Tag: American jobs

Getting Americans Back to Work and Good Jobs

Center for American Progress logoHouse Democrats recently unveiled the Moving Forward Act, a bill that would invest $1.5 trillion to modernize America’s physical infrastructure.1 The legislation would get millions of Americans back to work and ensure that communities can make long-overdue improvements to highways and rail and transit systems. In addition, it goes even further to support economic recovery by investing in health care, airports, clean energy, broadband, education, and drinking water infrastructure. As the country emerges from the global pandemic, such a major infrastructure investment will be critical to the nation’s economic recovery.2

Moreover, the proposed package takes several positive steps to ensure that its investments support high-quality jobs. In order for any infrastructure package to create widely shared economic benefits, Congress must also ensure that all companies benefiting from infrastructure spending create good jobs that are accessible to Americans of all walks of life. At a minimum, the government should require all private sector employers receiving federal infrastructure spending to:

  1. Pay decent wages and provide quality benefits.
  2. Prevent discrimination and comply with equal pay protections.
  3. Expand access to apprenticeship and targeted hire programs.
  4. Respect workers’ rights to join a union.
  5. Comply with existing workplace laws.
  6. Adhere to “Buy America” rules that create jobs in the United States. Continue reading.

Trump’s ‘America first’ strategy for NAFTA talks won’t benefit US worker

The following article by Robert A. Blecker, Professor of Economics, American University, was posted on the Conversation website July 27, 2017, and updated August 15, 2017:

A technician repairs computer monitors at Amcor Service Solutions, a part of Tecma Group, which operates 18 maquiladoras for 33 companies in the Mexican northern border city of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. AP Photo/Raymundo Ruiz

The Trump administration is plowing ahead with plans to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico, with talks beginning Aug. 16.

Having made restoring the United States’ manufacturing might a cornerstone of his “America first” nationalism, Trump seems to think that obtaining what he believes would be a better “deal” with our two closest neighbors will accomplish that goal.

Unfortunately, renegotiating NAFTA – especially as planned by Trump’s trade team – is unlikely to bring significant benefits to U.S. workers. Continue reading “Trump’s ‘America first’ strategy for NAFTA talks won’t benefit US worker”