UK unionjoins forces with US steelworkers organisation to deal with international companies

Unite plans to merge with American organisation the United Steelworkers union to form an international super-union.

The two said they hope to agree an announcement this summer to create a 3 million-strong transatlantic union to defend workers in a globalised marketplace.

Unite has about 2 million members in the UK and the United Steelworkers union represents around 1 million members in the US, Canada and the Caribbean.

Derek Simpson, joint general secretary of Unite, said: “National unions have dealt with national companies. To deal with international companies you need international unions.”

Unite was created last year from the merger of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers’ Union.