Brazilian multinational Vale today received the 2012 Public Eye People's Choice Award for world's worst company.  The award was presented in Davos, Switzerland, where corporate chieftains and political leaders are meeting for the annual World Economic Forum.
 
Presenting the award, Nobel economics laureate Joseph E. Stiglitz called on multinational companies to go "beyond the minimum required by the law to protect the environment, to treat workers with decency and fairness, not to exploit all the advantages that asymmetries in bargaining might afford."

More than 88,000 people around the world voted in an online competition , organized by the Berne Declaration and Greenpeace Switzerland, to choose the worst case of contempt for the environment and human rights.    
 
"This vote demonstrates the increasing global awareness of Vale's terrible record of destroying communities and the environment while systematically violating workers' rights," said United Steelworkers International President Leo Gerard. Gerard spoke from Sudbury, Ontario, where he dedicated a new building for Steelworkers Local 6500 which represents 3,000 Vale workers.  
 
In December, the Ontario Labor Relations Board found that Vale committed unfair labor practices during a year-long strike at Sudbury. Last June 8, two workers were killed in Sudbury in an accident that is still under investigation.
 
Earlier, an Industrial Inquiry Commission appointed by the Newfoundland and Labrador government to investigate an 18-month strike at Voisey's Bay found that Vale's "behavior demonstrates disrespect for the role of a bargaining agent."
 
Vale was nominated for the Public Eye award by Justice on the Rails, a Brazilian coalition of environmental and community groups. "We owe a tremendous debt to our sisters and brothers in Brazil who continue to expose this company's destructive actions," Gerard said.

Vale is in the running for the "prize" of being named the "Worst Company in the World" by the Public Eye Awards. The prize will be awarded during the Annual World Economic Forum, that brings together corporate and government elites in Davos, Switzerland. You can vote here, to show your disgust for the way this powerful Brazilian-based company carries out its operations in 38 countries throughout the world. Behind its fabulously high profit levels and clever image control lies a sad story of union bashing, hiding workplace accidents, environmental devastation and running roughshod over local communities impacted by its mines and plants.

Vote here now to help Vale win the title of World's Worst Corporation of 2011! Voting ends January 26, 2012.

Why does Vale deserve the award for worst corporation in the world? 

A summary of some of the social, environmental, labour impacts on the traditional peoples of various enterprises of Vale in Brazil and worldwide.

Leo W. Gerard, president of the United Steelworkers (USW) issued the following statement today on President Obama’s State of the Union Address:

“President Obama has listened to us as American workers and laid out a vision of the America we want and need, one that creates jobs and prosperity for us and not the 1% who have looted the economy.

“As a union representing workers in the manufacturing, energy and service sectors, we stand up and fight in support of the President’s ‘Blueprint for an America Built to Last.’ Strengthening American manufacturing by looking to build good jobs, green jobs and sustainable jobs with American energy, skills and values is a program for us ... more

In this episode, Leslie Marshall talks with Dave Foster, Executive Director of the Blue/Green Alliance and past Director of the United Steelworkers (USW). They began with a discussion about Bain Capital, which was co-founded by Mitt Romney, and how it destroyed a steel company in Kansas City, MO, caused 750 people to lose their jobs, their severance pay and parts of their health care and pensions.

Foster recalls having to deal with Bain Capital at that time. "It was a terrible story of duplicity, of greed and of pillaging."

"These were folks that stuck the straw into the value of the company, slurped it out when they had the opportunity, knew what the results were going to be, then walked away of their obligations to employees and retirees, took their $10 million in profits and went off to their new homes ..."

Oil Workers engaged in a National Day of Action for Safe Refineries and Good Jobs on Saturday, January 21. Members in refinery communities around the country visited gas stations and distributed handbills to drivers on the importance of refinery safety in the ongoing round of contract negotiations. 

Actions occurred in Texas, Louisiana, Utah, California, Washington, Pennsylvania, and other locations around the country. 

Health and safety is a major issue in this round of National Oil Bargaining.

Since the last time we sat down to bargain with the oil industry three years ago, 18 oil workers have died on the job,” says Gary Beevers, the Steelworkers’ International Vice President for Oil Bargaining.  “That’s unacceptable. This time around we expect to see some real, enforceable improvements on health and safety.”

The United Steelworkers (USW) today endorsed U.S. Rep. Mark Critz for re-election as the representative of southwestern Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District.

USW International President Leo W. Gerard said Critz has the endorsement of the international union, all of the USW local union presidents in the 12th Congressional District and SOAR, the union’s retiree organization.

The USW represents more than 32,000 active and retired workers in the union-dense 12th District, which encompasses all of Greene and portions of Allegheny, Armstrong, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana, Somerset, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Gerard said Critz, a former aide to the late Congressman Jack Murtha, knows the importance of manufacturing and industry and stands for industrial policies that will create good American jobs.

“He has always been there on the issues that matter to us,” Gerard said.

Critz, a Johnstown Democrat, said he was humbled by the endorsement and promised to continue to stand up for working men and women in Pennsylvania.

“I went to Congress to fight, to fight for this area … I’ve never been afraid to fight anyone when it comes to the values of working men and women, and our seniors,” he said.

“I’ve worked every day, every single day trying to create jobs back here in Western Pennsylvania and trying to uphold the values of the middle class, of working men and women, making sure that the schemes of Republicans in Congress don’t attack things like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and veterans’ benefits. It’s fight. We have to stand together.”

On January 14, 2012, United Steelworker (USW) members across America held informational rallies in support of the locked out workers at USW Local 207L in Findlay, OH. Since November 28, 2011, Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. refused the union's offer to remain on the job while negotiations proceeded.

Members attracted attention of motorists and consumers carrying signs that read “300 Million Reasons for Cooper to Bargain Fairly” and “Cooper Tire’s Greed Flat Out Wrong,” in front of tire stores carrying the Cooper name.

USW members submitted 675 photos from all areas of the United States of this mega information rally.

Click on the photos below to see galleries of our members in action from each USW District

		Support from District 1
		Support from District 2
		Support from District 4
		Support from District 7
		Support from District 8
		Support from District 9
		Support from District 10
		Support from District 11
		Support from District 12
		Support from District 13

Bowing to Partisan Politics Not the Right Way to Proceed, says Union

United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard expressed support for the Administration’s decision to challenge partisan politics and not bow to Republican pressure to prematurely approve TransCanada’s permit to develop a proposed 1,700-mile pipeline.  The Keystone XL Pipeline would transport crude oil and bitumen from Alberta, Canada to the Texas Gulf Coast.  

“The Administration made the right decision to ensure that a project of this scale is done in a way that is good for both jobs and the environment,” said Gerard. “The White House is facing forces in Congress that have decided to use this project as a litmus test for their commitment to jobs, at the same time as they have blocked the door to every one of the Administration’s job proposals, but the fact is more time is needed to ensure that this project will have the economic and environmental benefits claimed by the developer.”

Proponents of the pipeline estimate that the project will create 13,000 construction jobs, 7,000 manufacturing jobs and allow the U.S. to supply our oil needs with Canada, a long-standing ally instead of unstable nations ... more

Union members to talk to consumers at gas stations about safety issues in contract negotiations

Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) union who work at oil refineries around the country are planning a National Day of Action for Safe Refineries and Good Jobs on January 21.  Members in refinery communities around the country plan to visit gas stations and distribute handbills to drivers on the importance of refinery safety in the ongoing round of contract negotiations. 

The USW represents more than 30,000 workers in the oil sector.  Most labor agreements are set to expire Feb. 1 at 12:01 a.m.  Across the country, health and safety is a major issue on the bargaining table.  In 2009 the Steelworkers proposed significant changes to health and safety language at the bargaining table, but the industry rebuffed the demands. 

The Steelworkers say that health and safety is a primary issue in this round of negotiations.  “Since the last time we sat down to bargain with the oil industry three years ago, 18 oil workers have died on the job,” says Gary Beevers, the Steelworkers’ International Vice President for Oil Bargaining.  “That’s unacceptable.  This time around we expect to see some real, enforceable improvements on health and safety.” 

Actions are planned in Texas, Louisiana, Utah, California, Washington, Pennsylvania, and other locations around the country ... more

Our friends at American Rights at Work are supporting locked out USW members by asking supporters to e-mail Cooper Tire's CEO and demand the company end the lock out and bring back our experienced members. Here's what they wrote in a recent action alert to their supporters: 

 

On November 28, 2011, Cooper Tire and Rubber locked out 1,050 workers in Findlay, Ohio. When Cooper Tire was losing money in 2008, these employees gave up $31 million in concessions to help their employer stay alive. Cooper has since rebounded, raking in $300 million in profits - and handing corporate executives millions in raises and bonuses. Workers simply want a fair deal that recognizes their sacrifice. Instead they have been left out in the cold. Fight back against corporate greed and help Cooper Tire workers get back to work.

E-Mail Cooper Tire CEO Roy Armes to urge him to end the lockout and negotiate fairly.

 

Click here to join American Rights at Work action to support the locked out Cooper Tire workers by sending a message to Cooper's CEO.