Trade Cases
USW Leaders Comment on NAFTA Issues
Written by Sandy Williams
August 21, 2017
The United States and Canadian leaders of the United Steelworkers released a joint statement on Wednesday advocating NAFTA rules-of-origin, strong labor and environmental rights.
United Steelworkers International President Leo W. Gerard and Canadian National Director Ken Neumann urge strengthening regional rules-of-origin for autos, auto parts and manufactured products, including requirements for melting and pouring steel and aluminum within the NAFTA region. Correction of labor and environmental weaknesses that lead to the exploitation of workers in Mexico is needed, as well as protecting all NAFTA workers from unfair trade practices outside the region, they say.
The USW joint statement follows:
“A significantly strengthened regional ‘rules of origin’ requirement should promote production in the NAFTA region, rather than outsource or otherwise leak production and the benefits of the agreement to China, Vietnam and other exporting countries that exploit workers and don’t play by the same rules. We urge negotiators to pursue proposals that significantly strengthen regional rules of origin requirements.
“The USW also believes that regional rules of origin requirements relating to the production of steel should require steel to be melted and poured in the NAFTA region in order to be considered for tariff preferences. A similar standard should be adopted for other materials such as aluminum in order to ensure the entire process relating to the production of these materials occurs in the NAFTA region.
“Significantly higher regional rules of origin requirements will benefit North American manufacturing workers by discouraging the use of high levels of offshore content, such as auto parts or steel from Asia. But these rules must be implemented in a way that benefits workers in all three NAFTA countries. In Mexico, the United States and Canada, companies exploit weak labor standards to move jobs to jurisdictions where wages are lowest and working conditions are the weakest.
“The best and easiest way to a level playing field for North American workers is not to punish Mexican workers, but to negotiate strong and binding labor and environmental protections with strict timelines that are enforced in all three NAFTA countries.
“The USW has long supported the renegotiation of NAFTA, but negotiators must focus on advancing and protecting the interests of workers in all three NAFTA countries. We will fight to ensure that NAFTA’s rules, including regional rules of origin as well as labor and environmental rights, are strengthened so that workers and their industries across North America are the primary beneficiaries of a renegotiated NAFTA. Our governments must also strengthen NAFTA to protect workers from unfair trade practices outside the region – including currency manipulation – and eliminate disparities within the NAFTA trading bloc that tilt the playing field for corporate interests while exploiting workers and harming the environment in areas with the weakest standards.”
Sandy Williams
Read more from Sandy WilliamsLatest in Trade Cases
Leibowitz: Where is Bidenomics taking us?
I can’t really define “Bidenomics” because it is so filled with contradictions. It seems to aim to increase manufacturing output in the United States. But not all increases are created equal.
AISI: Navigating recent EPA rulemakings impacting steel
With Earth Day almost a month away, the world’s attention often turns to the manufacturing sector with calls for greener production processes.
President Biden hits out at Nippon’s play for USS
President Biden said on Thursday that it’s “vital” for U.S. Steel to remain an American steel company.
Senate bill looks to reimpose Section 232 tariffs on Mexico
US senators have introduced the "Stop Mexico’s Steel Surge Act," which seeks to reimpose 25% Section 232 tariffs on Mexican steel imports.
Leibowitz on trade: Electric vehicles—the Mexican connection
In 2023, Mexico emerged as the largest trading partner with the United States—larger than Canada, and even China. The growth in trade with Mexico has been truly historic—Mexico has never captured the title of the largest exporter to the US. At $475 billion for the year, the value of US imports from Mexico exceeded that […]