Bacon's Rebellion

Steelworkers Snub Moran Over CAFTA

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by

James A. Bacon
in

My apologies if this item has appeared in the newspaper already, but I picked it up from a United Steel Workers press release this evening and thought it was worth passing along:

Several unions, led by a United Steelworkers delegation, demonstrated their deep displeasure with Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives who voted for the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), by walking out of the Virginia AFL-CIO convention over the weekend when Rep. Jim Moran was introduced.

Moran, one of 15 Democrats who voted for CAFTA last month, had been invited to address the convention. The Steelworkers were joined in their action by delegates from the Communications Workers and United Autoworkers unions. The unions claim that CAFTA would lead to the loss of 100,000 U.S. jobs.

“I think it would be a real mistake for Rep. Moran to believe that we are not going to hold him accountable here in Virginia,” said Alton Glass, President of USW Local 8888, whose membership of nearly 8,000 workers is the largest in the Commonwealth. “He has a responsibility to his district and all Virginians. Instead he let us all down by voting for a lousy trade deal that will cost us even more jobs.”

Very few of the USW’s members, however, reside in Moran’s Northern Virginia district, I’d wager. But many IT companies and service companies in Moran’s district benefit from the toppling of trade barriers. I suspect that Moran understands his constituency very well. Knowing the Congressman’s feisty temperament, I would be surprised if the snub did anything more than tick him off.

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  1. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    Since one of the major purposes of CAFTA was to undercut Castro and Chavez’s efforts to radicalize the region (and it will do them more harm than a year 700 Club reruns) I’m not surprised some on the left remain deeply incensed.

  2. Unabashed moderate Avatar
    Unabashed moderate

    Moran also has an economics degree, so he may know something about comparative advantage. He’s always been a pro-free trade guy. To some of us it’s not a political issue at ll, just a good-for-the-USA issue. (A Dem congressman in a union district once told me over beers that it was agony for him to back protectionist measures his local union constituency wanted because he knew it was economically harmful.)

  3. Ben Kyber Avatar
    Ben Kyber

    It doesn’t take an economics degree to know something about comparative advantage…

    All “comparative advantage” accounts for is the efficiency of producing goods. It can be both more efficient for the US to obtain Guatamalan-made goods and, at the same time, detramental to the US economy. Comparative advantage doesn’t account for factors like increased unemployment, which would in turn provide the average American with less disposible income to buy the foreign goods.

    The question is, as always in economics, will the benefits outweigh the costs. Its hard to tell.

    From a non-economic standpoint, CAFTA could open the door for American companies to relocate to Central America and exploit the workers there by paying them unfare wages.

    CAFTA would be a lot more attractive if it provided for some type of wage control. That way American companies couldn’t just abandon operations in the US and flock to Central America knowing they can pay people next to nothing.

  4. Steve Haner Avatar
    Steve Haner

    Blue in the Commonwealth, thanks for reminding me why at the end of the day I’m a free-trade Republican (which if you know your history is a bit of a reveral from last century.) Wage controls? If we did that, your’re right, the manufacturing jobs wouldn’t flow there, and they wouldn’t earn any hard currency with which to buy those things we still make or do. They would stay poor, ripe for revolution or beating down the fences in Arizona to get in. I’d just as soon they did the work back home — they are going to do it either way. (But I guess here they can vote or join a union some day.) This was a smart move for our kids and grandkids, just as NAFTA was when Bill Clinton signed it (praise be unto him for this at least.) We are approaching the 100th anniversary of Smoot-Hawley and damn if some of you don’t want to do it all again. Did you ENJOY the Great Depression and World War II?

    The proper response is for the labor movement to go as global as big business. Quit your bitching and get down there. Go to the CAFTA countries and try to get them better wages and working conditions and environmental controls. Bring things into balance at that end of the scale. Once the underlying wealth is there, it will come.

  5. Steve Haner Avatar
    Steve Haner

    Wait a minute. We R’s lost the White House in 1932 and didn’t get the Congress back for good until the 1980s and 1990s — maybe some of you DID enjoy the Great Depression and WW II!

  6. Ben Kyber Avatar
    Ben Kyber

    Yeah, FDR had nothing to do with dealing with the depression…

    I agree with you, labor organization in Latin America would certainly help, but its a hostile enviroment for labor. The wealth and power in Central America likes to pay people next to nothing. That way they can keep more profits for themselves. It would be a big hurdle to overcome…I’m not saying its impossible.

  7. NoVA Scout Avatar
    NoVA Scout

    Although I live in the 11th, I have long been fascinated about the 8th’s penchant for returning Jim Moran to Congress. Clearly this is a guy with issues that Representatives of the People should not have. having said that, there is a core integrity to his positions on trade. He consistently votes for the right outcome on trade issues. That can’t be easy for a Democrat. It’s bloody well getting difficult even for conservatives. So I give him his due on that point, a very important point for the overall welfare of the Nation.

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