Pennsylvania AFL-CIO Reacts to USMCA Agreement

HARRISBURG, Pa., Dec. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- For years bad trade deals have shattered lives of working men and women.  The North American Free Trade Agreement destroyed good, family-sustaining jobs in across Pennsylvania and the country.  Workers and unions have spent decades pushing toward fair-trade deals; and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) moves us one step closer.  

Today, on behalf of 700,000 union members in our Commonwealth, the officers of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Rick Bloomingdale and Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder made the following statements:

"Labor unions will continue to strive toward a pro-worker trade deal that places the needs of workers over the demands of corporate greed.  Workers' economic rights must be treated with respect and dignity, which is why we demanded enforceable labor standards for workers in Canada, Mexico and America," said President Rick Bloomingdale. 

He continued, "The USMCA trade deal shows that workers must have a seat at the table to make progress.  Working men and women made their voices heard and reshaped the USMCA.  We fought special carve outs for Big Pharma. We made it harder for corporations and governments to turn a blind eye to labor violations.  This trade deal is a significant first step forward."

Secretary-Treasurer Frank Snyder added, "I came directly out of the manufacturing sector, and have witnessed first-hand, the devastation bad trade deals have had on communities all across the land.  We are not opposed to fair trade, but we are vehemently opposed to deals that reward companies that abandon America and American workers by offshoring their jobs. Workers and their unions strengthened enforceable labor standards for all workers. While we've made progress toward a better deal for all workers, the fight must continue."  

SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO