United Steel Workers Oppose Passage Of Korean Free Trade Agreement

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/Channels/Story.aspx?ID=1324938

By Doug Cunningham

The United Steel Workers union opposes passage of the Korean free trade agreement. The USW says the agreement falls far short of “what is necessary to ensure that U.S. workers and businesses have a fair deal.” The union says important improvements were made in the agreement over the terms agreed to by the Bush administration, but after a careful examination of the terms the steel workers have decided to oppose the trade deal. The union has been deeply involved in discussions and consultations with the Obama administration over this agreement, providing specific proposals to improve it. The USW says auto sector provisions are very important to its members, but auto industry terms in this agreement fall far short of what the union feels is the minimum changes necessary to get USW support. The steel workers say this agreement allows another flood of products shipped from China and other countries through Korea to allow them to benefit from this free trade agreement. At the same time, the union says, it doesn’t sufficiently open the South Korean market to U.S. goods. The USW says the decision to oppose the Korean trade agreement wasn’t easy because the Obama administration has made effective implementation and enforcement of trade laws a priority, helping to advance the interests of USW workers in the steel, tire and green technology sectors.