Lenny Sapozhnikov, AFL-CIO deputy state director for Pennsylvania, recently talked with Michael Munger, president of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1660, which represents workers at the Wheatland Tube Co., in Wheatland, Pa. Munger recently was elected vice president of the Mercer County Central Labor Council, and last week, he led a rally outside the office of Rep. Phil English (R) as part of the USW’s Protect Our Kids—Stop Toxic Imports campaign. 

Q: You just wrapped up the Toxic Trade Day of Action on Jan. 16. Tell us more about the goals of this campaign and your own involvement. 

Munger: The goal of the campaign is getting tougher trade laws and more stringent safety tests for imports coming into the country. We all heard about the unsafe products coming into the country. Kids are having contact with toxic chemicals in those products and getting sick. We have good safety measures in this country but no one is testing the imports. We want tougher trade laws enacted.  

Under the leadership of District 10 Director John DeFazio and John Zanetti, we held rallies all over the state to communicate this message to the public. In our region, we had a rally at Rep. Phil English’s office with the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), the Northwest Area Labor Federation, Jobs with Justice and other allies to make the public aware of this issue. We had about 50 people, three TV channels and coverage from the local paper. We are fortunate in this area because all the officers are close friends. Whenever we need to get something done in this area, the unions really step up to the challenge. 

Q: You were active with the Labor 2006 program. Tell us some of the highlights from last time and your plans for 2008?  

Munger: In 2006, I was released by the Steelworkers to work as the zone captain for five months for my area, which includes Mercer, Venango, Erie and parts of Beaver and Lawrence counties. We did the full labor-to-labor program, including local union mail, door knocking and the phone banks. We also leafleted all the plants and worksites in the area….In our zone, we had many Steelworkers come out and volunteer with the Labor 2006 program. We were lucky our international president, Leo Gerard, came out for a labor walk in this area. This coming year, I hope to come out again to work on the Labor 2008 program. In our area, Melissa Hart is planning to run against Congressman Jason Altmire, whom we helped elect last year, so we will have a lot of work to do. So far there are also five good pro-worker candidates in the Democratic primary for Phil English’s seat in Congress. We may finally succeed in unseating him this year. 

Q: Tell us more about yourself and your local. 

Munger: When I started in 1977, I was not very involved in the union at first, but I didn’t like some of the things going on in the plant and complained. Someone said to me that if I wanted changes I should run for office. I ran and got elected as a guard in 1979, and I had that position for a couple of years. I was then elected to the grievance position, which I held for 12 years, then vice president, which I held for years, and now I’ve been president for six years. All in all I have 26 years as a union officer with the Steelworkers. Over the years, we faced some hard times and layoffs. Now with the temporary relief from the trade administration, we are working seven days a week and the plant is even staffing up again.

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