July 31, 2006—The United Steelworkers (USW), reportedly North America’s largest private sector manufacturing union with 850,000 members, and the Sierra Club, reportedly the largest grassroots environmental organization in the US, with 750,000 members, have formed a strategic alliance to pursue a joint public policy agenda under the banner of “Good Jobs, A Clean Environment, and A Safer World.”
The new alliance will build on existing joint projects and focus initially on three key issues: global warming and clean energy, fair trade, and reducing toxics. The work will begin in four states—Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Ohio, and Washington—with plans to expand into at least 10 more states in the next two years.
The USW also released its new Environmental Policy Statement in conjunction with the alliance announcement. The document provides North American workers with a strategic vision on how to fight for both job security and an improved quality of life.
Leo W. Gerard, International President of USW, stated, “We believe that the complex problems of a global society are interrelated and that a coalition such as ours can focus the country’s attention on the positive solutions–whether global warming or outsourcing, public health or public safety, or workers’ rights and environmental standards.”
For more information, see the Web sites of the USW.
