Leo Gerard

From KeyWiki

Leo W Gerard is International President of the United Steelworkers of America.

The son of a union miner^[1]who started working at INCO’s nickel smelter in Sudbury, Ontario at age 18, and inspired by a lifelong commitment to economic and social justice, Leo Gerard rose through the ranks of the United Steelworkers of America to be appointed the Union’s seventh international president on February 28, 2001.

Under Gerard, the union has heightened its focus on reversing the alarming decline of U.S. manufacturing and the negative impact of it on America’s growing health care crisis.

He has worked with equal fervor in developing strategies to inject the rights of workers into trade agreements, investment priorities and corporate governance.

Gerard is the driving force behind the Heartland Labor Capital Funds-a network that is creating conceptual, financial and educational tools for capital strategies that will inject the welfare of workers into investment priorities.

Contents 1 Recruited Ron Bloom 2 Socialist connections 3 AFL-CIO 4 Honored by Democratic Socialists of America 5 Economic Policy Institute 6 Wellstone Action 7 Apollo Alliance 7.1 Founding 8 Healthcare-Now! 9 Progressive States Network 10 References

Recruited Ron Bloom

Leo Gerard claims^[2]he recruited future Obama "manufacturing Czar" Ron Bloom to the Steel Workers union from Wall Street.

Bloom represented the Steelworkers during a restructuring of Algoma Steel in Canada, and Gerard says his passion for labor and manufacturing issues was clear.

"I said, why don't you come work at what you really believe in?...He could play a lead role in bargaining, play a role in a number of different sectors in the economy and shape policy."

Socialist connections

When Gerard became president of the United Steelworkers of America, in 2001, Bob Roman of Chicago Democratic Socialists of America wrote^[3];

The USWA has a long tradition of militant, good mostly leadership. Now they have someone both militant and radical, which is not surprising as Girard is a Canadian export with ties to the Canadian New Democratic Party.

The New Democratic Party is the Canadian counterpart of Democratic Socialists of America-both organizations are Socialist International affiliates.

AFL-CIO

Leo Gerard was elected a vice president^[4]of the AFL-CIO in 2001 and was appointed to federation's Executive Committee in February 2003.

gerard was instrumental in the formation of the AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council and became chairman chair of the AFL-CIO Public Policy Committee in March 2005.[16]

Honored by Democratic Socialists of America

In May 2007 Chicago Democratic Socialists of America honored Leo Gerard^[5]with its annual Debs - Thomas - Harrington award- a privilege usually reserved for DSA members or close allies.

For your lifetime of service to your union and its members;

For your leadership in building working class solidarity across borders;

For your advocacy of fair trade over free trade;

For your work in seeking public policies that support a healthy environment and energy independence;

For your commitment to finding a better way to run the economy for working people everywhere;

The Debs - Thomas - Harrington Dinner Committee does hereby present you with its annual award this 4th day of May, 2007.

Economic Policy Institute

Leo Gerard serves^[6]on the Board of Directors of the Economic Policy Institute-which is led by one time Democratic Socialists of America member Lawrence Mishel.

Wellstone Action

Leo Gerard serves on the Advisory Board^[7] of Wellstone Action alongside Frances Fox Piven of Democratic Socialists of America and Robert Borosage of the Institute for Policy Studies.

Wellstone Action and Wellstone Action Fund combine to form a national center for training and leadership development for the progressive movement. Founded in January 2003, Wellstone Action's mission is to honor the legacy of Paul and Sheila Wellstone by continuing their work through training, educating, mobilizing and organizing a vast network of progressive individuals and organizations.

Apollo Alliance

Leo Gerard serves on the board of the Apollo Alliance, alongside Gerry Hudson of Democratic Socialists of America and SEIU, Robert Borosage of Campaign for America's Future and Institute for Policy Studies, Carl Pope of the Sierra Club and Joel Rogers, founder of the New Party and a past Socialist Scholars Conference speaker.

Founding

In 2004, Joel Rogers from the Center On Wisconsin Strategy, Robert Borosage from the Institute for America’s Future, and environmental visionary Dan Carol approached Steelworkers President Leo Gerard and SEIU President Andy Stern, among others, to propose a new alliance of labor, environmental groups, business and social justice leaders called the Apollo Alliance. The Alliance, which soon included over 200 supporting organizations, released a report that year arguing for a ten-year program of investment in a “clean energy, good jobs” economy.^[8]

Healthcare-Now!

In 2009 Leo Gerard, President, United Steelworkers Union served as a co-chair on the board of directors of Healthcare-Now! .^[9]

Progressive States Network

In 2010, Leo Gerard served on the Board of Directors for the Progressive States Network, an organization which seeks to "transform the political landscape by sparking progressive actions at the state level".^[10]

References