Newly appointed President of the United Steelworkers, Dave McCall, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the legacy of the late USW President Tom Conway. McCall shared stories of how they worked and grew up together and the passion that helped Conway lead the Union to new heights.
Since the passing of Conway, McCall has been working to keep up with the issues Conway had been undertaking. Conway and McCall started with the USW together and were longtime friends. McCall fondly remembers how he and Conway worked together for decades, raised children and built families. Conway’s passing left a lasting impact, which McCall discussed.
One of Conway’s long-time initiatives was fair trade and anti-dumping regulations. McCall remembered how Conway’s negotiation tactics left him in awe. The unique tactics he took and the way he spoke with employers made employers think they created the Union’s contract offer, McCall said.
Prior to his passing, one of Conway’s major areas of focus was looking to the future. McCall explained the different things Conway worked on to put the USW at the forefront of many important union-led initiatives. He cited Women in Steel and increasing the union’s diversity were initiatives Conway championed. It was not just diversity, as McCall remembers the conversations he had with Conway about growing the union with younger members, which led to the creation of the Next Generation training program. Conway’s unwavering commitment and passion were unmatched and led the USW to new heights, and that is how he would have wanted to be remembered, McCall said.
To hear more of McCall’s memories of Conway, please listen to the show above.