Members of United Steelworkers (USW) 6787—representing steelworkers at ArcelorMittal’s Burns Harbor facility—earned their first quarterly profit-share in nearly three years in the second quarter of 2011.

On Aug. 8, Local 6787 President Paul Gipson reported to the membership, he was informed that the second-quarter profit-share is $1.44 per hour with a maximum pay based on 48 hours.

“Profits were more favorable in the second quarter due to pricing at $900 per ton,” Gipson noted. “Today that same ton is only worth $600.”

Meanwhile, Gipson released a statement last week glossing USW International President Leo Gerard’s recent keynote address at the International Constitutional Convention in Las Vegas, Nev.

“The last convention in 2008 was on the brink of the best labor contract in USW history,” Gipson said. “Unfortunately, our celebration was to be short lived due to the economic recession. Then the bailouts for the Bush Wall Street gang began. (Gerard) emphasized that the boys on Wall Street were living a lie. They no longer worked for America. They ripped off the middle class and they should be in prison. The same gang of clowns that our government allowed to rip us off in 2008 is ripping us off again today. They want to destroy every social program we have, including Social Security.”

“We must never give up the fight in unfair trade cases against countries like Panama and China,” Gipson continued. “Unlike President Bush, President Obama placed a 35-percent tariff on China’s Cooper Tires. We also won against Goodyear in case after case. In the largest steel trade dispute in history, we were able to counter Chinese steel pipe and tubular metal dumping with heavy tariffs. With that accomplishment, we saved more than 6,000 jobs here at home. In just the past three years, the unfair trade cases we have won have preserved more than 56,000 American jobs.”

“Money must be put where it will create jobs, not destroy jobs,” Gipson added. “Money must be made on Main Street, not shifted from one pocket to another on Wall Street.”

“We must do more than vote and trust those we elect to do the right thing,” Gipson concluded. “Our jobs are still being exported to other countries. We must stand firm and unite our members to express our wants and needs. Only then will we correct what is wrong in this country and make a better America for all working people.”

Posted 8/22/2011