New USW leader for national paper bargaining program

In accordance with the constitution of the United Steelworkers, the USW's International Executive Board has by unanimous vote named District 2 director Jon Geenen the union's international vice president with responsibility for national paper industry bargaining.

The appointment will take effect March 1 following a transition period leading up to the retirement of vice president Dick LaCosse, who currently leads paper industry bargaining.

‘We regret Dick LaCosse's decision to retire, but he leaves the union's national paper bargaining program in capable hands. Jon Geenen is knowledgeable about the paper industry and its players, and will be an asset to our team as we continue our efforts to establish coordinated bargaining throughout the industry,’ said USW International president Leo W. Gerard.

The coordinated bargaining campaign led this August to a new four-year master agreement covering USW members at 14 mills owned by International Paper (IP), the largest producer in the industry.

Geenen, 48, began working in the paper industry in 1977 as an industrial apprentice at the IP mill in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. He was active with the United Paperworkers (UPIU) and its successor union, the former Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical and Energy (PACE) workers international union, which merged with the USW in 2005.

‘The USW has positioned itself as a global leader in the fight for worker and human rights, and I am excited about serving our members in my new role,’ Geenen said. ‘I look forward to building on the successes of our initiatives in the paper industry, but also in
playing a role in moving forward the agenda of all USW working families.’

LaCosse retires after a long career with the USW and PACE. He was named vice president in charge of paper industry bargaining in 2005 when he replaced former executive vice president Boyd Young, who was president of PACE when it merged with the USW in 2005.

‘It has been an honor to have worked in the labor movement. Fighting injustice is the most rewarding work anyone could hope to have,’ LaCosse said. ‘I leave knowing our union is in very capable hands with the most dedicated people in the entire labor movement working hard each day and making a difference one accomplishment at a
time.’