New Report Shows TPP is Disastrous for Working People in Oregon and Across the County
National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain react to the International Trade Commission’s report on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and what the report means for working people in Oregon and across the county:
Statement by AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka:
This ITC report is so damaging that any reasonable observer would have to wonder why the Administration or Congress would spend even one more day trying to turn this disastrous proposal into a reality. Even though it's based on unrealistic assumptions, the report could not even produce a positive result for U.S. manufacturing and U.S. workers. One of many shockers is just how meager the purported benefits of the TPP are. A mere .15% of GDP growth over 15 years is laughably small—especially in comparison to what we’re being asked to give up in exchange for locking in a bonanza of rights and privileges for global corporations. Even though the report fails to account for currency manipulation, wage suppression and the negative impacts of uninspected food imports and higher drug costs, the study still projects the TPP will cost manufacturing jobs and exacerbate our trade deficit.
Statement by Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain:
The latest report from the International Trade Commission reinforces the Oregon labor movement’s firm position in opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership: This free trade agreement is going to cost working people in Oregon dearly. We’ve been here before. Since the passage of the North America Free Trade Agreement over 50,000 Oregon workers were certified by the Department of Labor as having lost their jobs due to trade. This new report from the ITC shows we are headed down the exact same road as NAFTA, and that is not something our state and working people can afford to have happen – especially with a dismal .15% of GDP growth over 15 years. As an Oregonian, I encourage our members of Congress to look at this report closely and think about what impact the TPP will have on working people in our state.
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The International Trade Commission’s report on the Trans-Pacific Partnership is available at: https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4607.pdf
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