Past Trade Agreements Have Cut Jobs, Wages And Democracy

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2011062202/past-trade-agreements-have-cut-jobs-wages-and-democracy

Our trade agreements have pitted working people in countries that do not protect rights or people against the working people here who fought to win the protections of democracy. The result has been devastating to our communities, our economy and our democracy.

America is (was, anyway) a democracy governed by We, the People. As Monday’s Memorial Day ceremonies remind us Americans fought and sacrificed to build and keep the protections and benefits that democracy offers. Those include good jobs with good wages, worker safety laws, rules preventing companies from polluting, and so many other things that companies complain make us less “business-friendly.” But we got involved in “trade” deals that let countries get around democracy’s protections, pitting employees here against people who have no voice, no power and no money. You can see the results all around us.

:snip:

Now we're looking at new trade agreements with Korea, Panama and Columbia. The President is holding out for assistance for all the workers who will be displaced while Republicans say, "Why bother?" Neither side is holding out for agreements that lift workers on both sides of the border.

But these agreements will hurt American workers and communities by lowering wages and killing jobs. For example, the National Council of Textile Organizations, American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, National Textile Association, American Fiber Manufacturers Association, U.S. Industrial Fabrics Institute got together to warn that,


More at the link --

[OhioChick]

1. K&R n/t

[WinkyDink]

2. "new trade agreements with Korea, Panama and Columbia" = one thing ONLY: to depress US workers' $$$.

THERE IS NO OTHER SANE OR PRACTICAL REASON TO "HELP" THE WORKERS OF THOSE THREE COUNTRIES.
BECAUSE, SERIOUSLY, THE U.S. SHOULD CARE????

[pampango]

3. It could be that breaking unions, cutting taxes for the rich and shredding

the safety net have something to do with the decline in our wages, jobs and democracy.

"11.5 million US workers lost jobs in plant shutdowns from 1981 to 1984" - long before any "free trade" deals (or China getting into the WTO) but after Reagan's assault on unions, the first round of tax cuts for the rich, corporate deregulation, and weakening the safety net leading with attacks on "welfare queens".

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2011/jan2011/twih-j31.shtml#top

Jobs, wages and democracy are better in other advanced countries (Canada, Europe, Australia) in which trade (particularly "free trade") play a much larger role in the economy. Progressive countries seem to spend more time making life better for their citizens than they do trying to keep out stuff made by poor foreigners. (The EU even has special reduced tariffs for goods coming the poorest countries.)

Of course these progressive countries have strong unions, higher levels of (and more progressive) taxes and stronger safety nets. Apparently these policies are more important to the welfare of their citizens than attempts to reduce trade with poor countries.

[gratuitous]

4. Oh ye of little faith

As soon as we negotiate those side agreements to NAFTA on labor and the environment, everything will be fine. Great, even. We just can't rush things like that, though. It's only been 16 years or so; why are you so impatient? And we NEED those free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia! Mexico just isn't quite as dependable a partner since it devolved into a thugocracy, and that wasn't because of NAFTA at all. Them lazy Mexicans just don't want to work for a handful of pesos a day and all the rapings they can tolerate. We have to cast a little further afield to get good help anymore. Oh, and jobs. Trickle down. Supply side. You know.

[bvar22]

6. I'm still waiting for my brand new, High Paying NAFTA job.

.
.
.
.
....any day now!

"Free Trade" is a SCAM invented by the RICH (Corporate Owners)
who used smooth talking politicians to SELL IT to a gullible America.

Ross was right!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkgx1C_S6ls&feature=player_embedded

[leftstreet]

5. K&R

[bvar22]

7. Ross was right!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkgx1C_S6ls&feature=player_embedded

"Free Trade" was/is a SCAM invented by the RICH (Corporate Owners)
who used smooth talking politicians to SELL it to a gullible America.