United Steelworkers and Telecommunications Workers Union Sign Strategic
Alliance

OTTAWA , Feb. 8 /CNW/ - The United Steelworkers (USW) and the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) have signed a Strategic Alliance to work together on issues of common interest in Canada and globally.

The agreement was signed today in Ottawa by George Doubt, TWU National President and Ken Neumann , USW National Director for Canada .

"The USW is proud to join forces with TWU members in Canada ," Neumann said.

"Our union has a history of developing productive, forward-thinking partnerships with labour and other progressive organizations in Canada and throughout the world. Through these closer ties we are better able to work toward social justice and better working and living standards for all."

"The United Steelworkers and the Telecommunications Workers Union are strong, progressive unions with an intense focus on collective bargaining, servicing our members, organizing and political action," said Doubt. "While the TWU and USW will remain independent and autonomous, we will seek to increase our cooperation in many ways to better serve our members."

The alliance will allow the two unions to benefit from each other's expertise, resources and programs, and to pursue joint initiatives in areas such as member education, political action and lobbying.

The Telecommunications Workers Union represents telecommunications workers and workers in related fields in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Québec. The TWU has more than 50 years of experience in dealing with employers and providing services to its members, protecting and improving their wages, benefits and working conditions and guarding the principles which maintain the integrity of the labour movement.

The USW is the largest private sector union in both Canada and North America , with more than 280,000 members working in every economic sector in Canada , and more than 800,000 members continent-wide.

For further information: Ken Neumann, USW National Director for Canada, [phone]; George Doubt, TWU-STT National President, [phone], www.twu-stt.ca