Kerry Win Would Reshape Trade Policy -Labor

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Labor groups expect Democratic presidential front-runner Sen. John Kerry to make major changes in U.S. trade policy to protect jobs and the environment if he defeats President Bush in November, trade union officials said on Friday. "We do expect a very dramatic difference," said Thea Lee, director of trade policy for the 13 million-member AFL-CIO labor coalition, which has endorsed Kerry. "We take Senator Kerry seriously when he says he thinks the Bush trade policy is flawed and has accelerated the loss of U.S. jobs."

The Massachusetts senator's pledge to review existing trade agreements in the first 120 days of taking office could vastly reshape the priorities driving U.S. trade policy, she said. In addition to putting a greater emphasis on labor and environmental protections in trade agreements, the AFL-CIO expects Kerry to take a harder line on Chinese labor practices and currency policies than Bush has, Lee said.

The AFL-CIO endorsed Kerry over Democratic rival Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who has been even more critical of trade agreements. Edwards voted last year against free trade pacts with Chile and Singapore, while Kerry skipped the votes. However, both Kerry and Edwards oppose a new free trade agreement with five Central American countries that the Bush administration could put before Congress this year.

Kerry also has warned he would not sign a proposed free trade agreement covering every country in the Americas except Cuba unless it contains stronger labor and environmental provisions than the Central American pact.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=4406478

[brokensymmetry]

1. That's encouraging!

:kick:

[Octafish]

2. Kerry talked about manufacturing jobs in Detroit...

... before the Detroit Economic Club back last fall. The guy explained he would, if President, make certain that the next generation of automobiles are made in Detroit and the good ol' USA, rather than in Japan, Europe or elsewhere. Demonstrating a pretty thorough understanding of macroeconomic theory and how it applied to the strategically important manufacturing secotre, Kerry outlined a plan for preserving the nation's manufacturing base and manufacturing jobs. The national press on Kerry's speech? Zero.

Glad to see our friends in the AFL-CIO get it.

[Walt Starr]

3. I seriously doubt those claims

but hey, if it makes ya feel better, go ahead and believe them by ll means.

For my part, I'm still going to vote for the Ham Sandwich with a (D).

[gate of the sun]

4. I like this post. n/t

[oasis]

5. Labor union members will whole heartedly back Kerry's bid for the

presidency. Working families are aware of the threat posed by another 4 years of Bush.