  the united steel, paper and forestry, rubber, manufacturing, energy, allied industrial and service workers international union (united steelworkers or usw) is the largest industrial labor union in north america, with 860,294 members. headquartered in pittsburgh, u.s., the united steelworkers represents workers in the united states, canada and the caribbean. the united steelworkers represent workers in a diverse range of industries, including primary and fabricated metals, chemicals, glass, rubber, heavy-duty conveyor belting, tires, transportation, utilities, container industries, pharmaceuticals, call centers and health care. the united steelworkers is currently affiliated with the american federation of labor - congress of industrial organizations (afl-cio) and the canadian labour congress (clc) as well as several international union federations. on july 2, 2008, the united steelworkers signed an agreement to merge with the united kingdom and ireland based union, unite, to form a new global union entity called workers uniting. the current international president of the united steelworkers is leo gerard, who has served as president since 2001. ==origins and history==   the usw was established may 22, 1942, in cleveland, ohio, by a convention of representatives from the amalgamated association of iron, steel, and tin workers and the steel workers organizing committee, after almost six years of divisive struggles to create a new union of steelworkers. the drive to create this union included such violent incidents as the infamous memorial day, 1937, when chicago policemen supporting the rival [[american federati
1942_establishments_in_Ohio AFLaCIO Canadian_Labour_Congress General_unions International_Federation_of_Chemical,_Energy,_Mine_and_General_Workers\'_Unions International_Metalworkers\'_Federation Timber_industry_trade_unions Trade_unions_established_in_1942 United_Steelworkers