Putting Aside His Past Criticisms, Teamsters’ Chief Is on Mission to China

[Omaha Steve]

Source: New York Times

Putting Aside His Past Criticisms, Teamsters’ Chief Is on Mission to China

By DAVID BARBOZA
Published: May 19, 2007

SHANGHAI, May 18 — Three years ago, the head of the Teamsters union, James P. Hoffa, derided China as xenophobic. He said that China did not believe in free trade and that the United States was losing jobs because China was unwilling to buy American goods.

But on Friday, with the United States trade deficit with China continuing to balloon, Mr. Hoffa arrived here to visit American-owned factories in China, meet with Chinese union leaders and even dine with top Communist Party officials.


Eugene Hoshiko/Associated Press

James P. Hoffa plans to meet with labor and party officials in China.

“We felt it was time to get our head out of the sand and engage this enormous country,” Mr. Hoffa said at a news conference.

The arrival of Mr. Hoffa, a dramatic gesture for the Teamsters, is a sign that some of America’s biggest labor unions are willing to meet with Chinese officials as they try to deal with the consequences of globalization and the shift of more manufacturing jobs to this part of the world.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/19/business/worldbusiness/19hoffa.html

[xchrom]

1. promote unions -- it's one weapon against the

worst that ''free trade'' throws at us.

it's called being proactive.

[pinto]

2. Understandable move. China's *not* going to go away, perhaps

engagement and dialogue may help the unions' members more than the stubborn hope some have to somehow turn back the clock. It'll be interesting to see what, if anything, comes of this opening gambit.

[kurth]

3. "Melamine is delicious!"

declared Mr. Hoffa.

[ohio2007]

4. "Workers of the world unite" may come back to haunt China

hopefully, grassroots organizing will get the sweat shoppers eyes open to how badly they are being exploited by the govt controlled economy and undervalued currency that keeps their purchasing power locked into a 3rd world lifestyle.


Changing China from within.
This is a story worth tracking over the next year or two.