The International Affairs Department was established in 1956. Its primary responsibility was to keep informed on domestic and foreign economic, social, and political situations, especially regarding information that had its origins in governmental agencies and the National Trade Union Center in Washington, D.C. Internally, the department's objectives focused on supporting the union's collective bargaining position at American companies with foreign subsidiaries, assessing foreign competition and international trade and tariffs, and spreading democratic labor unionism. The Department ceased to function as an independent entity with the structure of the international union after 1994.
From the description of United Steelworkers of America, International Affairs Department records, 1953-1972. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 639530967
