Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The United Steelworkers: an anti-worker union

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While refinery workers affiliated with the United Steelworkers held demonstrations in Washington Feb. 15 to protest the closure of two Pennsylvania refineries, their union’s leader, Leo Gerard, continued to express his support for policies that might lead more refineries to cut back operations or shut down — costing even more of his own members their jobs.

The Keystone XL pipeline, the bane of radical environmentalists throughout the country, would bring oil from Canada to U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast, creating jobs and stimulating local economies and industries along the way. Unfortunately, President Obama figures he needs the support of radical environmentalists more than he needs the support of middle-class workers, so he’s denying permits for the pipeline’s construction. The project would create 20,000 construction and manufacturing jobs almost immediately as well as nearly 120,000 indirect jobs over the next few years.

Astoundingly, Gerard has applauded Obama’s decision instead of criticizing it. Gerard’s opposition to the pipeline makes no sense given how many USW members work in U.S. refineries that could manufacture gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, home heating oil, asphalt and other essential products from the oil that the Keystone XL pipeline would transport.

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