Washington, D.C., November 5, 2015 – The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) today expressed grave concerns over details of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which were released today by the White House after months of secret negotiations.
“The IAM’s worst fears about TPP materialized early this morning when the U.S. Trade Representative released the TPP text,” said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. “While we are still reviewing this document, on nearly all matters of immediate relevance to American working families and their communities, this agreement fails to deliver. Not only are the labor provisions warmed over language from failed past agreements, but the agreement actually takes a giant step backward, with the inclusion of Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Mexico. Additionally, investors and corporations can still challenge basic worker and environmental protections while rules of origin are weaker than even the ones found in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and there are no provisions to bring currency manipulation under control.”
The IAM will immediately activate its grassroots network of political activists at more than 800 local and district locals across the U.S. to call on legislators to oppose this failed trade deal.
The IAM is among the largest industrial trade unions in North America and represents nearly 600,000 active and retired members in aerospace, transportation, manufacturing, shipbuilding, woodworking and other industries. Visit www.goiam.org for more information about the IAM.
