To protect union information and maintain member privacy, access to the Local 708 Members Portal is restricted to verified union members only.

If you would like access, you must:

1. Submit your personal email address to any Local 708 Union Representative.
   
   

2. Your email will be added to the approved access list.
   
   

3. Once verified, you will receive confirmation and be granted access to the Members Portal.

4. On the websites main page - Click on the Members Portal button, it will pop up a screen asking for that approved email address, you then input the address, an access code will be sent to that email address, you then enter that access code into box on that page - Enter - You are then transferred to the MEMBERS PORTAL page.

( For security purposes the access code will only be good for 24 hours )

Access cannot be granted without prior verification.

This process ensures:

• Protection of member-only documents
  
  

• Security of grievance information
  
  

• Proper communication within Local 708
  
  

If you have not yet submitted your email, please contact a Union Representative as soon as possible.

Local 708 stands on a proud foundation of representation, solidarity, and decades of working-class history in Ware, Massachusetts. Our local’s roots reach back to at least 1960, when public labor records documented Local 708 as an active union representing paper workers in Ware. From its earliest known history, Local 708 has been connected to the hardworking men and women of the paper industry and to the long tradition of union workers who built, sustained, and strengthened this community through their labor.

Over the decades, Local 708 continued its presence in Ware through the evolving Paperworkers union movement. Historical labor directories from both 1960 and 1980 identify Local 708 as an active union at Ludlow’s paper operations, showing that this local was firmly established long before later union mergers reshaped the labor landscape. These records confirm what our history reflects clearly: Local 708 is not new, temporary, or accidental. It is a union local with deep roots, built through years of organization, representation, and the collective strength of its members.

As the labor movement evolved, Local 708 carried forward through the major transitions in our union’s lineage. The local traces through the Paperworkers tradition that later became part of the United Paperworkers International Union (UPIU), then PACE, and ultimately the United Steelworkers. That continuity matters, as it proves Local 708 has remained part of a living labor legacy that adapted with changing industries and changing times, while never losing sight of its core purpose: protecting workers, enforcing rights, and standing together in solidarity.

Our history is more than names in a directory or a timeline of affiliations. It is the story of generations of workers who understood that strength comes from unity. It is the story of members who organized, served, negotiated, fought for fairness, and built a local union that could endure. Every officer, steward, committee member, and union member who came before helped shape the Local 708 that exists today.

Local 708's strong legacy continues now. As part of the United Steelworkers, Local 708 carries forward a history that spans decades and reflects the resilience of working people in Ware. We honor the foundation that was built before us, and we remain committed to strengthening this union for the members of today and for the generations that will follow.

USW Local 708 is more than a union name. It is a long-standing voice for working people in Ware, Massachusetts — built on history, sustained by solidarity, and driven by the belief that workers are strongest when we stand together.