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TRADE Act Would Revamp Failed Trade Policies
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Traven
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Jun 04, 2008 14:05 PDT
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TRADE Act Would Revamp Failed Trade Policies
By James Parks on AFL-CIO Blog
Workers across the world are opposed to trade deals that do not protect
workers’ rights.
As the nation’s economy
slides downhill, working people are demanding our political leaders
overhaul the nation’s [1]
<a href="http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy/tradeagreements.cfm">
failed trade policies and
put creating good jobs at the center of a coherent [2]
global economic
strategy.
Today, several members of the Democratic majority in Congress joined with
union leaders and trade activists to support a first-of-its-kind trade
bill that would revamp U.S. trade policy.
The Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act,
introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Rep. Mike Michaud
(D-Maine), would require a review of existing trade agreements, establish
standards, protect workers in developing nations and help restore
congressional oversight of future trade agreements.
Communications Workers of America ([3]
CWA</font>
) President Larry Cohen told a
Capitol Hill press conference today:
The principles of the TRADE Act are critical to real fair trade. The
U.S. needs reciprocal worker and environmental rights in all trade deals.
That means enforceable standards in both the United States and our
trading partners that promote global standards of collective bargaining
for workers, workplace rights and green and sustainable production.
In a statement handed out at the press conference, AFL-CIO President
John Sweeney said the TRADE Act “calls for a strategic pause on trade
agreements and a long overdue comprehensive review of U.S. trade policy.”
This bill also outlines a new U.S. trade strategyone that puts a
priority on the interests of working class Americans, farmers, the
environment, and domestic manufacturers, not just multinational
corporations.
It is past time to restructure U.S. trade policy to work for working
familieshere at home and around the world.
Earlier this year, the AFL-CIO Executive Council [4]
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/04/afl-cio-executive-council-trade-policies-economic-downturn-go-hand-in-hand">
pointed out that our trade
and tax policies have encouraged employers to [5]
shift jobs
overseas, and the resulting trade deficit has cost even more
jobs here at home, decimating our [6]
manufacturing industries and eroding real wages. The council
also warned that the huge trade deficit threatens our national security
by making our nation increasingly dependent on foreign governmentswhich
may or may not share our objectivesto fund our mounting debt. The
deficit also provides capital for countries such as China, with whom we
have a [7]
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/02/14/immediate-action-needed-to-reduce-trade-deficit-with-china">
record trade
deficit, to invest in Wall Street and possibly use that
influence to thwart efforts to respond to its unfair and predatory trade
practices. At the same time, the Bush administration’s rush to [8]
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/10/30/unsafe-toys-report-says-conservative-trade-regulatory-policies-at-fault">
dismantle
government regulations has left the United States
vulnerable to [9]
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/11/04/unsafe-toys-us-corporate-policies-share-the-blame">
unsafe
imported food and other products. Key
to the trade problem is the assault on unions and [10]
<a href="http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy/workersrights">
workers’
rights here in the United States, which is closely connected
with similar assaults worldwide.
Michaud told the press
conference, “It’s important that the American people and the presidential
candidates hear our message on trade.”
Our current [trade] system has not worked, has not met past promises,
and has not served the interests of a majority of people across our
country, or the world. This bill sets forth concrete ways to deliver on
our shared conviction that trade must serve as a means for achieving
goals such as economic justice and promotion of basic human rights,
healthy communities and environmental well-being.
Specifically, the TRADE Act would:
Require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a
comprehensive review of existing trade agreements with an emphasis on
economic results, enforcement and compliance and an analysis of
non-tariff provisions in trade agreements.
Spell out standards for
labor and environmental protections, food and product safety, national
security exceptions and remedies that must be included in new trade
pacts.
Set requirements with
respect to public services, farm policy, investment, government
procurement and affordable medicines that have been incorporated in
trade agreements.
Require the president to
submit renegotiation plans for current trade pacts prior to negotiating
new agreements and prior to congressional consideration of pending
agreements.
Create a committee
comprised of the chairmen and chairwomen and ranking members of each
committee whose jurisdiction is affected by trade agreements to review
the president’s plan for renegotiations.
Restore congressional
oversight of trade agreements.
Brown summed up the need
for the bill this way:
Trade done right means new jobs and new industry at home and means
lifting up workers in developing nations. For too long, our nation’s
trade policy has exploited workers, betrayed middle class families and
destroyed communities. It is time for a trade policy that works for
everyone, not just a few.
Other speakers at the press conference included Sen. Byron Dorgan
(D-N.D.), Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Teamsters President James
Hoffa.
Article printed from AFL-CIO NOW BLOG:
http://blog.aflcio.org
URL to article:
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/06/04/trade-act-would-revamp-failed-trade-policies/" eudora="autourl">
http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/06/04/trade-act-would-revamp-failed-trade-policies/
URLs in this post:
[1] failed trade
policies:
<a href="http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy/tradeagreements.cfm" eudora="autourl">
http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy/tradeagreements.cfm<br>
[2] global economic
strategy:
<a href="http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy" eudora="autourl">
http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy
[3]
CWA:
http://www.cwa-union.org/
[4] pointed
out:
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/04/afl-cio-executive-council-trade-policies-economic-downturn-go-hand" eudora="autourl">
http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/04/afl-cio-executive-council-trade-policies-economic-downturn-go-hand
-in-hand
[5] shift
jobs overseas:
<a href="http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/exportingamerica" eudora="autourl">
http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/exportingamerica
[6]
manufacturing:
<a href="http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/manufacturing" eudora="autourl">
http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/manufacturing
[7]
record trade
deficit:
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/02/14/immediate-action-needed-to-reduce-trade-deficit-with-china" eudora="autourl">
http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/02/14/immediate-action-needed-to-reduce-trade-deficit-with-china
[8]
dismantle
government regulations:
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/10/30/unsafe-toys-report-says-conservative-trade-regulatory-policies-at" eudora="autourl">
http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/10/30/unsafe-toys-report-says-conservative-trade-regulatory-policies-at
-
fault
[9] unsafe
imported food and other products:
<a href="http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/11/04/unsafe-toys-us-corporate-policies-share-the-blame" eudora="autourl">
http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/11/04/unsafe-toys-us-corporate-policies-share-the-blame
[10]
workers’
rights:
<a href="http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy/workersrights" eudora="autourl">
http://www.aflcio.org/issues/jobseconomy/globaleconomy/workersrights
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