate members on important Steelworker issues to get them to act in support of or in opposition

MICHAEL H. BOLTON, DIRECTOR

MAY 4, 2015 • VOLUME 5, ISSUE 5 PAGE 1

It’s May and that means elections for local union officers have ended. First, I would like to congratulate all newly elected and re-elected officers. I look forward to working together with you

to continue growing our District to improve the lives of our members. We will be providing you with the tools to succeed in your new responsibilities. To those who are leaving office, I want to offer you my thanks for a job well done. You served our Union and its members well during some very tough times and your efforts are deeply appreciated. It is my hope that whether you are retiring, or just taking a short break from local union politics, that you will continue to stay involved in Steelworker activities. With new leadership in place, I would like to issue a challenge to each USW District 2 President and Executive Board member. The challenge is for each local union to commit to building an active Organizing Committee to help bring new members into our Union; and, when needed, to engage in internal organizing drives. Organizing is one of the most important jobs we can do to ensure that our Union is growing and that our members will continue to enjoy the hard won wages and benefits we secured in the past. It’s no secret that workers in industries with high Union density earn more pay and pay less for benefits. But, as the number of Union facilities in that industry shrinks, employers pit non-union workers against their organized counterparts to drive down labor costs.

USW District 2 USW District 2 USW District 2 Council Steering CommitteeCouncil Steering CommitteeCouncil Steering Committee

The District 2 Council By-Laws established a District 2 Council Steering Committee comprised of a rank and file structure. It was set up to assist in the following:

Development of agenda for Council Conference.

● Planning of the District Council Conference Educational Conferences.

● District 2 strategic planning.

● Determining and assessing educational needs within the District.

Generating and leading activism and other purposes consistent with the mission and directives of District 2 and the USW.

The elected members of the Steering Committee are listed below by manufacturing sector. If you need to contact a Steering Committee Member, please do so by using the email provided.

NameNameName LU#LU#LU# SectorSectorSector Email AddressEmail AddressEmail Address

Hawley Warren 1299 Steel and Related

hwarren1299@comcast.net

Dennis DeMeyer Jr. 2-15 Paper djdemeyer54501@gmail.com

Kevin Bishop 1533 Amalgamated kbishop2219@gmail.com

Jesse Edwards 2-232 Automotive Related

Jesse_edwards2010@yahoo.com

Kent Holsing 12075 Chemical &

Energy Related kentholsing@gmail.com

Mary Jane Holland 9184 Health Care mjhlocal9184@att.net

Mark Lewis 12934 Public marklewis@uswalocal12934.com

Dave Page 1327 At Large dpage004@yahoo.com

Wes White 1327 At Large wwhite101354@centurytel.net

Jim Whitt 2-145 Allied Industrial whittjim@yahoo.com

DISTRICT 2 CONTACT IDISTRICT 2 CONTACT IDISTRICT 2 CONTACT INFORMATIONNFORMATIONNFORMATION

USW District 2 Office 1244A Midway Road Menasha, WI 54952 (920) 722-7630

Northern WI & MI Sub-District Office 1244A Midway Road Menasha, WI 54952 (920) 722-7630

Southern WI Sub-District Office 1126 South 70th Street Suite N509A West Allis, WI 53214 (414) 475-4560

Northern MI Sub-District Office 503 North Euclid Avenue Suite #10 - Euclid Plaza Bay City, MI 48706 (989) 667-0660

Southern MI Sub-District Office 20600 Eureka Road, Suite 300 Taylor, MI 48180 (734) 285-0367

A Message from Director Michael BoltonA Message from Director Michael BoltonA Message from Director Michael Bolton

is published by the United Steelworkers District 2

AFL-CIO·CLC MICHAEL BOLTON, Director 1244A Midway Rd., Menasha, WI 54952

(920) 722-7630

Have you been to District 2’s Page on Facebook?

www.facebook.com/USWDistrict2

MAY 4, 2015 • VOLUME 5, ISSUE 5 • PAGE 2

Did you know?Did you know?Did you know?

A Message from Director Michael Bolton A Message from Director Michael Bolton A Message from Director Michael Bolton ——— Continued

USW Local 1319 Receives Award “Why Am I Middle Class?”

This column will become a monthly article where we encourage you to send us a few paragraphs answering the question “Why Am I Middle Class?”. Because of space, one will be selected monthly and all others saved for future issues. Below, was written by Al Calhoun, Staff Representative.

Why am I Middle Class? Because I am a Union Member!

There was a time in my life when I worked for a company that didn’t have a Union. However, what they did have was low wages and no benefits in addition to terrible working conditions.

In 1986, I found work at a company that had a Union. I was able to enjoy Union negotiated wages, medical benefits, safety, working conditions and people working together as a team.

I am proud to be UNION STRONG!

USW Local 1319 is the recipient of the 2015 Gerald Koester Award, which was bestowed for outstanding community service for raising and donating $4,750! They donated the following so far: ● $90 - GBLC -

Legislative Breakfast ● $200 - Blanketing Brown County ● $200 - Diaper Drive ● $250 - Donation to Labor Temple for postage ● $310 - St. Patrick's Food Pantry ● $700 - Adopt A Family (sponsored two families

for Christmas) ● $3000 - Benefit for two members with health

issues

Former District 2 Director, Harry E. Lester, Died April 18, 2015

Long time USWA District 29 and District 2 Director, Harry E. Lester, died April 18, 2015, at the age of 85. Lester began his Steelworker career in 1957, when he was hired as a locomotive engineer at McLouth Steel in Trenton, MI. He immediately became active in USWA Local 2659 and served in a host of elected and appointed positions within the local. He served two terms as local union president prior to being appointed to the USWA staff in 1971. Harry had an infectious “down home” personality that endeared him to Union members across the country. He is also remembered as a fighter. As Director, he led several “caravans” to support striking and locked out USWA members in several states.

In addition to the moral support given by the caravans, he raised thousands of dollars to help aid strikers and their families. His involvement with the National Kidney Foundation of Michigan has resulted in over $3.5 million raised to benefit people with kidney disease and helped fund important treatment research. Elected Director in 1981, he served Michigan and Wisconsin Steelworkers until his retirement following the 2005 USWA-PACE merger. His family asked Steelworkers to remember him by making a contribution to the National Kidney Foundation or to the Harry E. Lester/Mary E. Lester Scholarship Fund.

of issues that affect our jobs, families and work lives. This summer, we will be offering training for members interested in becoming organizers. “Every Member an Organizer” training will be held during the Spring District 2 Leadership Training Course. Later in the year, additional training will be offered to members indicating their interest in becoming involved in the District’s external organizing efforts. To be a part of our team, members must have contract language that allows us to negotiate temporary leaves of absence for organizers to participate in drives from time to time. Working with the Local Union, the International will pay lost time and expenses for members released to assist in our drives. In closing, I would like to encourage each Local Union President to canvas their membership to recruit three or four members to serve on your Local Union Organizing Committees. Members should be dedicated to growing the labor movement, be good communicators and listeners, and must be comfortable talking to workers one-on-one. You should provide the names and contact information of these members to your USW District 2 Staff Representative as soon as possible.

Harry E. LesterHarry E. LesterHarry E. Lester

Wisconsin Right to Work Law Update & Training ● May 11 - 12, 2015

Radisson Paper Valley Hotel 333 West College Avenue • Appleton, WI

Women of Steel Area Meetings (Michigan) ● June 2, 2015 (5:00 pm - 8:15 pm) Civic Club

183 Ninth Street • Manistee, MI ● June 3, 2015 (10:00 am - 2:00 pm)

Kent Ionia Labor Council 918 Benjamin Avenue NE • Grand Rapids, MI

● June 5, 2015 (10:00 am - 2:00 pm) USW District 2 Southern Michigan Sub-Office 20600 Eureka Road, Suite 300 • Taylor, MI

Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (Northern Michigan)

● June 8 - 9, 2015 Great Hall Banquet and Convention Center 5121 Bay City Road • Midland, MI

Women of Steel Area Meetings (Wisconsin) ● June 10, 2015 (8:00 am - 3:30 pm)

USW Local 2-148 Union Hall 1201 Gillingham Road • Neenah, W

Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (Southern Michigan)

● June 11 - 12, 2015 Weber’s Inn 3050 Jackson Road • Ann Arbor, MI

Women of Steel Area Meetings (Michigan) ● June 12, 2015 (5:00 pm - 8:15 pm)

USW Local 12075 Hall 3510 James Savage Road • Midland, MI

Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (Northern Wisconsin)

● June 15 - 16, 2015 Radisson Paper Valley Hotel 333 West College Avenue • Appleton, WI

Sub-District Local Union Leadership Training (Southern Wisconsin)

● June 18 - 19, 2015 Olympia Resort & Conference Center 1350 Royale Mile Road • Oconomowoc, WI

Women of Steel Area Meetings (Wisconsin) ● June 19, 2015 (9:00 am - 3:30 pm)

Milwaukee Area Labor Council Building 633 S. Hawley Road • Milwaukee, WI

● July 10, 2015 (9:00 am - 1:00 pm) Kronenwetter Village Hall 1582 Kronenwetter Drive • Kronenwetter, WI 

Women of Steel Area Meetings (Michigan)

● July 21, 2015 (9:00 am - 1:00 pm) Ronn Hall (USW Local 4950 Union Hall) 1206 Baldwin Avenue • Negaunee, MI 

MAY 4, 2015 • VOLUME 5, ISSUE 5 • PAGE 3

Upcoming D2 Events Upcoming D2 Events Upcoming D2 Events USW International President Honored at Wayne State University

On Wednesday, April 22, 2015, United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard was honored with an award for advancing worker rights and the economic conditions of working families. This was the fifth time Wayne State University has presented this award. In 2009, Labor@Wayne established the annual “Labor Leaders on Labor Forum” to honor nationally and

internationally recognized leaders in the cause of advancing worker rights and the economic conditions of working families.

Each year since, a major labor figure has been so recognized. 2015 - Leo W. Gerard, President of

the United Steelworkers Union ● 2013 - Joseph Hansen, President of

the United Food and Commercial Workers Union

2012 - Mary Kay Henry, President of the Service Employees Int’l. Union

2011 - Richard Trumka, President of the National AFL-CIO

● 2010 - James Hoffa, President of the Int’l. Brotherhood of Teamsters Union

Recipients of the award are invited to give a keynote address on the state of labor on the Wayne State University campus and meet with faculty, staff, students, administrators, public officials, and members of the community. President Gerard gave his keynote address at the McGregor Memorial Conference Center at Wayne State with over 175 registered guests.

Michigan District 2 Legislative Conference ● May 6 - 8, 2015

Radisson Hotel Lansing at the Capitol 111 N. Grand Avenue • Lansing,

CANCELLED

Leo W. GerardLeo W. GerardLeo W. Gerard

Wayne State University • 42 W. Warren Ave. Detroit, MI 48201

MAY 4, 2015 • VOLUME 5, ISSUE 5 • PAGE 4

House Ways & Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) this week said restrictive language in the pending Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill could prevent the inclusion of provisions aimed at improving labor protections in Vietnam and Mexico in future legislation to implement a Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal.

The language in question states that any provision in a trade agreement implementing bill granted fast-track privileges under TPA must be "strictly necessary or appropriate" for the implementation of the deal. This stands in contrast to the 2002 fast-track bill, which simply said "necessary or appropriate." "The word 'strictly' I think will inhibit any reference to what's worked out with Vietnam and Mexico, if anything is worked out," Levin told reporters after an April 29 event in Washington. The administration is negotiating arrangements -- dubbed "labor consistency plans" -- with Vietnam and Mexico that would outline specific steps those countries would have to take to improve labor rights in the context of TPP, according to Levin. But these agreements are being discussed in parallel to the trade negotiations themselves.

The senior House Democrat has raised this issue before in the context of the U.S.-Colombia FTA. The U.S. and Colombia agreed on a labor action plan in the run-up to the vote on the trade agreement, largely in order to secure more political support from Democrats. But the plan was not referenced anywhere in the implementing bill for the FTA, despite the more lenient language under the 2002 fast-track bill.

In part as a result of this, union leaders have said the U.S. has no recourse to hold Colombia accountable to the action plan. In testimony before the Senate Finance Committee on April 21, AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka said the plan has been "totally ineffective," and pointed to the deaths of 105 unionists he said have been killed for trying to exercise their fundamental labor rights since the FTA's entry into force in 2012.

Trumka stressed the point that any labor provisions related to a trade deal must be legally linked to the FTA in order to make them meaningful. To illustrate this, he said that staff at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative -- including its general counsel and Assistant USTR for Labor Lewis Karesh -- have told him "repeatedly that murder of trade unionists and violence against trade unionists is not a violation of labor provisions in the FTA." USTR did not respond to two requests for comment on Trumka's statement.

The change to the "strictly necessary or appropriate" language in the 2015 fast-track bill makes it "more problematic" to refer to labor action plans in implementing bills, particularly because the negotiating objectives on labor contained in the TPA bill are not "meaningful," Levin said at an April 23 Ways & Means markup of the bill.

At the markup, other members, including Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), criticized the administration's stance on labor rights in the context of trade agreements. Doggett said that Zimbabwe and Uzbekistan are beneficiaries under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) but clearly do not meet its labor eligibility requirements. Among the criteria for determining GSP country eligibility are the requirement that beneficiary countries have taken, or are taking, to afford internationally recognized worker rights, including the right of association, the right to organize and bargain collectively, freedom from compulsory labor, a minimum age for the employment of children, acceptable conditions of work with respect to minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational safety and health, and a prohibition against the worst forms of child labor. Levin in his April 29 comments also complained that there is little information in the public sphere about the U.S. labor talks with Mexico and Vietnam, and he expressed doubt that they would yield a meaningful outcome.

"At this point, I think it's very uncertain whether there will be any effective provisions relating to the present problems with Vietnam, and Mexico with their protection agreements and worker rights," he said. "And those need to be addressed." Levin and two prominent union leaders have urged the administration to secure commitments from Mexico to improve workers' rights regarding so-called "protection contracts," as well as so-called "labor boards" set up by the Mexican government that are charged with registering unions, approving strikes and resolving labor disputes. Protection contracts are collective bargaining agreements between employers and employer-dominated unions that set the terms of employment such as wages and work hours. But labor rights advocates charge that these contracts are done without consulting workers, which effectively denies them their rights to collective bargaining.

Vietnam does not currently allow independent unions and has only one union sponsored by its Communist government. This makes it hard to see how Vietnam would meet the labor rights principles the administration has sought to include in TPP, labor advocates have said. The U.S. and Vietnam have discussed a potential labor plan for roughly one year, but do not appear to have agreed on its substance, the timing of when Vietnam would have to take on the obligations any such plan would contain, or its form. Possible options include an annex to the labor chapter, a protocol of implementation or a side letter.

—— Inside U.S. Trade - 05/01/2015 , Vol. 33, No. 17

Levin: TPA Language Could Block Labor Rights Deals From TPP Bill

MAY 4, 2015 • VOLUME 5, ISSUE 5 • PAGE 5

USW District 2 and Global Safety - USW Works with Newly Formed Oman Trade Union

The role of the USW Health, Safety and Environment efforts reach across our borders on many occasions. As a leader in union safety, our model is again being shared with the new General Federation of Oman Trade Unions (GFOTU). The GFOTU was formed in 2010 and is building a labor movement for the workers in Oman. In conjunction with the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center, and following the efforts with the Kurdistan United Workers Union last year, District 2 USWTMC Kevin Wilson Initiative Training Coordinator Steve Doherty facilitated workshops in the cities of Muscat April 5-6 and Sohar April 8-9 and met with Union Leadership and the Ministry of Labor to assist with the development of the GFOTU’s Health, Safety and Environment effort and the role of the union in the development of labor standards. “It is an exciting opportunity to witness the birth of a union movement and to take a look back at the history of the beginning of the USW and labor movement in the United States.” The USW Systems of Safety Approach was very well received and was embraced by the workshop participants, who were eager to learn about how to raise awareness and eliminate workplace hazards, build solidarity and improve the working conditions, and engaging the membership. The concept of the USWTMC worker trainer model now has the union leadership exploring how they can develop their own worker trainers. The first day of the workshop consisted of body mapping and hazard mapping, small group activities using the Systems of Safety Approach, comparing their developing labor standards to the U.S. and other International standards, in addition to a discussion among the sector leaders regarding strategic planning for the future. The second day of the workshop concentrated on building effective union safety committees in the facility and a structure to strengthen the union voice at the table with the labor ministry and the companies in the future. The leadership of the GFOTU is interested in developing a relationship with the USW as the future unfolds to share ideas on the world of global safety and building solidarity among workers everywhere.

USW District 2 Notices

Political Humor?

LOCAL UNION OFFICER FORMS Please remove the yellow copy from the officer election reports before mailing the white copies to the District 2 Office. The yellow carbon copy is for you to keep in the local’s files. Thank you.

Steve Doherty with microphoneSteve Doherty with microphoneSteve Doherty with microphone

Menasha Office 7:30 am – 4:00 pm M-TH

7:00 am – 3:30 pm F

Taylor Office 7:30 am – 4:00 pm M-TH

7:00 am – 3:30 pm F

Bay City Office 9:00 am – 5:00 pm M-F

West Allis Office 8:45 am – 4:45 pm M-F

DISTRICT 2 OFFICES’ SUMMER HOURS

TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY OR FAST TRACK

If you live in a congressional area that is represented by a Republican, you need to call them and ask that they VOTE NO on Trade Promotion Authority or Fast Track – it is important we all make these calls!