Get to Know Barack Obama: Barack Obama Would Fight for FAIR Trade

Get to Know Barack Obama: Barack Obama Would Fight for FAIR Trade

In His Own Words: "Whatever trade deals we negotiate when I'm President will be good for American workers, and... they'll have strong labor and environmental protections that we'll enforce." - Barack Obama, speaking to the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO on April 2, 2008.

 Barack Obama wants to end tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas. Trade agreements, he says, must include labor and environmental standards that are strictly enforced.

Barack Obama's Trade Agreements Won't Leave Workers Behind

Barack Obama Will End Tax Breaks for Companies That Send Jobs Overseas. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that companies should not be rewarded with billions of dollars in tax deducations for moving their companies overseas. Barack Obama will end tax breaks for such companies. They will pressure the World Trade Organization to get countries to stop continuing unfair government subsidies to foreign exporters and putting nontariff barriers on U.S. exports. They will also fight to ensure that public contracts are awarded to companies that are committed to American workers. (www.BarackObama.com).

Trade Agreements Must Have Labor and Environmental Protections that are Enforced. Senators Obama and Biden will fight for a trade policy that opens up foreign markets to support good American jobs. They will also work with the World Trade Organization to enforce labor and environmental standards in trade agreements. (www.BarackObama.com).

Senator Obama Voted Against the Central America Free Trade Agreement. Senator Obama voted against the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) because it did not contain adequate protections for the environment or for workers, such as the freedom to form unions. CAFTA likely will severely increase poverty and inequality in Central America, while further eroding good jobs and wages here at home. (S. 1307, Vote 170, 6/30/05.)

Senator Obama Believes We Must Renegotiate NAFTA or Opt Out. Senator Obama has pledged to use the threat of opting out of NAFTA as leverage to ensure that NAFTA is amended to included labor and environmental standards that are enforced. He also believes that any trade agreement must have real, tangible benefits for U.S. businesses and workers. (Cleveland Democratic Debate, NBC, 2/26/08.)

Senator Obama Proposes Trade Adjustment Assistance to Retrain Workers. To help workers adapt to a rapidly changing economy, Senator Obama would extend Trade Adjustment Assistance to service industry workers, create education accounts to help workers retrain and provide retraining assistance for vulnerable workers before they lose their jobs. (www.BarackObama.com.)

Senator Obama Believes We Should Reward Companies that Support American Workers. Senator Obama introduced the Patriot Employer Act of 2007 with Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) to reward companies that create good jobs with good benefits for American workers. The legislation would provide a tax credit to companies that maintain or increase the number of full-time workers in America relative to those outside the US; maintain their corporate headquarters in America if it has ever been in America; pay decent wages; prepare workers for retirement; provide health insurance; and support employees who serve in the military. (www.BarackObama.com.)

Senator Barack Obama Will Put an End to Letting Companies Ship Jobs Overseas While Skirting Taxes, and Will Fight for Trade Agreements that Protect Workers.

Visit the Massachusetts AFL-CIO's webpage about Senator Obama by clicking here.

Senator Barack Obama is the Candidate for Working Families.

Vote on November 4th, 2008 for a U.S. President Who Shares Workers' Priorities.

For more information, visit http://www.massaflcio.org/be-informed-barack-obama-issues, or visit http://aflcio.org/issues/politics/obama.cfm