Tom Conway appointed USW international president

Thomas M. Conway has succeeded Leo W. Gerard as international president of the United Steelworkers union (USW). He became the eighth person to hold this position at a ceremony held on 15 July.

“I’ve known Tom for 25 years. He’s earned my admiration, demonstrating a special toughness and a willingness to take on the most difficult jobs and negotiations,” said retiring international president Leo Gerard. “He has a strong vision and unique perspective about the future, and I know the union will flourish under his leadership.”

Conway began his career as a millwright at Bethlehem Steel in 1978. He has served many positions in the USW, most recently as the union’s international vice president (administration). Conway has also chaired many of the union’s major sector bargaining in steel, mining, aluminium, tyre and rubber, oil, and other metals and manufacturing operations.

“For nearly a quarter-century, Conway has been on the front lines in the union’s fight against unfair trade, demanding that the U.S. government enforce its trade laws to prevent unfairly traded, subsidised and dumped products from damaging domestic industries and destroying good jobs,” writes the USW.

The union, which represents 850,000 workers within the tyre industry and other sectors in North America, also named John Shinn its new international secretary-treasurer, David McCall its new international vice president (administration), Roxanne Brown as its new international vice president at large and Leeann Foster as a new international vice president.

Commenting on the new additions to the USW leadership team, Conway said: “Our union’s leadership underwent historic change today, but our core values remain the same. We will always fight on behalf of working people for social and economic justice.”