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Sign This Postcard for retirement security

With each passing year, retirement security is increasingly difficult for Americans to achieve, even after a lifetime of work. That’s why we need to protect, strengthen, and expand Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and pensions.

As we move into 2018, more and more discussions coming out of Washington are about potential cuts to our earned benefits. That’s why the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) is teaming up with Rapid Response to take on these issues. Rapid Response is our union’s education and action program on legislative issues.

We’re launching a postcard campaign as a way of building our power. We hope you will join our effort by getting retirees to sign the postcards, then sign up to continue receiving information from SOAR and Rapid Response moving forward.

You may also join by visiting the following link and adding your support. Your name will be transferred to a postcard and delivered to your Senators and Representative on your behalf.

Click here to sign this postcard.

Thanks so much. 

George Banks, A Pioneering Steelworker

George Banks was a pioneering leader of the United Steelworkers. He was born in Hebbardsville, Ky., the third of seven siblings. Orphaned at 19, he brought his four younger brothers to Cleveland in 1943 and helped to support them by tending the blast furnace at Republic Steel. During the 1960s, he became what survivors believe to be the first black secretary and first black president of Local 1157.

I believe that in about 1970, he became the first such assistant director of District 28. He joined negotiations around the country and conferences in Japan. George retired in 1990, became a board member of SOAR in District 1 and a representative for the Alliance for Retired Americans. He also helped found an area chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, which works for racial and economic justice.

"Even though he was hard-nosed on what was the best thing for the members, he took the time to talk, explain and listen," Frank Valenta, former head of the Cleveland AFL-CIO and the steelworkers' old District 28, said.

Jim Centner, former SOAR Director in a letter to George on his 80th birthday said, “You have against insurmountable odds, made a difference. What you have accomplished over your decades of union service is a perfect example of what can be accomplished through hard work and dedication.”

My own memories of George Banks are primarily during the off work hours we spent together in Washington D.C. while serving as legislative interns for the union. George was strictly spit and polish. I think he got a big kick out of being with a country bumpkin like myself. I think the highlight of his time in Washington was our visit to the African American Civil War Memorial & Museum.

George died in 2010 at age 86.

A Good Friend, Ken Stevens

Ken Stevens

Ken Stevens retired from Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company after 40 years of service and became a member of SOAR Chapter 8-UR-1 and was the URW Division representative on the SOAR Executive Board. Ken also served on the Executive Board of the Alliance for Retired Americans for several years. 

He was from Danville, Virginia and was proud of being active in the Democratic Party for over 42 years. In 2002, Ken was awarded the Harry E. Mayfield Award by SOAR president Lynn Williams. He departed the SOAR board in 2002 when is position sunseted and served as a SOAR Coordinator in District 8.

Ken passed away in 2014 at age 78. He was one of the most plesant, hard working and generous people I’ve ever known.