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Originally posted by indianajoe77
Welcome to the world of "free trade" under NAFTA.
The reason manufacturing is leaving is because in our "free trade" partners' countries, business that are manufacturing goods for the US and global markets do not have OSHA regulations, EPA regulations, EEOC regulations or minimum wage standards. Workers do not have the right to organize. This adds up to a lot of fixed costs that our partner countries' businesses don't have to pay.
In order for US manufacturing companies to be competitive, they either do more with less workers, or move the plant to where the cheap labor is and the regulations are more lenient.
How NAFTA got passed with the blessing of labor with out the right to organize those "international" workers, I have no idea. In order for this trend to reverse, the US must insist on comparable regulatory oversight and worker protections with any country when creating new or revising old trade agreements.
Originally posted by indianajoe77
reply to post by NorEaster
How does collapsing businesses create more jobs for US workers?
How does collapsing a business pay the pension plan of retired workers of that business?
How does collapsing businesses encourage entrepreneurs to create businesses in the US with the fear they will be collapsed?
Where does all the money come from to pay the PR and Marketing Firms that will help publicize the "community action" you recommend?
How does anything you stated help workers in foreign countries achieve the level of safety and pay the US worker enjoys?
Originally posted by Shdak
I think we can argue this endlessly, to me the obvious answer is to end the overall extreme, unprecedented trade imbalances and resulting currency flow imbalances against us, caused by NAFTA and other acts; if we don’t we are screwed.
My point is that Corporate America should be standing up for America and pushing for a fair trade act, they should be saying, the NAFTA program didn’t work to make America better…They should be pushing for a change now. They should be standing up for the people who made them what they are today…
Originally posted by indianajoe77
reply to post by Shdak
I love how you and NorEastr just ignored my posts that gave you viable solutions to just go on anti-business tirades.
The labor unions are at fault in this too, including the Democrats, who keep saying they are for the worker, while taking their union money and passing trade agreements that are lopsided to our businesses AND workers.
Right, right, its all big businesses fault. They are the only ones contributing to the politicians that create these things and the problems associated with them. The giant, international unions don't take your dues and contribute it to the Clinton's who created NAFTA?
Oh and also, if the unions are "international" how come they aren't trying to organize labor is Southeast Asia and Central America? Remember, a hostile government is no excuse for not organizing labor there. They had a hostile government during the fight for worker's rights here in the US during the late 1800's and early 1900's.