1. TWU-STT & USW:
A par tner ship for the
future
December 12, 2012

2. USW team

3. Summary
1. Our structure
2. Our membership
3. Our resources and services
4. TWU-STT / USW merger considerations
5. Q&A

4. USW overview
 800,000 members
across North America
 Canadian autonomy
within an
international union
 225,000 members in
Canada
 Most diverse union in
Canada

5. USW diversity & strength
 2,700 collective
agreements across
Canada in every sector
 50 agreements with
11,800 members under
the Canada Labour
Code
 10 communications
sector units, 5 in the
U.S.: 1,800 members

6. USW democracy & structure
 Most other unions choose
top leaders by delegates
at conventions
 USW democracy: leaders
directly elected by one-
member, one-vote
 President, National
Director for Canada, all
International Officers and
District Directors

7. USW democracy & structure
 Same process for
USW Local Union
executive elections:
one-member, one-
vote
 Next Local Union
elections: April
2015

8. USW Locals set
USW policy
LOCAL UNION MEMBERSHIP
elects delegates to
USW
USW
International
International
Constitutional
Constitutional
Convention
Convention
USW
USW Other
Other USW
USW
Canadian
Canadian Conferences,
Conferences, District
District
Policy
Policy CLC, etc.
CLC, etc. Conferences
Conferences
Conference
Conference

9. USW Overview: District 3
 B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan,
Manitoba and three northern
territories
 Members in about 900 different
workplaces
 Servicing offices in Burnaby,
Trail, Langley, Prince George,
Calgary, Edmonton, plus offices
in Saskatchewan and Manitoba

10. USW overview: District 6
 Ontario and Atlantic provinces
 Members in about 930
different workplaces
 Servicing offices in Cambridge,
Hamilton, Hawkesbury,
Kingston, London, Mississauga,
Orillia, Oshawa, Ottawa, Sault
Ste. Marie, Sudbury, Thunder
Bay, Toronto, plus four Atlantic
offices

11. USW overview: District 5
 Quebec
 Members in about 650
different workplaces
 Servicing offices in
Montreal, Jonquiere,
Quebec, Rouyn- Noranda,
Brossard, Sept-Isles , Ste-
Therese

12. USW Dues
1.45% of pay, plus 2 cents per hour worked
 44% to Local Union (education, lost time, membership
approved expenditures)
 44% to USW (spent in Canada on services and staff
support)
 7% to USW Strike and Defence Fund ($214 million)
 3% to Organizing, 1% to Canadian Education Fund, 1% to
political action

13. USW Local Unions
Diversity: a broad mix of diverse local union structures,
designed to be flexible and meet members’ needs
All sizes of ‘stand-alone’ locals: single workplace /
employer)
All sizes of ‘amalgamated’ (geographic) locals covering
multiple workplaces/contracts
Sectoral locals
National and provincial locals

14. USW Services & Support
Structure: mix of single-workplace locals,
multi-workplace amalgamated locals
Services: delivered by USW Staff Representatives
Trained, experienced USW employees responsible to
elected Directors
Staff Reps access USW resources, experts (Legal
Department, Research Department, Communications,
etc.)

15. USW Services
and Support
 Research Department
 Legal Department
 Strategic Campaigns
 Health, Safety and
Environment
 Education,
Human Rights, Retirees
 Communications and
Political Action
 Organizing

16. United
Steelworkers
Legal Department
• 7 full-time lawyers in
the Canadian National
Office
• Plus retained lawyers
• Provide legal advice
and support to USW
Staff Representatives
and Local Union
leadership

17. USW Legal Department
 Collective agreement
language
 Training for staff and Local
Union officials on legal issues
 Collective bargaining strategy
 Grievances and arbitration
 Human rights issues

18. USW Research
Department
• 9 Research staff in
Vancouver, Toronto
and Montreal
• Trained experts in
financial costing,
benefit analysis,
corporate research
• Experience with very
wide variety of
industries

19. USW Research Department
When a union:
 bargains a collective
agreement
 develops a strategic plan
 lobbies governments
 engages in public campaigns
It needs to understand
the relevant facts

20. USW Membership Education
Thousands of USW members trained every year. Some
course examples:

21. USW Membership Education
Other member education highlights:
 Leadership
development with
global component
 Scholarships for
members and Locals
 Next Generation
program

22. Global
Partnerships
 USW global union with
Unite (U.K.) – Workers
Uniting, 3 million members
 USW founding member of
IndustriALL – 50 million
members in 140 countries
 Partnership with Los
Mineros in Mexico

23. USW Humanity Fund
 First union-based
international development
organization of its kind
 Registered Canadian charity
funded by USW member
contributions
 International development
projects, emergency
humanitarian aid and an
education program for
Steelworker members

24. USW Political Action
 Activist union, founding
partner in the New
Democratic Party
 Fighting for: better labour
laws, protection for wages
and pensions, job security,
health and social programs,
better trade laws and more
 Legislative offices in
Ottawa and Washington

25. Women of Steel program
 supporting women activists,
recognizing women's issues
as workers' issues
 Women of Steel Leadership
Development Course
 USW National Women's
Conference

26. USW – An Organizing Union
 Canadian National Organizing Department
 Strong legal and communications backup
 13 full-time organizing staff at National and
District levels
 Depth of experience in running large
organizing campaigns
 Average 4,000 new members annually

27. USW – Strength through mergers
 1995 - United Rubber Workers (Canada / U.S.,
95,000 members)
 1996 - Aluminum, Brick & Glass Workers
(Canada / U.S., 40,000 members)
 2000 - Transportation Communications Union
(Canada / U.S., 5,000 members)

28. USW – Strength through mergers
 2001 – University of Guelph Staff Association
(Canada, 900 members)
 2004 - Industrial, Wood and Allied Workers
Canada (Canada, 50,000 members)

29. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
 Respects TWU-STT history as an
independent union
 All USW services and democratic rights
 Balance of autonomy and support
 Mutually agreed transition toward the
USW dues structure

30. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
 Alignment of USW resources to assist in
transition and collective bargaining
 Democratic governance transition

31. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
 Compliance with TWU-STT and USW
constitutions
 Recognized by CIRB
 Collective agreement continuity
 Compliance by all employers

32. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
 Mutually agreed plan
 Careful legal strategy
 Moving confidently from merger into
servicing and then into collective
bargaining

33. TWU-STT and USW –
merger principles
A partnership for a better future
 Strong collective
agreements
 Top-notch service
 A strong voice for all
members

34. Questions &
Answer s
TWU-STT Presentation,
December 12, 2012