The NAFTA Scam

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How could NAFTA have such a
devastating impact on American workers?

In 1993, the year before NAFTA was passed, the U.S. had a $1.7 billion
trade surplus with Mexico. This means that Mexicans were buying more
American goods than Americans were buying from Mexico.

After NAFTA, however, the situation was reversed. American business fled to
Mexico in search of lower wages and lax labor and environmental regulations.
They produced goods in Mexico to sell in the U.S. Our trade surplus with
Mexico became a $16.2 billion dollar trade deficit.

Due to this trade deficit, the U.S. has lost over 250,000 jobs.

When workers lose their jobs because a plant relocates to Mexico, they
usually experience a serious decline in their standard of living, even if
they get new jobs. Workers rehired after losing their jobs in the early
90's suffered an annual pay loss of over $4,400.

Corporations use NAFTA as a bargaining chip to limit union organizing and
keep wages down.

As bad as NAFTA has been for ...

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to $4.3 billion. Also, like the United States, Canadian workers'
pay has not kept up with inflation and wages have been much slower to rise
when compared to gains in worker productivity.

NAFTA has also contributed to undermining Canada's strong social programs,
particularly unemployment insurance and national health care. The Canadian
Manufacturers Association and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce are trying
to cut Canada's social programs while blaming cuts on international
competition. Rather than maintain Canada's "high road" social safety net,
they want to reduce social welfare benefits by forcing Canadian workers to
lower their expectations.

NAFTA's Impact on Mexican ...

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