Darren Green, the president of USW Local 5328, invites new members who have completed their probationary period to get involved with the union. He proposes forming a "Next Generation Committee" to give younger workers a say in decisions that will affect their future. While the current agreement requires one year of service to become a shop steward, the committee would allow newer members to have a voice and get educated on issues. Green encourages interested new members to let him know if they want to join the committee or get involved in other ways, such as running for office.

1. February 24, 2015
As the company seeks to fill its supervisory roles with workers new to our facility I think it equally important that the
Union does the same.
Local 5328 has a long and proud history within the Steelworkers and the Labour movement in general in the Hamilton
area and indeed throughout Ontario and Canada, it is a tradition that continues today and I feel one that needs to be
carried into the future.
As our workforce ages we need to start thinking of our future at work and in retirement. There was never a real worry
for people who retired in the past, they considered pensions and insurance benefits guaranteed for life; when they
passed on, their spouses would be taken care of.
The global and economic reality suggests different.
With a Foreign Investment Act that allows companies to come into Canada and strip us of our order books, a
government that ignores off-shore trading while at the same time says workers need to take a haircut, workers are
behind the 8-Ball.
At this moment in time our workplace is as busy as or busier than at any time since 1999. The Canadian dollar is helping
us greatly and I am grateful for that after seeing so many of our members laid off at a whim in the not so distant past.
We are here because we changed some work rules which allowed for greater flexibility, we combined over 100 job
descriptions into 15.
A lot of us older folks are not happy about that even though we voted to support it, me included. However our newest
members, the ones who will be responsible for moving this company and union forward know no difference other than
the talk on the floor, and as many of you come from companies which have folded shop…well you know the story.
Having said all that, I would like to invite any of our new people who have completed their probationary period to get
involved with your union.
Do not simply allow others to make decisions for you because make no mistake, decisions that affect your future will be
made. Wouldn’t you rather have a say?
According to our Basic Agreement you cannot become a shop steward until you have a year of service. That’s the
current agreement but we can put you on a committee of the Union.
I am open, very much so, to having a Next Generation Committee.
And you can be part of it. Have a say, get educated, be part of a great communication network and try to make a
difference.
If you are interested in joining this committee or getting involved in another way or maybe you’d like to run for office,
let me know.
Darren Green
President
USW Local 5328