The Leslie Marshall Show

Leslie is joined by the International President of the United Steelworkers (USW), David McCall. The two explore the topic of restoring the United States' lost shipbuilding capacity. President McCall first details how the USW, alongside four other labor organizations, filed a petition last month requesting the United States Trade Representative (USTR) open an investigation into China’s non-market practices as it seeks to dominate the commercial shipping market. Next, Leslie and President McCall discuss how the loss of shipbuilding capacity poses a grave threat to America's national security. The pair also explores how the U.S. loss of commercial shipbuilding capacity has directly resulted in the loss of high-paying manufacturing jobs in the sector and across the supply chain. Finally, President McCall breaks down how the COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the danger of relying on foreign manufacturers to supply America's needs. President McCall previously served four years as International Vice President, leading negotiations that delivered wage increases, stronger job security and other gains for tens of thousands of workers in steel, tire and other key industries. McCall, a fourth-generation Steelworker, was born and raised in Gary, Indiana. His great-grandfather, grandfather, great-uncles, uncles and mother all worked at U.S. Steel’s Gary Works, and he walked his first picket line at age 7 during the USW’s 116-day, industry-wide strike in 1959. The website for the United Steelworkers is www.USW.org and their handle on X, Facebook and Instagram is @steelworkers.

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. First, Scott explains how high interest rates and trade deficits are stifling U.S. factory jobs growth. Second, Leslie and Scott move across the globe to discuss China, where U.S. Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, is wrapping up a five day trip. Scott begins this discussion by highlighting how Beijing's economic success remains tied to U.S. market access, and how that offers America leverage. Next, Leslie and Scott discuss the increasingly high risk that China will flood the globe with EVs and green tech thanks to their government subsidized overcapacity in both industries. During her current trip to the Communist nation, Secretary Yellen says that the concern about excess capacity is shared by many other countries in addition to the U.S., both developing as well as rich ones. “This is not anti-China policy,” she said. “It’s an effort for us to mitigate the risks from the inevitable global economic dislocation that will result if China doesn’t adjust its policies.” Finally, Scott shares the advice he provided to a panel convened last week by the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) about Chinese auto imports. To summarize, he encourages the U.S. not to wait for China’s heavily subsidized car to arrive here. But instead, to be PROACTIVE! For over 16 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy. Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their handle on X is @KeepItMadeInUSA. Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

Leslie is joined by Sean O'Brien, General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The two discuss the Teamsters' recently ratified contract with Anheuser-Busch, their striking brothers and sisters at Molson-Coors, organizing at UPS and DHL, as well as their Presidential roundtables. Sean is a 4th-generation Teamster from Boston, and is committed to winning and defending strong national contracts, organizing new members, and aggressively taking on employers. He is focused on mobilizing rank-and-file Teamsters through education and increased engagement—traveling extensively to visit with members at worksites throughout the country. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow them on X and Instagram, where their handle is @Teamsters, and “like” them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Teamsters. Sean's handle on X is @TeamsterSOB.

Leslie is joined by two young women, Afghan refugee Sola Mahfouz and Malaina Kapoor (Stanford ‘25), who are raising awareness about the untold story of millions of Afghan women brimming with potential and longing for freedom in their acclaimed book, “Defiant Dreams: The Journey of an Afghan Girl Who Risked Everything for Education." Sola Mahfouz was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 1996, the year the Taliban took over her country for the first time. They banned television and photographs, presided over brutal public executions, and turned the clock backward on women’s rights, practically imprisoning women within their own homes and forcing them to wear all-concealing burqas. At age eleven, Sola was forced to stop attending school after a group of men threatened to throw acid in her face if she continued. After that she was confined to her home, required to cook and clean and prepare for an arranged marriage. She saw the outside world only a handful of times each year. As time passed, Sola began to understand that she was condemned to the same existence as millions of women in Afghanistan. Her future was empty. The rest of her life would be controlled entirely by men: fathers and husbands and sons who would never allow her to study, to earn money, or even to dream. Driven by this devastating realization, Sola began a years-long fight to change the trajectory of her life, deciding that education would be her way out. At age sixteen, without even the basic ability to add or subtract, she began to teach herself math and English in secret. She progressed rapidly., Within just two years she was already studying subjects such as philosophy and physics. Faced with obstacles at every turn, Sola still managed to sneak into Pakistan to take the SAT. In 2016, she escaped to the United States, where she is now a quantum-computing researcher at Tufts University. An engrossing, dramatic memoir, co-written with young Indian American human rights activist Malaina Kapour, 'Defiant Dreams' is the story of one girl, but it’s also the untold story of a generation of women brimming with potential and longing for freedom. This story inspires us to unleash the potential that lies within us and all the women across the globe. It is a universal story of striving for greatness, reaching for the stars, and transcending the boundaries of our birth. In alignment with this year’s International Women’s Day theme "Invest in women: Accelerate progress," Sola and Malaina want to shed light on the need to invest in women’s rights and access to education. Sola's story aligns perfectly with the values and goals of Women's History Month and the United Nations' commitment to #InvestInWomen. The book is available for purchase at www.DefiantDreams.com.

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. First, Brad will be joined by Sarah Jones, Editor in Chief of PoliticusUSA, as they react to President Biden’s State of the Union address. Then, Sarah breaks down what is causing the decline in quality news coverage, including the shuttering of multiple news agencies. Then, Brad is joined by the Chairman of Sonecon, an economic advisory firm, and former U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs, Dr. Rob Shapiro. The two discuss Rob's latest blog, titled, "Based on Incomes, Americans Are a Lot Better Off Under Biden Than They Were with Trump." The website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com and their X handle is @PoliticusUSA. Sarah's handle is @PoliticusSarah. The website for Sonecon is www.Sonecon.com and Dr. Shapiro's handle on X is @RobShapiro. Brad is on the National Journal's panel of political insiders and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. You can read Brad's columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on X is @BradBannon. You can watch a livestream of this broadcast at the following links: X: https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1vAxRvXQgPVxl Facebook: https://fb.watch/qMsF0ZcuX_/ YouTube: https://youtube.com/live/hnlV65CmIGQ?feature=share

Leslie is joined by Luis Mendoza, International Vice President of the United Steelworkers (USW). As International Vice President, Mendoza has responsibility for all facets of the USW paper sector, including bargaining, safety, trade, legislative issues, global solidarity and organizing initiatives. Leslie and Luis talk about building unity in the paper industry and beyond. Of the many industries where USW members work, one of the biggest is the paper sector, representing approximately 90,000 workers. Since the onset of the pandemic, these workers have made groundbreaking advances in promoting workplace health and safety, advocating for economic security, and building unity through eliminating dangerously divisive two-tiered systems. The website for the United Steelworkers is www.USW.org and their handle on X and Instagram is @steelworkers. You can find them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Steelworkers.

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. The two discuss why Chinese-based e-commerce company Temu, who's spending billions on ads, and has already reshaped how many American shop, isn't paying the United States any tariffs. Here's a brief explanation from AAM's latest blog on the subject: "The “de minimis” exemption in U.S. trade law allows anything valued under $800 to enter the United States duty-free. It was originally intended for one-off type things, like making it easier for tourists traveling abroad to bring souvenirs back from vacations abroad. But Temu and fellow Chinese e-commerce brand SHEIN have exploited de minimis because they send their merchandise direct-to-consumer, avoiding tariffs because their stuff is so darn cheap (remember, Temu’s average transaction is $25!)." If you want to help protect American jobs, then please sign and share this petition telling your members of Congress to stop companies like SHEIN, Temu and Amazon from dodging U.S. trade enforcement, by visiting TinyURL.com/CloseLoophole. Scott and Leslie then chat about the grave danger being posed to the U.S. Auto industry from China, thanks to the communist nation's intentional industrial overcapacity. Next, Scott shares some moments from his great interview with Rachel M. Slace, Author of, "Making It in America." Finally, Leslie and Scott talk about a new study that "underscores how the embrace of a more muscular industrial policy under Democratic President Joe Biden could spread investments into regions left behind by decades of offshoring." For over 16 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy. Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their handle on X is @KeepItMadeInUSA. Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

Leslie is first joined by the Chairman of Sonecon, and former U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs, Dr. Rob Shapiro. The two delve into his latest piece for Washington Monthly, titled, "Data Don’t Lie: Biden’s Economic Record is Much Better than Trump’s." (Link here: https://washingtonmonthly.com/2024/01/26/data-dont-lie-bidens-economic-record-is-much-better-than-trumps/) Then, Leslie interviews Deputy Director of the Teamsters' Airline Division, Bob Fisher. They discuss why and how workers at FedEx Express and Delta are organizing in an effort to unionize, and why that's so significant nationally. The website for Sonecon is www.Sonecon.com and Dr. Shapiro's handle on X is @RobShapiro. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow them on X and Instagram, where their handle is @Teamsters, and “like” them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Teamsters.

Leslie is joined by Director of District 4 for the United Steelworkers (USW), Dave Wasiura. The two have an in-depth discussion detailing how Unions help communities. This includes: - Nurses in New Jersey who were on an unfair labor practice strike for nearly five months last year - Energy workers in Puerto Rico, where the issue of their electric grid is quite literally life and death - Military veterans around the United States, including where the USW drafted legislation requiring employers to post official notices of the health, social and other services available to support veterans as they build new lives on the home front Dave Wasiura represents members across the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and the territory of Puerto Rico. Dave began his career as a fourth-generation metalworker in Buffalo, N.Y., when he followed in his father’s footsteps and took a job at the American Brass facility. Since then, he’s led political and organizing efforts in addition to bargaining contracts across a wide variety of industries. The website for the USW is www.USW.org. Their handle on X, Instagram and Facebook is @steelworkers.

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. Scott first shares his thoughts on 2023's weak manufacturing numbers in the U.S., why there's more to the data than meets the eye, and reasons that the future looks bright. He and Leslie then chat about not one but two(!!) new books on companies that have started up making apparel in the U.S. over the past decade. Both of these books--'Making It in America,' available now--and 'American Flannel'—available in March—are worth a read. Finally, Scott shares why he's more than a little worried by China’s rise in automobile production, and why he believes it’s an existential threat to American manufacturing jobs. For over 16 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy. Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their Twitter handle is @KeepItMadeInUSA. Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

Leslie is joined by Liz Shuler, president of the 60 unions and 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO, and the first woman leader of America’s labor movement. The two discuss the Union's new tech-labor agreement with Microsoft, including the rules regarding use of artificial intelligence (AI). They also talk about the upcoming 2024 elections and what the AFL-CIO is planning to do this cycle to elect 'pro-worker' candidates, all of the high-profile strikes that happened in 2023, organizing efforts, and child labor laws. A visionary leader and longtime trade unionist, Shuler believes the labor movement is the single most powerful vehicle for progress and that unions are a central force in leading lasting societal transformations. She is committed to busting myths about labor, leveraging the labor movement’s diversity for innovative approaches to social justice and making the benefits of a union voice on the job available to working people everywhere. The website for the AFL-CIO is AFLCIO.org and their Twitter handle is @AFLCIO. Liz's handle is @LizShuler.

Leslie is first joined by Sean O'Brien, General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. The two discuss today's successful negotiating breakthrough on behalf of their members at DHL, who had been forced to strike in response to unfair labor conditions. They also talk about contract negotiations for their members who work at Anheuser-Busch, and review the Presidential roundtables that the Teamsters hosted last week. Second, Princeton Professor Julian Zelizer, a NYT best-selling Author and CNN Political Analyst, joins Leslie to talk about his most recent CNN opinion piece, which is titled, "Seven Reasons a 2nd Trump Term Would Be Dangerous." (https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/07/opinions/trump-second-term-dangerous-zelizer/index.html) Teamsters President Sean O'Brien is focused on mobilizing rank-and-file members through education and increased engagement—traveling extensively to visit with them at worksites throughout the country. In addition to fighting for workers, Sean has helped raise millions of dollars for charitable causes, including Local 25’s signature event, “Light Up the Night,” an annual gala to raise money for children with autism. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow them on Twitter and Instagram, where their handle is @Teamsters, and “like” them on Facebook at Facebook.com/Teamsters. Sean's Twitter handle is @TeamsterSOB. New York Times best-selling author Julian Zelizer, who has been among the pioneers in the revival of American political history, is the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He is also a CNN Political Analyst and a regular guest on NPR’s "Here and Now." He is the award-winning author and editor of 25 books including, The Fierce Urgency of Now: Lyndon Johnson, Congress, and the Battle for the Great Society, the winner of the D.B. Hardeman Prize for the Best Book on Congress and Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974, co-authored and Burning Down the House: Newt Gingrich, The Fall of a Speaker, and the Rise of the New Republican Party. The New York Times named the book as an Editor's Choice and one of the 100 Notable Books in 2020. His most recent books are Abraham Joshua Heschel: A Life of Radical Amazement and The Presidency of Donald J. Trump: A First Historical Assessment, which he edited, and Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Lies and Legends About Our Past which he co-edited with Kevin Kruse. He is currently working on a new book about the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and the 1964 Democratic Convention entitled ‘Is this America?’: Reckoning With Racism at the 1964 Atlantic City Democratic Convention. In the summer of 2023, NYU Press will publish his new co-edited book, Our Nation At Risk: Election Security as a National Security Issue. In January 2024, Columbia Global Reports will publish his book, In Defense of Partisanship. Zelizer, who has published over 1200 op-eds, has received fellowships from the Brookings Institution, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Russell Sage Foundation, the New York Historical Society, and New America. You can follow him on Twitter, where his handle is @JulianZelizer.

Leslie is joined by Elizabeth Brotherton Bunch, who oversees communications for the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), helping to spread the word about smart public policies that guide the creation of family-supporting factory jobs. The two discuss this year's 'Made in America Holiday Gift Guide.' It’s the AAM's biggest list ever, featuring more than 200 companies that manufacture products in the United States. In honor of the guide’s 10th anniversary, they’ve included both new gift ideas and old favorites, noting the year previous picks were included. The guide is organized by 23 different clickable categories, including, giftables, toys, kids, bath and beauty, Handbags and accessories, apparel, jewelry, socks, shoes, auto accessories, electronics, food, hobbies, stationery, holiday supplies, stocking stuffers, home, furniture, kitchen, outdoor gear, tools and pets! Also, as always, you can view the list by state if you'd like. The website for the gift guide can be found at http://TinyURL.com/2023AAMGiftGuide and the AAM website is www.American Manufacturing.org. The X handle for AAM is @KeepItMadeInUSA and Beth's handle is @ebrotherton. Since joining AAM in 2014, Beth has led efforts to grow and strengthen AAM's digital presence, managed advocacy campaigns designed to strengthen manufacturing, and helped elevate the conversation about manufacturing in the news media. A Golden State native, Beth holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and journalism from the University of Southern California. She lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband, two children, and a rescue dog.

Leslie is joined by Maria Somma, Organizing Director for the United Steelworkers (USW). The two discuss how workers across the economy – from automakers to health care workers – are using their collective power to ensure they have fair contracts and safe working conditions. The first step in this process is organizing, and as workers seek greater protections on the job, they’re capitalizing on this unique moment. It’s not just the hot labor market, though the recent low unemployment has certainly helped. The pandemic helped workers in a number of industries understand that they’re essential. It has also highlighted what they needed from their employers – in terms of job security, living wages, and more – as well as the power of working together to achieve these goals. Also, Joe Biden, the most pro-labor president in recent memory, has tasked his administration with helping workers to exercise their right to form unions. This unprecedented support, and whole of government approach, has helped tip the balance back toward workers, and away from greedy corporations. Workers are also experiencing a time of great potential as we look to the clean energy transition. Clean technology – like electric vehicles – require a wide variety of raw materials and other components. It’s essential that jobs from mining to manufacturing are good, community supporting jobs. That means ensuring workers can exercise their right to organize. The final step in organizing is not, as some might think, a successful vote, but a first contract. This is where corporations like Starbucks double down on their efforts to break workers’ collective will. We’ve seen this protracted bargaining at places like Kumho and OHL/Geodis, though the USW was ultimately successful in both cases. What workers need to help them successfully weather the immense challenges they face, including getting this vital first contract, is the PRO Act. The website for the United Steelworkers is USW.org and their handle on X and Instagram is @steelworkers. You can find them on Facebook by visiting Facebook.com/Steelworkers.

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. The two examine what is now the most equitable economic recovery in American history. First, they break down data from a new Treasury Department report, which provides "new evidence that the recovery from the economic harm of the COVID-19 pandemic was the most equitable recovery in recent history. The report – which includes new Department research alongside new data released by the Federal Reserve Board – finds that the speed and strength of the response by the Biden-Harris Administration helped to thwart the worst economic outcomes anticipated from the COVID shock for Black and Hispanic families, and that, across a broad array of economic indicators, the financial well-being of Black and Hispanic families have remained strong relative to recoveries in recent history." (Link here: https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1834) Second, they discuss a Twitter thread on what 'Bidenomics' is, and how it's going two years into the Biden administration. The data rich thread was posted by Heather Boushey, a Member of the Council of Economic Advisers & Chief Economist for the President's Invest in America Cabinet. (Link here: https://twitter.com/hboushey46/status/1715711474994422140) Finally, Leslie and Scott talk about why President Biden isn't getting more credit in the polls for the strong economic recovery that has happened under his leadership. This includes a Bloomberg article from Matthew Yglesias examining that exact topic. (Link here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/22/biden-s-economy-is-great-everywhere-except-in-the-polls/d6bae722-70d6-11ee-936d-7a16ee667359_story.html) For over 16 years, Scott Paul and AAM have worked to make American manufacturing a top-of-mind issue for voters and our national leaders through effective advocacy, innovative research, and a savvy public relations strategy. Their website is www.AmericanManufacturing.org and their Twitter handle is @KeepItMadeInUSA. Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

Leslie is joined by Lou Villalvazo, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 630, which has been fighting for working class families for more than 80 years. They discuss a leaflet action being held on October 17th where more than 50 local unions will be taking part in at Chedraui-owned grocery stores. Here is some more background on the issue: · Grupo Comercial Chedraui is a Mexican company that is publicly traded on the Mexican stock exchange. The company has grown significantly and now operates three supermarket chains, and makes the majority of its revenue from the United States. · Chedraui owns three store banners in the United States with around 375 total locations. The three banners are: o Smart & Final, which is concentrated in Southern California but also has locations in Nevada and as far east as Phoenix. o El Super, which is also concentrated in Southern California and has locations in Nevada, Arizona, and as far east as New Mexico and Juarez in Texas. o Fiesta Mart, which is entirely in Texas. Most of its locations are in either Houston or the Dallas/Fort Worth area. · Teamsters Local Union 630 won two elections at Smart & Final warehouses in the Los Angeles area just this year. The two groups at the Commerce and Riverside facilities comprise around 700 total workers. After years of suffering from low wages and poor benefits, these workers decided to join the Teamsters union to improve their workplace. · Yet, on the heels of the election at the Commerce facility, Chedraui announced that it would be consolidating its distribution operations into a single facility in Rancho Cucamonga, right before the union election at the Riverside facility. An internal company announcement distributed to workers stated that when this move takes place, the workers will have to reapply for their jobs and will not be guaranteed jobs at the new facility, regardless of their experience or how long they have worked for the company. The company has not responded to workers’ inquiries regarding the status of their jobs at the new facility and what pay and benefits will be available. · Local 630 members rallied in August and September to demand fair treatment by Chedraui, with a focus on protecting American jobs and living standards, and bargaining a fair contract. · To date, the Teamsters have filed seven unfair labor practice charges against Smart & Final and Chedraui, alleging egregious violations of federal labor law, including that the planned facility relocations and termination of all employees are motivated by anti-union discrimination; that the company has interfered with workers’ right to organize by withholding a regularly scheduled cost of living adjustment and blaming it on the Union; and by holding mandatory captive audience meetings where the company CEO promised workers benefits and job security at the new facility in exchange for rejecting the Union. · The company has been engaging in bad-faith surface bargaining, likely with the intention of running out the bargaining clock and then either attempting to decertify the Teamster bargaining units or withdrawing recognition when it transfers its operations and forces employees to reapply. · This consumer leaflet action on 10/17 comes ahead of bargaining resuming on 10/18. The Teamsters are calling on consumers to demand that Chedraui respect its US workers, cease its violations of US labor law, honor its employees’ choice to become Teamsters, and bargain a fair contract. Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.2 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org to learn more and follow them on Twitter @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Leslie gives her take on Israel ordering the entire population of northern Gaza to evacuate south, a warning that leaves more than 1 million people to decide whether to abandon their homes. Hamas urged Gazans to ignore it. Israel's military said the order, which has raised fears of an imminent ground offensive on the densely populated enclave, was intended to minimize civilian casualties in the war against Hamas. But the United Nations said it was "impossible" and risked a humanitarian disaster. "We call on all civilians in Gaza City to move south," Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Friday in a press conference with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Tel Aviv. "We don't want to harm them. Whoever wants to save his life should go south. Hamas is camouflaging itself inside the civilian population and we are going to go in and dismantle its infrastructure," Gallant said. More than 1,530 Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis have been killed, thousands have been injured, and hundreds of thousands of others have been displaced since the latest fighting between Israel and Hamas began. Hamas is believed to be holding about 150 hostages in Gaza.

Leslie is joined by the incoming President of the United Steelworkers (USW), David McCall. During this interview, they remember the late Tom Conway, former President of the USW, who sadly passed away on September 25th of this year. While the labor movement and the union both lost a great leader, thanks to Tom’s vision and hard work, both are on firm footing and primed to continue the fight for economic justice and fairness for working families. Tom’s legacy involves innovations and breakthroughs on a number of fronts: He bargained cutting-edge contracts across USW sectors. - He understood that companies needed to be successful so they could pay workers good wages and benefits, so where he could, he worked with them. - When he couldn’t, he was relentless in his work to find ways to make sure workers’ needs remained at the forefront. - This included the 2015 oil strike, which helped secure a number of important health and safety provisions for workers. - And a number of rounds of steel bargaining that helped stave off calls for concessions and ensure fair pay and high-quality benefits. But Tom understood that fighting for working families wasn’t just about pay; it was about securing the future. - Early in his time as an international leader, Tom was instrumental in developing the Institute for Career Development (ICD), a joint labor-management training program, enshrined in a number of USW collective bargaining agreements, that offers members opportunities to learn new skills. - Under his leadership union workers and activists were able to achieve a major victory with the passage of the Butch Lewis Act, which saved the pensions of more than one million workers and retirees, including more than 100,000 USW members. Tom was also committed to building a diverse movement and many of his efforts contributed to building a strong future for workers. - He spearheaded an innovative organizing initiative connecting rank-and-file members with their fellow workers to talk about joining the labor movement. This quickly paid dividends, resulting in organizing victories in the United States and Canada, including some of the union’s biggest wins in years. - These include 3,500 faculty members at the University of Pittsburgh who joined the USW, as well as baristas at Starbucks coffee shops across Canada, and 1,500 workers at Georgia’s Blue Bird Corp. bus factory. - They join others, including waste disposal workers, professional football players, museum and library workers, high-tech workers, airport workers, prison chaplains and others, who all joined the Steelworkers’ ranks as a result of Conway’s initiative. Tom also invested heavily in building out the bench, and under his leadership, the union held its first international Next Gen conference in November 2019. - Under Tom’s direction, the USW built out our Veterans of Steel committees to make sure – to the fullest extent possible – that the union was helping those in need, and making sure veterans’ voices are heard. Finally, Tom fought relentlessly for both for fair trade and job creation. - This included working with government leaders in Washington to ensure that they enforced trade laws to prevent illegally subsidized and dumped products that damage American industries and destroy good paying jobs. - He did this work in steel, rubber and tire, and many other industries. - It also meant finding creative solutions, as well as working with companies and lawmakers to create jobs. - He formed partnerships and allied groups like the Alliance for American Manufacturing. - And more recently, his was one of the loudest voices calling for infrastructure investment. Tom will be missed a great deal, but his strength as a leader, and vision for the future, have helped countless working people and will continue to help countless more moving forward. The new USW President, David McCall, has a career of fighting for fairness and justice for workers that began as a member of Local 6787 in...

Leslie is joined by Scott Paul, President of the Alliance for American Manufacturing (AAM), a partnership established by some of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers union. The two examine the importance of supply chains. Their conversation includes how the United States is doing at reshoring its supply chains, how 'Bidenomics' is improving the country's manufacturing sector, and a Washington Post expose on how Tesla and EV supply chains are raising concerns about forced labor in China. The AAM website is AmericanManufacturing.org and their Twitter handle is @KeepItMadeInUSA. Scott's handle is @ScottPaulAAM.

Leslie is joined by Amber Miller, Director of the USW’s Rapid Response Department, a nearly 30-year tradition of member-driven, issue-based, nonpartisan legislative activism. Amber has been a proud second-generation Steelworker since 1997 where she began her career at Chase Brass and Copper in northwest Ohio. The two discuss the power of ordinary people, strengthened by their Union, the United Steelworkers (USW). During their conversation, Leslie and Amber examine the specific ways that the USW empowers their members to make a difference. This includes by educating USW members about critical issues that affect them and their families, working with legislators to put workers' priorities into action, and offering workers a venue to communicate directly with their elected leaders. The website for the United Steelworkers is USW.org. Their handle on both Twitter and Instagram is @steelworkers.