New NAFTA Must Be Trilateral, Address Freight Rail Staffing Concerns

[ABFwife]

(WASHINGTON) – The following is a joint statement from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa and Teamsters Canada President François Laporte in response to ongoing North American Trade Agreement (NAFTA) reform discussions taking place in Washington now between U.S. and Canadian trade representatives and the need for a trilateral agreement.

“The Teamsters are encouraged to see U.S. and Canadian representatives sitting down this week and trying to reach agreement on essential outstanding issues as part of NAFTA 2.0. Canada’s inclusion in any revamped trade deal is necessary if the Teamsters are ultimately going to endorse this pact.

“Likewise, all North American nations must be included in a freight rail fix the Teamsters and our Mexican rail union brethren are demanding that would protect the jobs of some 143,000 freight rail workers in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. It builds off an agreement reached by the continent’s railway unions two decades ago in the spirit of solidarity – that no movement of employees across borders would occur absent explicit agreement with the unions permitting it.

https://teamster.org/news/2018/09/ne...ffing-concerns

[ABFwife]

NAFTA Consensus Needed on Labor, Dairy, Dispute Settlement Issues

(WASHINGTON) – The following is a joint statement from Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa and Teamsters Canada President François Laporte in response to outstanding issues that U.S. and Canadian trade representatives must hash out to ensure that a new North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is a deal that works for workers.

“As negotiators eye the finish line for replacing NAFTA, it is time for parties on both sides to reach consensus on the remaining issues that are holding up completion of the pact. We reiterate that this must be a trilateral agreement to enjoy the support of the Teamsters. Any compromises, however, must put the needs of workers across the continent first instead of just further lining the pockets of big business.

“To start, labor rights provisions included in the Labor Chapter must protect workers and their ability to organize with independent unions, and must be enforceable. North American families deserve the dignity that fair wages and working conditions bring.

https://teamster.org/news/2018/09/na...tlement-issues