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The United Steelworkers has long been in the forefront of legislative and political change. Our success at the bargaining table and in organizing new members is greatly determined by the governments we elect and by the economic, social and environmental policies in place.

We know that we must be involved in all aspects of legislative and political action. We must, directly as a union, lobby governments at the national, provincial and local levels. We must work with other unions, community and coalition groups to identify and promote our common interests. We must also actively engage our members building and electing the social democratic parties we helped to found - the New Democratic Party of Canada and the Parti Québecois in Quebec.

Since our last National Policy Conference in 1999, the Steelworkers have continued this proud tradition on a number of important fronts.

On the direct lobbying front, we expanded our efforts to defend and promote the rights of our members threatened by economic or political changes in Canada and abroad. Our union has carried out several successful campaigns including:

• The Westray campaign to introduce legislation to amend the Criminal Code to hold corporate executives and managers criminally accountable for situations like the disastrous mine explosion at Westray ten years ago in Nova Scotia;

• The Steel Trade campaign to protect steel industry jobs from unfair trade with offshore steel producers and to strengthen Canada’s trade laws; and,

• The Security campaign to improve wages and training for security officers and to ensure successor rights in the industry following the events of September 11, 2001.

While we still need to continue our efforts in these important campaigns, we have already succeeded in both raising public awareness on these important issues and in making legislative gains like the introduction of ‘safeguards’ for our steel industry and labour representation on the Canadian Air Transport and Safety Agency (CATSA).

On the broader legislative front, our union has continued to work with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and with different coalitions to promote equality and democracy in our economy and in our society. We have been active on a range of issues involving employment, employment standards, equality, health and safety, the environment and social policy.

One of our most critical efforts in this area has been the fight to preserve our universal public Medicare system in Canada. Our union has taken a leadership role in the CLC and in the Canadian Health Care Coalition efforts to ensure that the Romanow Commission on Health Care in Canada recommends the continuation of a universal, publicly-funded health care system in Canada.

On the partisan front, Steelworkers have continued to play an active and constructive role in the renewal and promotion of the New Democratic Party of Canada. We strongly believe that now more than ever there is a need for a strong social democratic alternative to govern Canada. With the growing arrogance and conservatism of the current Liberal government, there is a political void that a renewed New Democratic Party can quickly fill. Our union has played a leadership role in the current NDP Renewal process. Our National Director was a member of the Renewal Committee of the NDP and our members and staff worked hard to ensure the renewal process is successful.

Our voice and our actions must be part of the development, promotion and implementation of a practical, progressive alternative to the current corporate-led neo-liberal agenda that is dominating our nation and globe today.

First, we need to be relevant. Our issues need to reflect the concerns of our members. We need to develop more effective ways of listening to our members and better understanding the issues and concerns that affect their lives. As well, we need to make sure that we bring our members’ issues to campaigns instead of bringing campaign issues to our members.

Second, we need to communicate more effectively both within our union and outside our union. Communication with our membership is the key to solidarity and effective action. A well-informed union membership has the unity that it needs to develop, promote and implement common goals and agendas. Effective communication outside our union helps to build support for our issues and agendas and moves them closer to implementation.

Third, we need to use effective programs and services to motivate and activate our members. Our union has been on the forefront in developing innovative programs and services in this area, such as ‘Back to the Locals’, ‘On-the-Job Canvass’ and ‘You and Your Union’. However, we need to constantly review, improve and innovate.

Fourth, we need to more effectively coordinate our legislative and political efforts. Improving our coordination will ensure greater communication, relevance and activism, and it will produce even better results.

Finally, we must recognize that everyone shares in the responsibility and in the success of our efforts. So when we consider action plans and recommendations, we need to look at what the union does at all levels of the organization.

The United Steelworkers has a proud tradition of innovation and of results in promoting legislative and political change in Canada. But there are a number of ways we can be better.

1. We must work in a more coordinated way at all levels of the union when we carry out legislative, political and corporate campaigns. An ongoing national and district staff working group on Strategic Campaigns can make sure that our efforts are coordinated and that they involve the local unions and members in the most effective way.

2. We must develop a more effective communication network with our local unions, activists and members. The goal of this network would be to improve two-way communication. It would allow the union to get a better read on our members’ issues and concerns. At the same time, it would make it easier to communicate with our members and to get their active support in lobbying and other forms of legislative and/or political action. This network would also build up a readily accessible list of politicians and other individuals that would be the target of the lobbying, legislative and political action. Our network needs to integrate and support the lobbying work of our political staff in Ottawa.

3. We must better communicate our activities and, especially our successes as a union, on a more timely basis. The National Office will develop a regular information bulletin that is sent out to local unions to provide updates on important events, issues and campaigns in the union. The local unions can incorporate the bulletins into their local union and workplace communications.

4. We must develop and maintain a current list of all members. The most effective way to do this is to have each local union negotiate access to such a list from their employer that includes each member’s name, address and telephone number. This list will be critical in developing an effective communication network and improving campaign coordination.

5. We must establish sector or industry-based councils where appropriate, and use regional and area councils more effectively in our campaigns. The councils would have several critical roles to play:

• to work with the Directors to identify important legislative and political issues that affect our members in that sector;

• to help develop, promote and implement campaigns on relevant issues; and,

• to help develop and implement an effective communication network.

1. We must use electronic communication more effectively, including e-mail and the promotion and use our website. Local unions will need to place a greater priority on:

• providing the National Office with e-mail addresses of the local executive, other officers and activists; and,

• publicizing the Steelworkers website in all their local union and other communications.

1. We must expand our efforts to get our members involved politically. We need to promote and encourage participation in the union’s internal organizing and political action courses: Talking Union, Talking Politics and Building the Union in Tough Times. In addition, we need to look at ways to motivate and activate our members and to develop their skills as campaign workers and as candidates.

Specifically:

• The National Office will develop an intern program to build lobbying, parliamentary and political organizing skills through placements with Members of Parliament in Ottawa and with our political allies; and

• Local unions and regional and area councils will need to be active participants in planning, developing and implementing this program to ensure its success.

1. We must continue our support of the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) and the expansion of SOAR chapters across the country. We need to expand and better coordinate the involvement of Steelworker retirees in political action and legislative campaigns.

We know the challenges that confront us. But as Steelworkers, we also know that we can build on our proud tradition, learn from our experience and make the changes we need to in order to succeed in the future.