[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                                 NAFTA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
February 11, 1994, and June 10, 1994, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Lipinski] is recognized during morning business for 5 minutes.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, last year, when I cast my vote against the 
North American free-trade Agreement, I did so knowing full well the 
devastating impact such an agreement would have on U.S. jobs and 
workers. Now, 9 months after its implementation, simplistic reports 
touting NAFTA's so-called benefits have started to permeate the media. 
While the administration may have you believe all's right with NAFTA, 
there are some disturbing trends which NAFTA supporters have 
conveniently ignored.
  Since NAFTA went into effect, imports from Mexico have been 
increasing at a rate faster than United States imports. This is an 
important fact because in order to create jobs, U.S. exports must be 
expanding faster than imports. This is not happening.
  To date, over 8,000 American workers have lost their jobs because of 
NAFTA.
  Moreover, NAFTA's Trade Adjustment Assistance Program--the program 
designed to help these individuals--has been riddled with problems. 
Outreach on the program has been inadequate and eligibility for 
benefits, strictly limited. This program has not made up for NAFTA's 
adverse effect on workers.
  Another disturbing development concerns labor abuses in Mexico. The 
Teamsters and the United Electrical Workers have filed unfair labor 
practice complaints against Honeywell and General Electric companies in 
Mexico. United States human rights groups filed similar complaints 
against the Sony Corp. in Mexico.
  At a September 12 National Administrative Office [NAO] hearing in 
Washington, workers testified of being threatened, intimidated, and 
ultimately fired because of their efforts to organize unions. One young 
woman testified that she was fired after refusing to give Honeywell 
officials names of other workers who supported the union organizing 
drive. She also spoke of poor worker protection against toxic chemicals 
at the plant.
  Unfortunately, the NAO has no real authority to rectify these 
abuses--another indication that NAFTA's labor side agreement is 
woefully inadequate.
  And, to add insult to injury, the NAO demonstrated a blatant 
disregard for Mexican workers by refusing to hold the hearing in 
Mexico--a concern expressed by unions and many Members of Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, this is exactly the kind of scenario I feared. Behind 
all the perceived benefits of NAFTA, there lies some very real 
problems--problems that do not necessarily make front page news.
  Unfortunately, in passing NAFTA, a number of my colleagues failed to 
see NAFTA for what it really was--a continuation of policies that have 
undermined the hard-won benefits of our Nation's labor movement.

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