The United Steelworkers union is launching its first national organizing campaign, a Canada-wide program to give unorganized workers a collective voice in their workplaces.
Amidst "the worst economic crisis in a generation," organizing unorganized workers is more important than ever, Ken Neumann, United Steelworkers National Director for Canada, said on Wednesday.
The Steelworkers have organized 12,000 workers over the last three years. But more must be done, Neumann told over 600 USW activists, as well as national and international labor and political leaders attending the union's National Policy Conference in Toronto.
"Organizing new members is essential if we are to continue our tradition of leadership and ... identifying new ways to improve the lives of working people," Neumann said in his conference-opening address.
United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard followed Neumann's address by affirming the union's plan to expand global alliances and partnerships with unions on every continent.
"We have shown foresight and solidarity in building alliances with other unions," said Gerard.
"With Great Britain's Unite the Union, the United Steelworkers created the first global union, three-million members strong. We have alliances with several other international unions and we will continue to build on these successes. Our solidarity and our strength must be globally-encompassing so we can fight toe-to-toe with global corporations bent on attacking our working and living standards."
Steelworkers set to expand national organizing, global alliances
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