Steelworkers Ask 1.2 Million to Push Renewal Plan
The United Steelworkers today announced a mobilization campaign titled Make Our Future Work, saying 1.2 million current and retired members will mobilize for it in every state. The plan "taps into the record-breaking level of election activism and answers President Obama's call to 'pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America,' " according to the union, which has about 850,000 current members in the United States and Canada who work in the metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining, and service industries.
"After witnessing such hope this week, I'm convinced more than ever that we must once again become a nation whose economy thrives on making things and creates wealth through middle-class prosperity," said USW International President Leo W. Gerard, who attended the inauguration. "President Obama has made it clear that he wants our nation to have an economy that delivers on the promise of America. Our union is heeding his call: We're ready to work. Our plan pushes for meaningful, sustained solutions that put people back to work. It promotes infrastructure investment and green jobs that help solve our energy problems, demands that we spend tax dollars on products with domestic content, and supports allowing workers to freely join unions to help boost our middle class."
The latter point refers to the Employee Free Choice Act, which is the major battleground in the 111th Congress thus far between employer groups and organized labor.
Visit this site for information about the campaign.