"Fast Track is the Wrong Track"
The term Fast Track has been in the news a lot lately.
"Fast Track" authority allows the President to negotiate trade deals which Congress can only vote "yea" or "nay," but cannot change. The last time President Clinton had this authority the country got the disastrous North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
Now the President wants Fast Track so he can extend NAFTA to other Latin American and Asian countries.
NAFTA has been a bad deal for the American people. We should not repeat it. The record on NAFTA:
- Eliminated 420,000 American jobs throughout the country.
- Caused 700 American companies in 48 states to request special assistance due to NAFTA-related losses.
- Forced U.S. wages and benefits down because U.S. workers must compete with Mexican workers who only earn a few dollars daily.
- Increased unsafe trucks, unhealthy food and illegal drugs coming into the United States from Mexico.
- Increased pollution along the U.S.-Mexico border.
- Turned a trade surplus into a $16.3 billion trade deficit with Mexico.
- Allowed U.S. employers to use the threat of shutting down and moving jobs to Mexico to keep wages down and unions out.
When the wages and benefits of many workers are depressed, it keeps everyone's wages down — in both the public and private sectors. AFSCME members are being asked to oppose Fast Track for the good of their families, their communities and their fellow workers.
Tell your Representative and Senators that you oppose Fast Track authority. Call toll-free
1 (888) 723-5246 and you will be connected with your elected officials in Washington.
Let's Derail Fast Track.
