North American ICEM affiliate, United Steelworkers (USW), began its largest ever conference of women workers in Toronto, Ontario, yesterday. Over 1,000 trade union women from Canada and the US are expected at the four-day conference, which is entitled “Women of Steel: Building Power, Taking Action.”

USW President Leo Gerard will address the conference today, 24 September. Also speaking will be Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of US presidential candidate John Edwards, who has won the endorsement of the USW, and progressive American blogger Arianna Huffington. Canadian Member of Parliament Libby Davies, from the New Democratic Party, will also address the conference.

Gerard will introduce to delegates the “Protect Our Kids/Stop Toxic Imports” campaign, which will be unveiled in Canada tomorrow, 25 September.

Workshops will centre on engaging women in the work of the union, skills enhancement, work-life balance, political action, and global solidarity. The USW will host global trade union guests from Brazil, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Sweden, South Africa, and the UK.

“Strong unions need women, and it is clear that women in every nation need strong unions,” said USW Assistant to the President Leeann Anderson. USW Women of Steel Director Ann Flener added that union “women know that in today’s global economic society, solidarity must reach across nations to the furthest regions of the world. We must talk with each other, compare situations, and learn best practices from each other’s experiences.”