The United Steelworkers Union (USW) is the largest private sector union in North America with more than 225,000 members in Canada and more than 1.2 million active and retired members across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

Every year, thousands of workers choose to join the USW because of our strong track record of creating safer workplaces, and negotiating better working conditions and fairer compensation – including good wages, benefits and pensions. After all, you work hard at your job, so do we.

Our union started in the steel industry back in 1942 and has since expanded to proudly include workers in nearly every industry, in nearly every job, in all regions of the country.

WHERE DO USW MEMBERS WORK?

USW represents workers in all sectors – right across the economy. Members work in call centres and credit unions, mines and manufacturing plants, offices and oil refineries, restaurants and rubber plants, sawmills and steel mills and security companies. We also work in nursing homes, legal clinics, social agencies and universities, just to name a few. While most of our members work in the private sector, a growing number of USW members work in public sector industries like health care.

WE WORK IN: 

WHAT DOES A UNION DO?

A union brings workers together, to develop helpful solutions to issues on the job, improve their quality of life and job security and negotiate a fair contract with the employer. A union will support you and your co-workers to make sure you are heard at work and get the respect you deserve.

The union provides employee training, resources and educational opportunities to help meet your needs at work and offer ongoing growth. We also have in-house services to handle workers’ compensation cases as well as skilled legal and research resources to help you achieve fairness in the workplace.

WHAT CAN A UNION DO FOR US?

You don’t need to feel isolated or that you are alone in problems at work. You have the power to make a difference in your own life – on and off work – and in the lives of your co-workers. A union means having a voice on the job and taking an active role in shaping your life at work.

As a union member, you elect a committee of your co-workers to represent you at the bargaining table and to address daily issues at work. You will also have access to professionally-trained USW staff who will help negotiate a strong and fair contract and address issues with your employer.

As a union member, you will be asked about your priorities at work, and what those priorities will be. Your contract is negotiated every few years and provides stability at work, to help you and your family plan for the future. In addition to voting on your bargaining committee members, you will also have a chance to vote on your contract.

NEGOTIATING YOUR CONTRACT

Your contract (also called a collective bargaining agreement or CBA) outlines your terms of work, negotiated by an elected committee of your co-workers, with your employer. You will have the chance to decide what items will be the priority in negotiations, to address the specific needs of your workplace.

Collective bargaining agreements vary across industries and jobs, but some of the common items included in a contract are:

• Clear rules around hours of work and scheduling
• Wages and pay raises
• Benefits, including health and dental
• Greater job security
• Holidays and vacation entitlement
• Dispute resolution

HOW WE CAN HELP

The USW has decades of experience making gains for working people. We have some of the best contracts in industries right across the country. Higher wages, stable hours, safer conditions with fewer injuries on the job, better job security, decent benefits and retirement savings programs. These have all been won by workers just like you – joining together with their co-workers to improve their own lives and those of their families.

Our diverse membership means that our union has expertise in many different industries, including up-to-date research, communications, education and legal support.

You don’t need to feel isolated or that you are alone, when times are bad at work. The USW is here to help you and your co-workers make improvements on the job for the hard work that you do.