David McCall succeeds late Conway as USW International president

PITTSBURGH — David McCall,  a vice president of the United Steelworkers union (USW) since 2019, will succeed Tom Conway as president of the union after Conway died Sept. 25 at age 71.

The USW International executive board appointed McCall Sept. 26 to complete the remainder of Conway's term, set to expire in 2025.

Conway, known as a fierce worker's advocate from the community level to the halls of Congress, was the eighth president of USW International.

"We are all mourning a great loss," McCall said. "But even in our sadness, our union is strong, thanks in large part to Tom's leadership and vision. Now, we'll move forward the only way we can: together.

"Together, we'll honor Tom's legacy, as together, we fight for justice and fairness for working families."

McCall and Conway have remarkably similar pedigrees.

Both were USW International vice presidents of administration, the role that McCall has held since 2019. Both cut their teeth on union roles at the sprawling Burns Harbor integrated steel facility when they were younger.

The two joined Local 6787 with Bethlehem Steel, based along the shores of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana.

Both served as grievance chairmen and millwrights while they were there. In particular, McCall established unemployment support committees and the Local 6787 food bank.

And both he and Conway have reputations as tireless worker advocates.

"Our union is changing," McCall said. "We're organizing new members in new industries in both the U.S. and Canada, even as we bargain cutting-edge agreements for members in our traditional sectors.

"I am humbled to lead our union as we continue to fight for a better future for all working people."

McCall has bargained contracts with some of the union's largest employers in steel, aluminum, rubber and other industries.

Today he chairs USW master contract negotiations with Cleveland-Cliffs, ATI, Goodyear and several other industrywide bargaining committees.

Before his election as vice president of administration, he was director for over two decades of USW District 1 (Ohio), representing 70,000 USW members and retirees throughout the state.

Between 1998 and about 2002, a crisis in the American steel industry occurred, causing at least 50 companies to declare bankruptcy.

Many mergers and buyouts also occurred as the industry constricted.

According to the USW, McCall was instrumental in fighting to restore benefits to "tens of thousands of retirees who lost their insurance in federal bankruptcy court through innovative Voluntary Employees' Beneficiary Association trusts."

In addition, McCall's recent leadership during the global economic recession helped enable the USW to preserve thousands of jobs "with a focus on long-term viability and sustainability," according to McCall's bio on the USW website.

McCall is a graduate of the Labor Studies Program at Indiana University-Northwest (1973); and the Harvard University Trade Union Program in Cambridge, Mass. (1990).

The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America, employed in the metals, mining, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining, the service, public and health care sectors and higher education.