North Coast Area Labor Federation President Pat Gallagher made his regular appearance on the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the ongoing strike between the United Steelworkers Union and Sherwin-Williams.
On Feb. 5, after working for months without a contract, 55 members of USW Local 14919 went on strike at the Sherwin-Williams facility in Bedford Heights, Ohio. Gallagher said union leaders attended negotiations on Monday, but failed to make progress. They will hold a call tomorrow to discuss their strategy moving forward, as wages remain a key issue. The workers deserve fair and equitable pay to keep up with inflation, he added.
Gallagher also spoke about efforts by the USW to organize an AM/NS Calvert Plant.
He then talked about Ohio’s redistricting process. On Wednesday, the Ohio Supreme Court struck down Ohio State House and State Senate maps for the third time, which effectively ended any hope of a May 3 Primary Election featuring both legislative and statewide races.
Lastly, Gallagher discussed the upcoming AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention in June, as President Liz Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond are on the ballot. Both were appointed to their positions following the passing of longtime AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. Delegates will also discuss voting rights, the right to organize and the need to reshape a variety of positions on key issues, he said.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics: