USW aims to form transatlantic ´super union´

Ottawa, Canada - The United Steelworkers union has entered into a formal exploration process that could result in the formation of the world's biggest union and the first Trans-Atlantic trade organisation.

At a ceremony held on 18 April in Ottawa as part of the Steelworkers´ Canadian National Policy Congress, representatives of the USW and the United Kingdom-based Amicus and Transport & General Workers (T&G) unions signed an accord to set up a merger exploration committee which will be tasked with laying down a foundation for a legal merger within one year.

The new union would represent more than 3.4 million members in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland, a USW new release said. It would be expected to attract other union organisations throughout the world into membership, the Pittsburgh-based USW said.

Amicus and the T&G are already scheduled to merge into a single union after 1 May. That organisation will be based in London and be called Unite. Amicus and the USW entered a strategic alliance two years ago. Both Amicus and the T&G are affliates of ICEM, the European union organisation representing chemical and process industry workers.

During the exploration process, the unions will engage in coordinated campaigning and common approaches to collective bargaining with multinational companies, the USW said.

The unions said they "are committed to investigating ways in which cooperation and collaboration between our two organisations can be deepened and strengthened. Combining the political and industrial strength of our two unions will achieve greater success for our members than standing apart."

The USW represents about 850 000 members in the US and Canada, of which about 70 000 are rubber and plastics industry workers, a USW spokesman said.

From Rubber & Plastics News (A Crain publication)

Press release from USW

A vision for a new merged union Amicus union (UK)

Home page of ICEM)