We Need Trade Policies That Export Our Values, Not Our Jobs

This week, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs released its annual report on goods and services produced using child and/or forced labor around the world. This year's report includes products from Malaysia, Mexico, Peru and Vietnam – each one a negotiating partner in the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal.

Congress has, repeatedly and in a bipartisan fashion, called on the Obama Administration to address human and labor rights in the ongoing TPP negotiations, but since the negotiations continue to be held in secret there is no indication, outside of generic statements that fail to provide any details or concrete plans, that the U.S. is prepared to back up their rhetorical opposition to child and forced labor with real action.

With the Obama Administration continuing to push for fast-track trade promotion authority, Congress has the opportunity to do what President Obama's negotiators have not – ensure our trade policies export our values instead of our jobs.

"Trade and access to the U.S. market for countries like Vietnam and Malaysia shouldn't be determined by foreign policy. Real enforcement of workers' and human rights should be an enforceable condition of our trade deals, not an afterthought," said CWA Senior Director George Kohl. "That's why unions, environmentalists and consumers are fighting back against TPP and a fast track process that would again ensure environmental and workers protections won't be enforced. Working families and their communities around the world deserve better."