UPDATE: UAW Won't Support Colombia Trade Pact For Big-3 Aid

[struggle4progress]

Source: Dow Jones Newswires

The chief lobbyist for the United Auto Workers said Tuesday that the union would strongly oppose any political deal involving the passage of a free-trade agreement with Colombia in exchange for government aid to U.S. auto makers.

Alan Reuther made the comments amid reports Tuesday in the Washington Post and the New York Times that President George W. Bush has indicated he would support aid to the auto industry if Democrats dropped their opposition to a pending Colombia free-trade agreement. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino emphatically denied those reports Tuesday, telling reporters "there was no linkage" between aid to auto makers and the free-trade pact expressed by Bush at a meeting Monday with President-elect Barack Obama ...

"Colombia had the worst record in terms of murdering trade unionists, and the violence has been continuing," Reuther said. "We don't think we should be doing free-trade deals with countries that are murdering people because they're engaged in union activity."

Reuther said union officials haven't been approached by members of Congress or the administration about such a political arrangement ...

Read more: http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200811111153DOWJONESDJONLINE000413_FORTUNE5.htm

[ingac70]

1. Good for the UAW...

No amount of money is worth that sell out of this nation, and no amount is worth doing business with a government so scummy as Colombia's!

[geomon666]

2. Good for the UAW. n/t

[FreakinDJ]

3. Bush holding the economy hostage

[Demeter]

6. Bush Thinks He's a Wheeler-Dealer

Guess he's given up the Signing Statement Legislature Bypass.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

12. Only for two more months, just wait the asswipe out,

[ryanmuegge]

4. I'm sure the Democrats will cave on this one. Hopefully I'm proven wrong.

[saigon68]

15. And Joementum Limpmann will lead the charge

He will sell us out on this too

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

5. This is a good trade deal for the US

ending the Columbian tariffs on US agricultural exports will could wipe out of trade deficit with Columbia overnight.

[dipsydoodle]

8. Oh yes - wonderful

Flood Columbia with subsidised US farm produce and screw Columbia's farmers completely. Take out the subsidies first and compete on level ground.

[gizmo1979]

13. Columbia has killed union

organizers in that country it is un-doable if you respect human rights.If all you care about is money well then go right ahead.

[Arctic Dave]

7. I'm glad the UAW told Bush to go fuck himself.

Until Colombia can guarantee the safety of union activist they can fuck off too.

[bread_and_roses]

14. Exactly! And another R from me for the UAW! (n/t)

[acmavm]

9. Wow, ethics. That's something you hardly see in America anymore.

[shaniqua6392]

10. We can not let them crush what little is left of our unions.

No more trade agreements until we fix the ones we have. They are killing America. They are taking our jobs and our money. Without organized labor, we will all be making $8.00 an hour if we are lucky. Enough!!

[OhioChick]

11. K&R

:kick: