The Twin Cities Steelworkers Associate Member chapter met on February 10, and heard an inspirational challenge from United Steelworkers (USW) District 11 Director David Foster. He called upon the membership to reach out into the community and organize working people and their allies to build relationships that enact positive changes in our community to build a safer and stronger America.

The chapter also ratified its Twin Cities Vision Statement that reads:

We are a grassroots economic populist organization of USW that will 1) improve the lives of working people and their families; 2) strengthen the Union movement; and 3) challenge corporations and politicians to work for social, economic, and environmental justice.

"It was inspirational to see people empower themselves by taking ownership of this chapter," Dave Foster, Director of USW District 11. "It was moving to see them commit to sign up at least one friend to join the Associate Member Program to start creating a more positive vision for the future."

"There are just so many things that we’ve gone backward on in the last four years that it’s just unbelievable," said Linda Norcross, an Associate Member from Roseville referring to the national cultural socio-economic and political landscape. "We need to start to undo the damage that’s been done."

The chapter will set up a steering committee that will manage the operations of the chapter and will organize the election for officers of the chapter. Director Foster will appoint the members of the steering committee.

"Now is my opportunity to be a member of the Steelworkers Union and I feel very proud," Norcross added.