Steelworkers Give $20,000 for Pakistan Flood Aid

TORONTO, Aug. 23 /CNW/ - The United Steelworkers (USW) today announced the Steelworkers Humanity Fund is providing $20,000 to assist communities in Pakistan devastated by the worst flooding in 80 years.

"The Steelworkers Humanity Fund is contributing $20,000 toward emergency aid for the millions of people in Pakistan who have lost homes, crops, and livelihoods to massive and widespread flooding," said Ken Neumann, USW National Director for Canada.

The Steelworkers' contribution was made today to Oxfam-Canada by Masood Chaudhry of USW Local 9042 and a member of Toronto's Pakistani community, as well as Thomas de Sousa, a Steelworkers Humanity Fund board member.

"Once again some of the poorest, most vulnerable people on the globe are having to put their lives back together and rebuild their homes and communities in the face of a natural disaster," Chaudhry said. "Thanks to the contributions of Steelworker members to the Humanity Fund we are able to be part of that effort."

At least six million people in Pakistan are in need of immediate humanitarian aid. On August 11 the United Nations appealed for US $460 million in international aid to help flood-affected families.

"What is really needed in the long run are changes in the global economic system to create balanced economic development that reaches poorer populations so they are not so vulnerable to natural disasters," the USW's Neumann said.

Founded in 1985, the Steelworkers Humanity Fund is a registered charitable organization. Steelworkers members contribute to the Fund through clauses negotiated into collective agreements. In some cases matching contributions come from employers.

The Fund's mandate is to address hunger and poverty issues, primarily in the developing world.

For further information:

Ken Neumann, USW National Director for Canada,
416-487-1571, 416-558-2510;
Doug Olthuis, USW Humanity Fund, 416-544-5957.