CONTACT: Jess Kamm Broomell, (412) 562-2444, jkamm@usw.org
The United Steelworkers (USW) union today announced a series of promotions impacting its legislative and policy work in Washington, D.C., and statehouses across the country.
“Our union’s legislative arm gives workers a much needed voice. Whether it’s about reforming our nation’s broken trade system or keeping workers safe on the job, ordinary people deserve to have their elected officials listen to their priorities,” said USW International President Thomas M. Conway.
“Each of our new leaders is highly qualified and committed to making sure the laws and policies that are enacted at all levels of government benefit working people.”
Roy Houseman will serve as USW legislative director, overseeing the union’s national agenda, while Anna Fendley is assuming the newly created position of director of regulatory and state policy.
Houseman has been a part of the union’s legislative and policy department since 2011, previously serving as associate legislative director and working on a broad array of issues including trade and pensions. Before coming to Washington, D.C., Houseman worked at the former Smurfit-Stone paper mill in Missoula, Mont., serving as president of USW Local 885. As legislative director, Roy will oversee Congressional affairs for the union, working to improve wages, hours and conditions for USW members and their families.
Fendley has worked in various positions at the USW for a decade, most recently as associate legislative director in the union’s Washington, D.C., office. In her new role, she will further the union’s goal to proactively influence state-level policies to keep USW members working and to create high-quality jobs in their communities. She will also continue her work on federal policy impacting safety and health, as well as building and maintaining coalitions with other policy-oriented organizations such as the BlueGreen Alliance.
There is also new leadership of USW Rapid Response program, the union’s nonpartisan, grassroots effort that empowers USW members to participate in the legislative process.
Kim Miller, who was appointed director of Rapid Response in 2010, has been promoted to Assistant to the USW President. For more than two decades, Miller has fought to advance workers’ rights, first as a legislative aide on Capitol Hill and later for the USW. Now, she will advise USW leaders on political, legislative and policy issues, working with the USW’s Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. offices.
Amber Miller is the new USW Rapid Response director. Miller began her career at Chase Brass and Copper Co. in Montpelier, Ohio, where she served in a variety of leadership roles, including local union president. When she came to Pittsburgh in 2012, Miller joined the Rapid Response staff. As director, she will help USW members to use their collective voice to engage with legislative issues that impact their workplaces and labor contracts.
“The laws and policies enacted at both the national and state level have a huge impact on nearly all of the diverse sectors where our members work,” said USW International Vice President Roxanne Brown, who oversees the union’s public policy, legislative and political agendas. “Our union is lucky to have this new team leading these fights.”
The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors.