The United Steelworkers (USW) announced Tuesday that it sent a letter to every member of Congress urging that they oppose pending free trade agreements (FTAs) with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.
USW President Leo W. Gerard wrote, "International trade and the consequences of accelerated globalization are matters of long-standing and deep concern to the USW, as an overwhelming portion of our members work in import-sensitive manufacturing sectors and all too often have lost their jobs due to bad trade deals and unfair and predatory trade practices." In the letter, Gerard said that trade deals during the past decade have caused the US to lose six million manufacturing jobs and 55,000 plants. He also added that "multinational companies easily setup operations overseas and export back to the US market."
Regarding the US-Korea FTA, Gerard said that it will "accelerate the offshoring and outsourcing of auto parts production, jeopardizing not only the jobs of the 350,000 Steelworkers that make products that can be used in the auto supply chain, but those of other workers across the country."
Criticizing the Colombia FTA, the USW said it "puts in jeopardy America's moral leadership by sacrificing the lives and livelihoods, the worker and human rights of the Colombian people at the altar of free trade."