“Today U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk delivered an important address ushering in a new era in trade policy that renews our nation’s commitment to enforcing the rules and fighting for the interests of working people.   His speech calls for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to create jobs and opportunities for America’s industrial workers, farmers and businesses.   Enforcing the rules is an essential ingredient to ensuring that our trade policies actually work to create jobs, opportunity and economic growth. When America stands up, our trading partners open up.  That’s the way it should be.

“As North America’s largest industrial union, the United Steelworkers (USW) have had to bear too much of the burden of foreign unfair, predatory and protectionist trade practices.   Other nations have closed their markets to our products while they have enjoyed virtually unfettered access to the U.S. market.  The result:  shuttered factories, shattered dreams and skyrocketing trade deficits that sap our economic strength ... more