The United Steelworkers of America (USWA), which represents tens of thousands of tire workers at plants across the U.S. and Canada, is merging with the Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy Workers International Union (PACE) to enhance their political and bargaining clout.
The new union will be called the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied-Industrial and Service Workers International Union.
The executive boards of the two unions-which together represent more than 850,000 active members in more than 8,000 bargaining units in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean-voted unanimously for the merger. USWA and PACE members will vote on the merger at concurrent conventions being held in April.
Active and retiree membership will be more than 1.25 million.
The new union will be the dominant labor organization in North America within the metals, paper and forestry products, tire and rubber, mining, glass, chemicals, energy and other basic resource industries, according to PACE and the USWA. It also will have a strong presence in equipment and machinery, stone, clay and concrete, transportation, utilities and the service sector.