As Goodyear began phasing out a tire plant in Alabama and shifting operations to a cheaper facility in Mexico a few years ago, Jeremy Hughes worried about the loss of his livelihood and the impact on his hometown. Hughes also worried about the future of America. Sooner or later, he realized, the decline of U.S. …
Why Rebuilding America’s Manufacturing Muscle Is Essential Read More »
On Tuesday morning, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Democrats had reached a deal with the Trump administration to advance the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), also referred to as “NAFTA 2.0.” In explaining the deal, she said: “There is no question of course that this trade agreement is much better than NAFTA.” Progressives have criticized …
Why Did Democrats Give Trump a Win on NAFTA 2.0? Read More »
By now, you’ve probably heard of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). You might have heard that some businesspeople think it’s a great deal, while average working families—and those who stand with us—think it only works if you’re already at the top. If you’ve been reading our blog regularly, then you know NAFTA is …
Working People Have 17 Recommendations for NAFTA. Here’s #2 Read More »
The future of the American steel and aluminum industries is not a matter for dithering. Each mill and smelter that remains operating is too vital. Each is too crucial to the economic viability of a corporation, a community, and thousands of workers and their families. Each also is too essential to national security, which relies …
Trade agreements can be used to boost prosperity on all sides of trade borders by increasing business opportunities, raising wages and increasing choices. Or they can be used to concentrate corporate power, cutting wages and choices. Guess which model our country’s corporate-written trade agreements have followed? (Hint: look around you: we have ever-increasing concentration of …
AFL-CIO Report Warns TPP Will Force Another Mass-Migration Into US Read More »
People have figured out that our country’s “trade” deals haven’t been working our so well for “our country.” A visit to Flint, Detroit or almost any town, city, state or region that was built around manufacturing make it clear what we have done. Shifting jobs and factories to places where people are paid squat and …
The U.S. Census Bureau reported Wednesday that the August trade deficit rose 3 percent to $40.73 billion from July’s $39.5 (slightly revised). Both exports and imports rose, with imports rising more than exports. August exports were $187.9 billion up $1.5 billion from July. August imports were $228.6 billion up $2.6 billion. The goods deficit was …
Enormous, Humongous August Trade Deficit Prompts Trade Deficit Bill Read More »
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka issued the following statement in reaction to the Democratic Platform Drafting Committee’s passage of a trade amendment during its Orlando, Florida, meeting: Today marks a major milestone for everyone who believes in the high standard that trade should raise wages and create good jobs in America. The Democratic Party’s adoption of strong, …
Trumka: Passage of Strong Trade Amendment Marks Major Milestone Read More »
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has released a report predicting the effect the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will have on the U.S. economy. In the past these reports have been skewed to promote trade agreements, with numbers that turned out to be much better than what actually happened. Even with this history of exaggerated promises …
Best-Case Projections For TPP Show Few Benefits, Worse Trade Deficit Read More »
On Monday, yet another “elite” pundit tells us that moving our jobs and factories and manufacturing ecosystem out of the country is good for us. This time it is Neil Irwin writing at the New York Times’ Upshot, “The Trade Deficit Isn’t a Scorecard, and Cutting It Won’t Make America Great Again.” The U.S. has …
Another Explanation Why Moving Jobs Out Of The Country Is ‘Good’ For Us Read More »
Madeline Messa is a 3L at Syracuse University College of Law. She graduated from Penn State with a degree in journalism. With her legal research and writing for Workplace Fairness, she strives to equip people with the information they need to be their own best advocate.
