Rolf Gerstenberger
Encyclopedia
Rolf Gerstenberger is president of the United Steelworkers
, Local 1005 at the Hamilton Works of U.S. Steel Canada (formerly Stelco Hilton Works) in Hamilton, Ontario
, Canada
. He is also a prominent member of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
and vice-president of its electoral arm, the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada. He was a candidate for the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1997
and 2000 Canadian federal elections
, running in Hamilton East and Hamilton Mountain
, respectively. However he lost.
Born in Stuttgart
, Germany
, Gerstenberger first came to Canada from the United States
in the late 1960s. He left the United States because he opposed the Vietnam War
. Gerstenberger has worked at Stelco for over thirty five years, and worked as a vessel operator in the steel-making division for fifteen years prior to his first election as local union president in April, 2003. He holds a Master's degree
in theoretical nuclear physics
from McMaster University
in Hamilton.
On November 7, 2010 US Steel Canada locked out it's 900 active employees when the Local 1005 bargaining committee would not agree to the company's demands for major concessions to the pension plan. Several videos featuring Rolf Gerstenberger have been posted on Youtube explaining the union's position.
United Steelworkers
The United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union is the largest industrial labor union in North America, with 705,000 members. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, U.S., the United Steelworkers represents workers in the United...
, Local 1005 at the Hamilton Works of U.S. Steel Canada (formerly Stelco Hilton Works) in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is also a prominent member of the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
The Communist Party of Canada is a Canadian federal Marxist–Leninist political party.The party is registered with Elections Canada as the Marxist–Leninist Party of Canada...
and vice-president of its electoral arm, the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada. He was a candidate for the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1997
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
and 2000 Canadian federal elections
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
, running in Hamilton East and Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain
Hamilton Mountain is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968. The riding is located in the Hamilton, Ontario region....
, respectively. However he lost.
Born in Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Gerstenberger first came to Canada from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the late 1960s. He left the United States because he opposed the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Gerstenberger has worked at Stelco for over thirty five years, and worked as a vessel operator in the steel-making division for fifteen years prior to his first election as local union president in April, 2003. He holds a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in theoretical nuclear physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
from McMaster University
McMaster University
McMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
in Hamilton.
On November 7, 2010 US Steel Canada locked out it's 900 active employees when the Local 1005 bargaining committee would not agree to the company's demands for major concessions to the pension plan. Several videos featuring Rolf Gerstenberger have been posted on Youtube explaining the union's position.