Washington,
Jul 27, 2005 -
It is a fact: The implementation of NAFTA has resulted in the net loss of over 1 million U.S. jobs since the agreement was signed in 1993.
NAFTA resulted in a net loss of jobs in every single state and the District of Columbia.
California lost the most: almost 124,000 jobs; followed by Texas, which lost over 72,000 jobs; New York lost over 51,000 jobs; and Missouri lost over 18,000 jobs. Tennessee was the 4th hardest-hit state when ranked by jobs lost per capita and my home state of Ohio was the 5th hardest-hit state.
It is also a fact: The United States’ global trade deficits, which accelerated rapidly after NAFTA took effect, have greatly contributed to job losses. Since the beginning of the 2001 recession, 2.8 million manufacturing jobs have been lost. Growing trade deficits are responsible for 34% to 58% of this loss.
Should CAFTA pass, the disastrous trend for workers established by NAFTA will be repeated. U.S. workers are much more likely to lose their jobs under CAFTA than find better ones, especially if they work in U.S. manufacturing.
While the average hourly earnings of U.S. manufacturing production workers was $16.01 in March 2004, the average hourly wage for Honduran workers producing goods for the U.S. market was 90 cents. How are American workers supposed to compete with that?
There is no other way to spin this fact: A vote for CAFTA is a vote for more lost U.S. jobs.