No Vote Until NAFTA is FixedFor a quarter century, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has failed workers. CEOs continue to shutter factories in the U.S. while pursuing low wages and lax environmental standards as they set up shop in Mexico. For those U.S. workers who hang on to their jobs, there is still downward pressure on wages and benefits from this lopsided playing field. In Mexico, workers struggle to make gains. Right now, at the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, a U.S. worker makes around $24 an hour. In Mexico, Goodyear pays workers less than $2 an hour. The company recently made a $500 million investment in a brand new facility in Mexico. They also announced layoffs in the U.S. This broken system isn’t designed to benefit workers here or in Mexico. It’s designed to maximize corporate profits. Our union has been working with our allies in Mexico and Canada for years to bring attention to the problems. We have an opportunity to get it right as NAFTA is renegotiated. There’s been progress, but not enough. We need swift and certain enforcement of labor provisions. Mexican workers must be able to freely bargain for a better future, and not be subjected to threats and violence when attempting to form an independent union. We also need to fix problems in the proposed deal, like the monopoly rights for pharmaceutical corporations that will keep drug prices sky high. This week and next, workers across America are taking action by sending their U.S. Representatives a simple message: No Vote Until NAFTA is Fixed! |
| Rapid Response Coordinators & Teams: Please pick a day during the next week and a half to urge your local’s members to call. Making a call only takes a minute, but remains one of the most effective ways to persuade lawmakers! |
