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9 January, 2001The U.S. Steelworkers' president has announced he will step down as leader of the union at the end of February 2001.
USA: The president of the United Steelworkers of America, George Becker, who is also a member of the IMF's Executive Committee, has announced he will resign his post as leader of the union on February 28, 2001. The USWA Executive Board has unanimously endorsed Leo Gerard, the union's secretary-treasurer, to fill the top post upon the departure of the out-going president.
In a statement sent to the organisation's 700,000 members in the U.S. and Canada, Becker, who is 72 years of age and has served as USWA president since 1994, says that although he is in good health and has enjoyed his tenure as president for the union more than any other endeavour of his lifetime, he feels that "it is time for a change."
Leo Gerard, 53 years old and the second Canadian to hold the International Union's presidency, is the son of a union organiser. He was formerly a miner in Sudbury, Ontario, then director of USWA District 6, director of the union's Canadian National Office, and was elected USWA secretary-treasurer in 1994.
Gerard declared that it would be "a daunting challenge to follow in the footsteps of a leader who has been absolutely relentless in fighting for the rights of workers, not only in the U.S. and in Canada, but throughout the world." In a USWA press statement, he specifically cited Becker's leadership in restructuring the union into fewer administrative districts, in forging mergers with the United Rubber Workers and the Aluminum, Brick and Glass Workers International Union, in twice defeating fast track legislation, and as a powerful voice in the strengthening of the labour movement to include labour rights and environmental accords in trade agreements. Becker's leadership in mobilising campaigns to challenge worker lockouts and the use of permanent replacements by what the union terms "renegade corporations" is also widely recognised as significant in the recent revitalisation of the labour movement.
The Executive Board unanimously chose Jim English, who has been executive assistant to the union's president as well as general counsel, to succeed Leo Gerard as USWA secretary-treasurer.
Elections for the union's leadership for the next four-year term will take place in November 2001.
In a statement sent to the organisation's 700,000 members in the U.S. and Canada, Becker, who is 72 years of age and has served as USWA president since 1994, says that although he is in good health and has enjoyed his tenure as president for the union more than any other endeavour of his lifetime, he feels that "it is time for a change."
Leo Gerard, 53 years old and the second Canadian to hold the International Union's presidency, is the son of a union organiser. He was formerly a miner in Sudbury, Ontario, then director of USWA District 6, director of the union's Canadian National Office, and was elected USWA secretary-treasurer in 1994.
Gerard declared that it would be "a daunting challenge to follow in the footsteps of a leader who has been absolutely relentless in fighting for the rights of workers, not only in the U.S. and in Canada, but throughout the world." In a USWA press statement, he specifically cited Becker's leadership in restructuring the union into fewer administrative districts, in forging mergers with the United Rubber Workers and the Aluminum, Brick and Glass Workers International Union, in twice defeating fast track legislation, and as a powerful voice in the strengthening of the labour movement to include labour rights and environmental accords in trade agreements. Becker's leadership in mobilising campaigns to challenge worker lockouts and the use of permanent replacements by what the union terms "renegade corporations" is also widely recognised as significant in the recent revitalisation of the labour movement.
The Executive Board unanimously chose Jim English, who has been executive assistant to the union's president as well as general counsel, to succeed Leo Gerard as USWA secretary-treasurer.
Elections for the union's leadership for the next four-year term will take place in November 2001.