U.S., Canadian autoworker unions issue joint NAFTA priorities

摘要

Unifor and United Autoworkers, representing Canadian and U.S. autoworkers, have laid out four priorities the unions say must be addressed in the renegotiation of NAFTA: strengthening labor standards and boosting wages; balanced trade; "real 'made in North America' rules"; and benefits for workers being fairly shared in all three NAFTA countries. The unions also list a slew of other concerns, including the need to eliminate investor-state dispute settlement, stronger environmental standards, rules to address currency manipulation, "better procurement policies" and "tax fairness." The unions also note the absence of Mexican autoworkers backing the July 11 statement: "We would have welcomed the participation of representatives from Mexican free trade unions in the auto sector but there are none that can speak for Mexican workers - and that is at the core of the problem."