Lloyd McBride (March 16, 1916 – November 6, 1983) was an American labor leader and president of the United Steelworkers of America from 1977 to 1983.
The broader strike continued for seven more weeks, and the workers were successful in winning a contract on their terms.
In 1958, the Steelworkers hired him to be director of the USW Sub-District based in Granite City, Illinois.
McBride's opponent was Edward Sadlowski, the young president of USW District 31.
McBride received the support of Abel and AFL-CIO president George Meany, while Sadlowski won the backing of Ralph Nader, Victor Reuther, John Kenneth Galbraith and General Motors heir Stewart Rawlings Mott.
McBride strongly supported the Experimental Negotiations Agreement (ENA), a contract negotiated with steelmakers by President Abel which included a provision preventing the union from striking over economic terms—whether the contract was in force or had expired.
However, high inflation drove wages much higher under the ENA, and steelmakers unilaterally canceled the agreement (as was their right) as the 1980 contract talks approached.
During his presidency, the Steelworkers lost nearly half its 1.4 million members due to offshoring and plant closings.
McBride was a moderate who successfully resisted members' calls for militancy in the face of widespread steel industry unemployment and sharply increased pressure on wages and benefits.