Senator Bernie Sanders is a lifelong champion of working people. In recognition of his lifelong fight for workers and union representation, the United Steelworkers presented Senator Sanders in 2015 with the rarely given Paul Wellstone Memorial Award for political activism.
Sanders got a standing ovation on April 14 from the crowded roomful of Steelworkers, in town for their union’s own Legislative/Political/Rapid Response conference as well as Good Jobs Green Jobs. Gerard praised Sanders as a down-the-line defender of unions and workers, while presenting him with USW’s rarely given Paul Wellstone Memorial Award for political activism. The award is named for the late, fantastically pro-worker Minnesota DFL senator.
“He (Wellstone) was elected, literally, from the back of the bus and was one of the strongest voices in the Senate against trade agreements that traded away our jobs,” Gerard declared. “No one in the Senate more reflects the values of Paul Wellstone than Bernie Sanders. He’s not afraid to launch a real filibuster for the values of working people.”
For his part, Sanders warned the Rapid Response delegates that while his father, a penniless immigrant, achieved the American dream for his two sons, “for our kids and grandkids, it’s out the door.” Making America work for workers is Sanders’ platform.
When we began our own local political revolution here in Rural Oregon, we were inspired by Bernie Sanders who has never met a picket line he would not join. We did not have to look far to “walk the talk” just like Bernie and found that 180 United Steelworkers local 7150 workers were locked out of their jobs by Alleghany Technologies, Inc. with tactics that the National Labor Relations Board would later rule bad faith bargaining.
Bernie supporters from five different towns have stood together with our brothers and sisters of steel from 10 days after the lock out to today which will be our final day on the line. Much has happened during the past six months as we became friends and then family just as USW local 7150 President Josh Hall says in the following video at the unveiling of our Rural Oregon for Bernie supports locked out steelworkers banner at Camp Ore-Met. (Special thanks to Ashley Terry for his marvelous video of this event!)
Today is our final day on the picket line. After six long months of being locked out of their jobs, they finally have a contract to look over and vote upon. Today we will make plans to celebrate together and move forward.