USWA PHOTO

= Pictured (right) at a July 19 meeting of the USWA’s international Executive Board in Pittsburgh, is
international President Leo Gerard, who welcomed the IWA’s Merger Negotiating Committee.

National referendum ballot
passes with 60 per cent vote

Merger agreement with USWA is completed

the morning of August 30, the IWA Canada’s national executive board endorsed the
O N results of a nation-wide ballot on merging with the United Steelworkers of America (see
table below for breakdown of the vote). The national merger ballot took place between July 12 and
August 27, 2004. The 55,000 member IWA merged with the Steelworkers’ 190,000 members,
on September 1, 2004 to create the country’s largest private sector union. The merger marked the
end of the IWA’s 67 year history in Canada, while launching another chapter in Canadian and
North American labour history.

CERTIFICATION SHEETS
RECEIVED AUGUST 27, 2004

MERGER BALLOT
“Are you in favour of merging with the United Steelworkers of America (USWA)?”

instructing the union kadership "a fos
merger with a larger, compatible union.” Citing the"

regional or national economies, and the IWA's d ti
in protecting or improving the lot of its members eee
Canada, the resolution was passed.

WINTER 2004 - the national union's officers hold pre--
liminary discussions with five unions: the USWA, CEP,
CAW, UFCW and IAM.

FEBRUARY 27, 2004 - the IWA's national officers rec-
ommend, to the union's national executive board, that
a committee of nine national and local union officers
commence merger negotiations with the United
Steelworkers of America.

MARCH 20, 2004 - A National Officers and Staff
Conference is held in Vancouver as conference partici-
pants from IWA Canada locals across the country are given
the opportunity to raise concerns about a merger. USWA
International President Leo Gerard, then Canadian Director
Lawrence McBrearty and the District 3 President Ken
Neumann, spoke and Leo Gerard made a presentation out-
lining the Steelworkers’ structure and programs, including
Strategic Campaigns. A general questions and answers
session was held.

APRIL 14, 2004 - The IWA Merger Committee, consisting
of the national president,, first vice president, financial
secretary and presidents from Local 1-184, 2174, 1-405,
2693, 1000 and 1-3567 begin formal merger talks with the
United Steelworkers.

MAY 28, 2004 - Following extensive negotiations, both
the IWA and USWA Merger Committees sign a “Proposed
Merger Agreement” in Toronto. The proposed agreement
lays out numerous Articles and Appendices for a merger of
the IWA into the Steelworkers and the formation of an WA
Council.

JUNE 21, 2004 - The IWA’s National Executive Board rat-
ifies the May 28, 2004 Proposed Merger Agreement with
the United Steelworkers.

JUNE 22, 2004 - The IWA holds a second national offi-
cers and staff conference to explain the details of the
merger document to IWA officers and staff. USWA

LOCAL YES NO SPOILED PERCENT International President Leo Gerard makes a detailed
L.2171 963 320 24 75.06% presentation on the proposed agreement.
L. 1-80 444 853 3 34.23% JULY 42, 2004 - AUGUST 27,2004 - IWA Local unions
L. 1-85 523 407 7 56.24% commence balloting in various parts of the country.
L. 1-184 565 60 220 90.40% Merger materials are made available prior and during
. voting period. The merger document, a merger sum-
L. 1-207 580 112 3 83.82% mary and video are made available. The IWA’s website
L. 324 274 122 3 69.19% continues to carry information which points out the
L. 1-3567 2813 497 5 84.98% benefits of the proposed merger. Meetings to explain
L. 363 290 53 0 84.55% the merger take place in various operations and towns.
L. 1-405 975 269 10 78.38% AUGUST 27, 2004 - All WA locals sendin the results of their
L. 1-417 990 307 ‘il 76.33% local union ballots (certification sheets) to the WA Canada
5 13 079 national office in Burnaby. The union releases preliminary
Folei2s sé 1216 3 Bes results to local unions, the Steelworkers and the media.
L. 1-424 369 3910 16 8.62% Nationally, 60.24 per cent of the voting membership,
L. 1-425 429 505 4 45.93% endorses IWA Canada’s merger with the United
L. 306 133 8 94.33% Steelworkers of America (see left for breakdown of results)
L. 500 Hee) Ges) i ile AUGUST 30, 2004 - The IWA Canada National Executive
L. 700 402 29 93.27% Board ratifies the merger ballot results following inspec-
L. 830 132 31 fl 80.98% tion of the Certification Sheets.
1387 202 8 87.299
E000) ae a SEPTEMBER 1, 2004 - The IWA, with roots as an interna-
L. 2693 1268 10 82.71% tional union back to 1937, ceases to exist as an indepen-
L. 2995 781 300 6 72.25% dent union. IWA local unions become USWA locals and an
TOTAL 45286 40091 349 0.24% IWA Council is formed within the structure of an interna-
tional union — which now with some 245,000 members in
Canada and 650,000 members in North America.
YES 60.24%
NO 39.76%

Photographed on the cover are: |. to r., Local 1-405 president Bob Matters, Local 1-3567 president Sonny Ghag, USWA - IWA Council rep Scott Lunny, Local 1-2171
president Darrel Wong, USWA - IWA Council Officer Wilf McIntyre, USWA - |WA Council rep John Mountain, USWA - IWA Council Officer David Tones, USWA Executive
Assistant Kim Siegfried, USWA - IWA Council chairman Norm Rivard, USWA International President Leo Gerard, Local 1-2698 president Joe Hanlon, Steelworkers
Canadian Director Ken Neumann, Local 1-184 president Paul Hallen, USWA District 3 Director Steve Hunt, and Local 1-1000 president Michael McCarter.

12 | THE ALLIED WORKER SEPTEMBER 2004