Hoffa Presses Democrats on (free) Trade Votes

Associated Press

Teamsters President James P. Hoffa is threatening to withhold his union's financial and grass-roots support from congressional Democrats who back free trade agreements this week with Chile and Singapore.

"You are either with us or against us," Hoffa said Tuesday on Capitol Hill. "You are either with the American worker or against the American worker. These agreements leave no room in the middle."

The agreements, which will be voted on Wednesday in the House, would add Chile and Singapore to a select group of nations that have free trade arrangements with the United States. Canada, Mexico, Israel and Jordan already have such agreements. ---

Both agreements are expected to pass the House and Senate with far less opposition than the bitter battle that erupted over the pact with Mexico a decade ago.

The Teamsters and many other unions are vitriolically opposed to trade deals, which have eviscerated their membership. About 3 million U.S. jobs have been lost between 1994 - when the North American Free Trade Agreement was implemented - and 2000, according to the Economic Policy Institute, a liberal, labor- supported think tank. ---

Ride Don’t Drive It’s Global Cool

However, he's right on this issue. Democrats need to stop pandering to the free-traders.

Are you part of that circular ________ squad?
http://www.teamster.org/comm/newsletters/1000.htm#01



(snip)
Gore Lieberman in 2000

Teamsters Union Rallies Members to Support Ticket

Ending months of suspense, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters pledged its support for the Democratic ticket of Vice President Al Gore for President and Senator Joe Lieberman for Vice President.

"Our 1.5 million members demand that the occupant of the White House put the interests of working families first," said Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa. "In both word and deed, Al Gore has shown he will be responsive to our membership and to all American workers."
(snip)

Btw Have you seen his dad? I heard he took off an left the car at home. :kick:

I think he has met with Bush before hes definely one of Bush's few union really supporters.

:mad:

NAFTA is what is going to make the USA a big bannana republic.

NAFTA is what is going to make the USA a big bannana republic.

President, John Sweeney, than from a Bush suck-up.

What else do you want them to do? If you really want NAFTA gone, vote for Gephardt or Kucinich, the only candidates that have made repealing NAFTA part of their campaign.

Repukes use it very effectively, and we should too. You're either with us or against us.

Free trade hurts American jobs. Globalism is just a way to siphon money out of the American economy to cheaper labor countries and make the corporate fat cats richer. Cheap goods don't put food on your table when you don't have a job.

"Unions - The people that brought you weekends"

Sonia

globalism, NAFTA, et al. Am I mistaken?

And after you meet, go to hell together!

This is exactly what I predicted a few weeks ago with my Dean thread. Since the DLC decided to promote two of their people, Dean and Kerry, the issue of the last 20 years - corporate power - is being swept under the rug for some nice-sounding anti-war speeches.

Unless we get rid of the influence of these DLC-ers, Democrats will lose forever. Maybe that's what the DLC's corporate sponsors want?

Every last one of them. They supported Republicans and usually do. I don't notice them complaining about Republicans who sponsor this kind of legislation.

If Democrast are gong to continually screw them by signing corporate trade agreements like NAFTA, why would they support Democrats?

I'm sure they have no illusions about the GOP - just like corporations, they do what's best for them.

I support NAFTA, and so do many Democrats. Democrats generally support labor issues, Republicans generally oppose labor issues, and in fact go out of their way to bash and hurt labor, as demonstrated by recent fundraising activities by Congresssional Republican leaders. There are many very liberal Democrats who will not vote on every issue with labor, particularly free-trade issues. That simply means that Democrats do in their view what is in the country's best interests, not one particular set of constituents. The Teamsters were pro-Republican and anti-Democratic long before NAFTA was ever a national issue.

Is he asking the same questions of his new party. He sold out the Democrats in 2000 and 2002 and now wants to say he's a Democrat. Fuck Him

After all Nixon did pardon his dad and it was a democrat RFK who went after his dad.

Kiss my union ass, Mr. Hoffa.

You have zero credibility.

"free" trade policies that cost Americans their jobs?

Plenty of others things for me to be iffy on Dean too. I do call myself ABB but I dont see Dean's full appeal yes I know he was anti war, has a pretty good idea on health care, and his civil unions legislation and support but on other things he's flat out not for a liberal.

http://www.teamster.org/03news/nr_030722_2.htm
but they are giving both sides a hard time who support this. Hoffa definely isnt the kinda union man I would like to be with but hes not a total bushbot it seems. I prefer John Sweeney to Hoffa of course,

Democrats MUST be the party of the poor and middle class. These free trade agreements do not help America or Americans nor unions.

They are sending our resources right out of the country. They are diverting resources to folks who are the least likely to stay in America: the wealthy who have the money to pick up and leave the country at any point.

"fair" trade agreements are a decent comprimise until we can get our footing back, IMHO.