It is imperative to call upon presidential administrations to fight for the domestic automotive industry by opening up Asian markets—especially the closed Japanese market—to autoparts, cars and trucks made in the U.S.A.
Because of their lack of workers rights, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the bill granting Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) to China are creating increased job loss, more factory shutdowns, and more plants being moved abroad. In Ohio alone, over 160,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost since June 2000. With continued pressure from grassroots organizations and businesses—small and large—the tide can turn against unfair trade deals managed by unrepresentative international organizations.
On step in this process involves creating an intracontinental commission to study the working conditions of the people of the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Before any additional trade deals are signed, we must examine the devastating legacy of job loss and the decline in real wages due to NAFTA. We need to put a human face on trade and demand fair trade for all and declare economic independence for all of our working families.
