Statement by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney on US Trade Policy Developments
Friday, May 11, 2007
For immediate
release Contact:
Esmeralda Aguilar
202-637-5018
Statement by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
on U.S.
Trade
Policy
Developments
May
11, 2007
America's trade policy has been broken for decades. Living standards have been depressed. Families have been squeezed. Our trade deals have cost millions of jobs and encouraged exploitation of workers and the environment.
I commend Chairman Rangel for
the substantial
progress made in improving workers' rights and
environmental standards in the
Peru and Panama Free Trade Agreements.
But our trade policy will not be fixed
overnight. The Bush
Administration's consistent
unwillingness to enforce trade violations
against nations like Jordan and China
reminds us there is no guarantee the executive
branch will enforce any new
rights workers may gain through these
negotiations. And
President
Bush has negotiated a flawed
agreement with gross human rights violator
Colombia and a losing, one-sided
agreement with South Korea.
We
agree with Speaker Pelosi and Chairman Rangel
that the progress on workers'
rights and the environment does not clear the
way for other flawed agreements,
and we will vigorously oppose the Colombia and
South Korea agreements and
renewal of Fast Track trade
authority.
While recognizing the
real progress made in
the approach taken with Peru and Panama on
workers' rights and the environment,
we reserve final judgment until we have
reviewed the agreements in their
entirety. We also remain concerned that the
agreement fails to adequately
address issues related to the outsourcing of
U.S. jobs and the ability of
foreign corporations to challenge U.S. laws,
among others.
One standard will guide the AFL-CIO: U.S. trade policy must serve the interests of America's working families and workers around the globe.
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