Pittsburghers are standing up to the city’s biggest bully: UPMC. Join us September 7th for a rally and march in Oakland to demand that UPMC act like a real charity.

Pittsburghers are demanding that UPMC executives STOP:

• Firing and harassing workers organizing to build Pittsburgh’s middle class
• Threatening to cut off access to patients who have the “wrong” insurance
• Suing the taxpayers of Pittsburgh to avoid paying their fair share like the rest of us

In recent weeks, UPMC has taken its attack on labor and our community to a new level – inviting the National Right to Work Committee into Pittsburgh to run expensive TV ads attacking unions! This has become a fight not just of UPMC workers, but of all of labor in our region.

Enough is enough. It’s time for our region’s largest “charity” to start acting like one!

RALLY AND MARCH

Saturday, September 7th at 11 am

Bigelow Blvd and Forbes Ave in Oakland

Click here to RSVP.

Adopted:  July 25, 2013

WHEREAS, USW Local 3657 is committed to promoting and advancing the cause of social and economic justice, and equality for everyone, and;

WHEREAS, USW Local Union 3657 is committed to the principles of non-violence as advocated for and demonstrated through the work of civil rights and labor leader A. Philip Randolph, and;

WHEREAS, Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teenager was racially profiled while walking down the street and unjustifiably killed, and;

WHEREAS, in 1955 Mamie Bradley Till, with the assistance of USW activist Rayfield Mooty and other labor leaders throughout the country, organized rallies and demonstrations to bring attention to the horrific murder of  her son Emmett Till, demanding justice and igniting the spark to the American Civil Rights Movement, and;

WHEREAS, the protection of our most basic civil and human rights are sacred and when those rights are violated, the federal government must uphold them when state and local government will not;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that we demand that Attorney General Eric Holder and the United States Justice Department conduct a thorough investigation into the violation of Trayvon Martin’s civil rights, and;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we send this resolution to Attorney General Eric Holder and to the congressional representatives in the jurisdiction of the members of our local union, to our senators, to our members, community allies and partners asking for their immediate concurrence and action.

Our local union is strong and active because we have energetic and committed members working on several different committees to do amazing work.  Here is a list of our local union’s committees, an overview of their role within the local, and details about how you can get plugged into the exciting work they’re doing.

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Local 3657’s Health, Safety and Environment Committee was contacted about a serious safety situation at headquarters involving elevator #4 on Wednesday, June 12. (This is the first elevator on the right when the front doors are behind you.)  After investigating, we learned that in the past week, at least two employees have experienced the upsetting situation of being stuck in the elevator, which failed to stop on the chosen floor(s) and the doors failed to open.  While the elevator alarm seemed to function, apparently, the intercom failed, leaving the trapped employee uncertain about whether the call for help had been received.

The 12^th floor was notified of the problem and contacted the building manager advising him to take whatever actions are necessary to address the problem. A representative from Schindler was called to work on the elevator that morning. Patrick and a member of the HSE committee ensured that the elevator was taken out of service and then met with the Schindler repairman and two of the employees who had experienced elevator malfunctions so he could hear a first-hand account of their experiences to better equip him to make the necessary repairs.

PLEASE NOTIFY STEFFI DOMIKE (sdomike@usw.org ext. 2559)  IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY FUTURE PROBLEMS WITH AN  ELEVATOR OR OTHER HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE.

International Day of Action to Stop Gap Sweatshop Death Traps

Join the Day of Action! 
Gap Shadyside
5436 Walnut St
12 Noon–Friday, June 28

Student activists and unions have declared an International Day of Action to End Deathtraps on Saturday, June 28th. We will take action at Gap and Walmart stores – picketing, flyering, and conducting civil disobedience – to force the companies to take responsibility for the safety of their workers by signing onto a binding safety agreement with unions.

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Since April 11^th, workers at Rivers Casino have been standing strong, organizing, and demanding a fair process to form a union. Rivers Casino management has continued its intimidation campaign, flagrantly disrespecting the will of the Pittsburgh community. It’s time to show Rivers Casino we just won’t tolerate intimidation and harassment in this town!

RALLY FOR JUSTICE AT RIVERS CASINO

THURSDAY, MAY 16^TH
Rally Starts at 3:30 PM
Members of Local 3657 may participate in this rally during working hours with the permission of your supervisors.  Meet in the lobby at 3pm SHARP to walk over to the rally.

5pm, Wednesday May 1–Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Hall

May 1^st has been historically linked to international workers’ rights. It started, May 1 1886 when the U.S. Federation of Organized Trade and Labor Unions – which included immigrant workers from all over — ruled that an 8 hour work day, would be a full and legal work day. The ruling class refused, causing riots and the long and even deadly battle to win rights for workers. It wasn’t long before workers from all over the world began protesting and standing up for their rights. While we may think we have secured safe conditions, the promise of a minimum wage and overtime after a 40 hour work week for all working people, the truth is that we have much more work to do. The battle that began between the ruling class and the working class in 1886 is still smoldering today.

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