united digital workers uniting
31
When local strength is just
not enough
Unite rep Iain Eld joins in USW fight to represent local workers of global firm
By Martin Moriarty
W
mo
H
ve
E
m
N
e
I
n
T
t
C
so
O
lid
M
a
E
ri
S
ty
t
,
o
B
international labour r
Iain Elddoesn’t just t
r
a
i
l
s
k
t
o
t
l
h
U
e
n
ta
it
lk
e
.
rep P
e
a
n
p
e
e
g
r
a
w
d
o
e
r
o
ke
p
r
e
s
r
’
a
U
tio
ni
n
o
,
n
th
(
e
C
C
PU
ov
),
i
n
in
g
t
O
on
ctober 2007. (
o
t
f
h
t
e
h
A
e
m
U
e
S
r
W
ica
’s
n
c
T
o
U
lle
C
a
)
g
u
–
e
s
s
e
i
v
n
e
r
th
al
e
m
A
a
F
j
L
o
-
r
C
u
IO
nions
T
t
h
h
a
e
ve already gone on the record to say that
W
US
o
W
rke
a
r
n
s
d
U
U
nit
n
in
it
g
e
,
t
j
h
o
e
in
w
e
o
d
r
f
ld
o
’s
r
c
fi
e
rs
s
t
i
g
n
l
o
2
b
0
a
0
l
8 to form
di
h
sq
e
u
n
ie
e
t
w
o
o
ve
u
r
tf
i
t
t
h
w
e
as able to capitalise on local
too
y
h
value their relationships with the USW
Knowing that the United Steelworke
trade union.
negotiations and i
a
n
p
2
p
0
arently interminable
welco
i
m
gh
i
l
n
y
g
t
t
o
h
e
p
o
C
a
P
ch
U
.
their rightful members by
A
right to represent the
0
9
8
,0
n
0
arrowly won the
plant in an election whose
0
re
workers at the
“
th
a
m
e
r
g
e
s
a
r
a
i
i
n
c
m
i
a
n
e
g
(U
c
r
o
i
S
g
W
m
h
p
ts
)
a
n
a
w
y
t
e
h
a
r
rs of
b
e
e
p
l
b
w
a
a
n
t
o
t
t
r
l
k
i
i
n
n
s
V
g
fo
i
t
r
o
r
g
,
i
h
n
w
e
ia
in
d
o
b
e
w
ac
ci
n
k
d
e
e
d
d
b
h
y
quashed in court.
sult was later
V
I
i
r
r
g
e
i
a
n
l
i
l
a
y
t
d
h
o
in
n
k
’t
t
k
h
n
e
o
y
w
’re
w
g
h
o
a
in
t
g
t
h
to
o
s
g
e
a
i
f
n
o
l
d
k
e
s in
wasn’t just going to pass a resolution suppo
e
a massive multinational who can jus
aling with
them – he was going to fly out there and he
r
lp
ti
.
ng
U
In
S
t
W
he
g
m
o
e
t
a
o
n
n
ti
m
w
e
i
, the new local officials of the
tap off on them with no comrades e
t
l
turn the
in the US and Canada and no interna
s
t
e
io
where
supp
i
I
n
ai
v
n
o
h
lv
a
e
d
d
a
la
lr
s
e
t
a
s
d
u
y
m
m
m
e
e
t
r
s
,
o
w
m
he
e
n
o
h
f
e
th
w
e
a
k
s
e
o
y
n
p
e
e
o
o
p
f
l
f
e
continuing suppo
th
r
t
t
h
o
e
f
job, and with the
e
o
t
r
a
t
r
,”
y
w
To
ar
n
n
y
s
U
B
n
u
it
nal
secr r
e
k
a
e
s
.
sistant general
members of Unite’s graphical, paper and me
o
d
ur
finally secured a new s
t
i
he union leadership,
sector to attend the
ia
summer, with major ad
x
va
-y
n
e
c
a
e
r contract last
conf
USW’s paper-making
and healthcare provision.
s on pay, pension
i
W
t’s
h
n
il
o
e
t
T
t
o
h
n
e
y
e
r
n
e
d
g
r
o
e
f
t
s
t
h
t
e
h
e
r
o
ru
a
n-off result, he knows
head
e
q
r
u
e
a
n
r
c
t
e
e
r
a
s
t
.
the union’s Pittsburgh
USW in Covington or for
d
t
h
e
e
it
b
her for the
S
T
e
h
p
e
t
n
e
m
came the re-run election at the end of
concrete international solid
rand of practical,
able to deliver on thro
t
“
i
M
m
e
e
e
,
t
w
in
e
g
r
c
e
o
a
l
l
l
i
e
se
a
d
gu
w
es
it
h
fr
i
o
n
m
th
A
e
m
fir
e
s
r
t
i
c
f
a
iv
e
fo
m
r t
in
h
u
e
t
first
in Virgi
ber, which was when Iain spent a week
u
c
g
arity Unite has been
international union it’s re
h
a
t
t
h
in
e
g
W
w
o
it
r
h
k
e
th
rs
e
U
U
n
S
i
W
tin
.
g
t
campai
n
g
i
n
a
t
h
o
e
l
w
pi
i
ng loyal USW colleagues
d
h
if
a
fe
t
r
e
e
v
n
e
t
n
,
t
t
h
h
e
o
p
u
r
g
o
h
b
o
le
u
m
r
s
c
u
th
lt
a
u
t
r
e
w
s
e
a
f
r
a
e
c
e
co
a
m
t w
pl
o
et
e
r
e
s
k
l
,
y at the mill.
n back representation rights
“
a
o
I
v
f
e
w
r
e
t
’
h
d
e
h
m
av
o
e
o
w
n
o
, b
n
u
,
t
w
i
e
t’
’
s
d
have been absolutely
it’s all part of wha
a really good experience,
sa
n
m
d
e
th
,”
e
h
w
e
a
s
y
a
y
t
s
h
.
at we deal with them, are the
“
h
I
th
e
w
e
lp
ent there primarily to offer solidarity, to
f
a
o
c
u
to
t,
r
t
y
o
g
d
a
o
te
w
s:
h
I’
a
d
t
m
I c
e
o
t
u
s
l
o
d
m
, li
e
k
e
o
f
l
e
t
a
h
f
e
le
g
t
u
d
y
r
s
ops at
Workers Uniting a
t
n
w
d
e
i
’
t
r
’
e
ll
doing through
r
T
ig
h
h
e
t
U
s a
S
t
W
M
’s
e
a
s
d
tr
W
ug
e
g
s
le
tv
t
a
o
c
o
w
’s
i
n
p
l
b
a
a
n
c
t
k
in
b
C
ar
o
ga
v
ining
the Pittsburgh conference so that made it
at
thinking a bit more,” he f
o
s
r
h
e
a
c
r
a
p
s
e
t
n
s.
up our
Virginia, was a hot topic of conversati
ington,
easier,” he explains.
a lot
And after remaining in touch with his USW
the conference.
on at
t
c
o
ounterparts in America, Iain will be ready
T
–
“I
i
w
t’s
a
n
ve
te
r
d
y
d
to
if
fe
le
r
a
e
r
n
n how it was done in America
cam
d
p
o
a
b
ig
a
n
t
t
t
le
ra
w
il
h
in
e
n
C
e
o
v
v
e
i
r
n
g
th
to
e
n
y
,
n
o
e
r
x
a
t
n
t
y
a
w
ke
h
e
to
re
t
h
el
e
se.
co
h
n
e
t
r
tr
a
o
ct
u
b
n
l
e
e
g
o
al
t
l
ia
st
t
a
io
r
n
te
s
d
b
b
et
a
w
ck
e
e
in 2007, when
their own way of
t, because each state has got
management at the plant drag
n
g
e
t
d
h
e USW and
that they face
for more than 12 months without
on fruitlessly
on a range of issues including pay,
agreement
n
doing things, but the problems
that we face i
a
r
th
e
e
v
e
U
r
K
y
s
a
i
n
m
d
i
l
E
ar
u
r
t
o
o
p
t
e
h
.”
e problems
o
“M
pe
u
r
l
a
ti
t
n
e
a
tional companies like MeadWestvaco
their w
in every single continent and can take
health care.
pensions and
W
the wor
ork to different continents and exploit
W
Sep
h
t
e
e
n
m
t
b
h
e
e
r
,
r
i
e
t
s
l
u
o
l
o
ts
k
e
c
d
am
lik
e
e
i
n
t
h
a
e
t
U
the end of
up Work
kers there, so we really need to build
Pitt
h
s
i
b
le
u
t
r
h
g
e
h
)
U
p
S
r
W
ovi
d
le
e
a
d
d
e
h
r
e
s
l
h
p
i
p
an
(
d
b
a
s
s
u
e
p
d in
squeaked it, but the National La
S
b
W
o
had just
he says.
ers Uniting – this is just the start,”
Board (NLRB), the US government
u
r
a
g
Relations
o
lo
f
c
fi
a
c
l
i
a
b
ls
r
a
b
n
e
c
g
h
a
n
th
t
r
o
o
u
re
g
s
h
e
o
n
u
t
t
,
w
so
ha
m
t
e
t
h
o
e
f
y
p
t
h
ort to the
sa
e local
“
r
w
u
h
le
ic
d
h
t
o
h
v
e
e
r
r
e
s
s
e
u
e
l
s
t
u
to
n
o
io
n representation
e
is
n
s
c
u
y
es,
a
i
n
sm
te
a
r
l
f
l
e
t
r
o
e
w
nc
n
e
”
in
f
r
a
o
r
m
ur
“
a
o
l
u
a
t
r
s
e
i
a
d
e
w
rs
h
”
e
r
(
e
C
o
th
v
w
e
in
s
g
a
e
t
s
on is
ru
narrow, and ordered a
w
• F
w
or
w
m
.w
or
o
e
r
o
k
n
e
W
rs
o
u
r
n
k
i
e
t
r
i
s
n
U
g.
n
o
it
r
in
g
g visit
of sentiments can easily take hold).
kind
Th
n
is
-
o
t
f
i
f
m
e
e
le
,
ction a fortnight later.
“
of the CPU
th
, w
e
h
numbers swung back in favour
Iain left, with USW rep Luis Mendoza
a
A
re
a
lo
s
t
l
i
o
ke
f
t
C
he
o
v
p
i
a
n
p
g
e
to
r
n
m
w
ill
h
s
e
i
r
n
e
A
t
m
he
e
r
th
ic
i
a
n
k
a
i
r
n
e
g
i
i
n
s
r
q
u
u
r
it
a
e
l
very close, b
o won by just 450 to 411 – still
i
the N
ut a wide enough margin to satisfy
r
t
n
e
s
e
n
u
gi
d
la
o
n
t
r
o
a
m
b
n
i
e
d
g
l
h
i
i
e
f
t
v
t
n
e
h
o
e
t
t
h
y’
h
a
r
a
t
e
v
a
m
e
n
y
is
th
t
l
h
e
e
i
d
i
n
r
g
in
b
o
a
es
u
n
t
t
y
s
in
i
d
w
t
e
a
e
y
r
t
,
e
h
t
s
e
h
t
i
e
r
y
local
Bu
LRB.
heart,” explains Iain.
s at
del
t
i
gaining bargaining rights is one thing;
s
vering is quite another, especially since the
“
p
i
a
x
p
-y
e
e
r
a
i
r
n
d
U
u
S
s
W
try
d
a
e
s
a
a
l,
w
w
h
h
o
ic
l
h
e
r
a
a
n
i
d
se
c
d
o
t
u
h
ld
e
b
o
a
n
r
ly
f
o
h
r
a
v
t
e
he
th
W
e
h
p
a
o
t
w
w
e
e
r
b
o
e
f
l
a
ie
m
ve
a
j
in as being strength – having b
started to view as t
o
h
r
e
u
p
n
r
i
o
o
b
n
l
e
b
m
eh
.”
ind you – they
p
e
o
e
w
n
e
achieved with the union’s bargaining
T
union
r
i
,
s
i
s
n
n
o
o
t
w
go
o
in
ff
g
t
t
h
o
e
f
t
in
a
d
b
le
it
a
e
n
a
d
sy
t
h
to
e
r
r
e
e
-
n
n
e
e
g
g
a
o
d
t
e
iate.
A
a
lo
h
w
c
e
a
a
y
l
d
o
is
fr
f
o
f
a
ic
ff
m
i
e
a
c
t
ls
t
h
i
e
a
o
n
n
U
n
c
S
o
a
W
u
m
n
c
e
t
e
t
o
d
o
f
o
t
a
h
r
e
h
m
y
e
a
t
w
d
h
e
w
e
r
ir
e
h
o
b
en
w
re
some
n
aking
ou
ft
t
e
fi
r
t
,
a
w
ll,
i
t
t
h
h
e
n
o
C
h
P
o
U
p
w
e
i
o
ll
f
b
c
e
li
n
w
g
o
in
r
g
k
i
t
n
o
g
t
a
h
s
e
a
r
a
c
n isolated
of the Teamsters, United Electrical o n
o
y
a
t
o
-t
t
a
h
i
e
ls
r
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