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USW President: AFL-CIO Convention Opportunity to Rally Activists |
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This is a cross-post from the United Steelworkers.
United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard today gave the keynote speech at the Union Label & Service Trades Department convention in Pittsburgh, saying the meeting along with the upcoming AFL-CIO convention is an opportunity.
Gerard said working families should be hopeful after President Obama’s decision last night to enforce trade rules in the 421 trade case that showed a flood of tires imported from China was harming the domestic industry. Thousands of jobs at U.S. tire plants have been lost because of the imports. (Click here for more information on the 421 story.)
“I want to quote the President, who said we ought not fear the future, but we ought to want to shape the future,” Gerard said.
“Fighting for health care, manufacturing jobs, fair trade, the Employee Free Choice Act, these are the challenges we face,” he said. “If we don’t fight, who will? I want my grandkids to have a shot at a decent life and decent jobs. If we sit on our hands and zip our mouths and tie our feet to the chair, we’ll get run over. But if we stand up and fight, we can win.”
Gerard serves on the AFL-CIO Executive Committee, as well as serving on its Executive Council. He is chairman of the AFL-CIO’s Public Policy Committee. The AFL-CIO Convention runs through Sept. 17. Stay tuned to www.usw.org for the latest coverage.
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I’m glad to see the Federal Government finally stand up and do something that will help the American people and also do something to help shore up the economy instead of reporting another huge lay off.
If you walk into any hardware store, virtually everything is made in China. Porter Cable, DeWalt, Milwaukee, Rigid, Irwin etc. It’s not like we’re trying to starve China out, in fact the case is just the opposite. We’re trying to protect the little bit we have left.
And what’s wrong with that? - nothing! Stand strong, be proud, be Union!