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IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr., recently submitted a letter to a group of 14 House Democrats, urging them to halt pressure for a quick ratification vote on the proposed NAFTA 2.0 trade deal between the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
This agreement will not be ready to be considered until its text is changed to reflect our detailed suggestions regarding a number of chapters, including, those concerning labor and rules of origin, Martinez wrote. Without such changes, NAFTA 2.0 will continue to foster the continuing outsourcing of U.S. jobs to Mexico, as companies seek to take advantage of workers who do not enjoy fundamental rights.
Martinez’s letter responds to the members, part of the New Democrat Coalition, recently urging House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to move on the proposed trade pact after the Summer recess, which ends Sept. 9.
The IAM and other unions have said the proposal stops short of some much-needed improvements to labor standards and enforcement provisions to thwart job losses. The IAM has urged the Trump administration to renegotiate the deal before placing it before the House and Senate for a ratification vote.
The Sept. 9 letter also comes days after Martinez authored a Medium.com post urging lawmakers to focus on policies that place workers ahead of corporations, which includes the proposed NAFTA 2.0 trade deal.
