Support the Jones Act!
The Jones Act ensures a strong and vibrant maritime industry, which helps ensure the United States maintains its expertise in shipbuilding and waterborne transportation. Without American maritime, the U.S. would be dependent on foreign-owned and flagged vessels for the transport of waterborne commerce in and around the country.
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Based out of Cleveland, Ohio, United Steelworkers Local 5000 (often just called Local 5') represents over three hundred members who are the unlicensed crew aboard nineteen Great Lakes freighters, employed by Central Marine Logistics, The Interlake Steamship Company, and Key Lakes Inc. (Great Lakes Fleet). We have one land-based unit with twenty members who service the steel industry employed by Sisco.
Get the Official USW Local 5000 Mobile App for Android and iPhone!
Rapid Response News
Rapid Response, our union’s nonpartisan grassroots activist program, provides an opportunity for every USW member to weigh in on legislation concerning labor and work-related issues. By joining together, we encourage government actions that will positively impact our families, contracts and communities. Learn more!
Union Plus Benefits
Did you know your USW membership entitles you to discounts on wireless, car rentals, movie tickets, car insurance and more? Visit the Union Plus website to view current discounts and programs.
Support Enbridge Straits Line 5 Replacement Segment Project
A project critical to protecting the environment and the longterm viability of Enbridge Line 5, a crude oil pipeline that supplies refineries throughout the midwest, is in jeopardy.
The Enbridge Straits Line 5 Replacement Segment Project would allow for the current pipeline that runs through the Straits of Mackinac to be rerouted through a tunnel in the bedrock beneath the Straits, protecting the waterway and the Great Lakes.
USW National News
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Board Rejects Weakened Refinery Safety Rules
USW refinery workers in California won a long-sought victory in September when the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board rejected a proposed settlement that would have weakened wor... —
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Steelworkers Flex Their Muscle
Members Bring Workers-First Agenda to Lawmakers on Capitol Hill When Minnesota lawmakers introduced legislation in 2024 that threatened the jobs of more than 600 refinery workers, Chris Mishkee mobili... —
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A Strong Alliance
USW Members in Wisconsin Produce High-End Laundry Systems When April Kanneman travels and stays in a hotel or a vacation rental, she makes a point of checking out the laundry facilities available at h... —
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The Torchbearer: September 2026
YOUR VOICE. YOUR UNION. YOUR VOTE. Election Day is Nov. 3, 2026. Your voice matters—at work, in your community, and at the ballot box. Make a plan to vote. Check your registration. Know your deadlines... —
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Rapid Response Action Call: Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Fighting to Preserve Our Domestic Tire Industry
For generations, tire plants have provided good, family-supporting jobs, and helped build strong communities across our country. But those jobs, our members’ jobs, are disappearing at an alarming rate... —
