[CTC] Machinists Union Sends Letter to 14 Congressmen who urged Pelosi to vote on NAFTA

Mon Sep 9 09:45:54 PDT 2019

Contact:
Tyrone Richardson, IAM
301-481-7461 <tel:301-481-7461>
trichardson at iamaw.org <mailto:trichardson at iamaw.org>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Machinists Union Sends Letter to 14 Congressmen who urged Pelosi to vote on NAFTA

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2019 – IAM International President Robert Martinez Jr., today submitted a letter  <https://www.goiam.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Letter-to-14-Dems-who-urged-Pelosi-to-vote-on-NAFTA-2-09052019tcsnltrc.pdf> 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 <https://www.goiam.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/2019-07-26-USMCA-Letter.pdf> 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 <https://medium.com/@MachinistsUnion/its-time-to-put-working-people-ahead-of-corporate-profits-c99a06998101> urging lawmakers to focus on policies that place workers ahead of corporations, which includes the proposed NAFTA 2.0 trade deal.

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) represents 600,000 active and retired members in the North American aerospace, defense, airline, manufacturing, transportation, woodworking, the federal sector and other industries. Machinists Union members work at Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, General Electric, United Airlines, Harley-Davidson and more. VisitgoIAM.org <https://www.goiam.org/> for more information.

Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826

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