TPP will usher in new era of plant closings, lost jobs

TPP will usher in new era of plant closings, lost jobs

I just received a letter from the White House in response to my letter concerning the Trans Pacific Partnership. There was a long list of items that President Obama says will be good for America – such things as requiring countries to set a minimum wage. Excuse me, but the U.S. can’t and won’t create a decent minimum wage.

He also states that this agreement will protect the freedom to form unions. If I’m not mistaken, don’t Communist countries like Viet Nam and China execute people for trying to form unions? He says that this agreement will work to end child and slave labor. I could go on and on, but I have one question: How come these things are not mandated before anyone signs this agreement? How can our president and Congress be so out of touch? The U.S. can’t trust any of the countries in this agreement to live up to all of the provisions in this pact.

This agreement also states that if countries like Viet Nam, Mexico and China aren’t playing by the rules, then we can hold them accountable. How do we do that? I’m told that we go before a tribunal with our problems. This tribunal contains regulations from all the countries involved in this terrible deal, which means the chips are stacked against us big time.

This agreement does nothing to stop American corporations from packing up and moving to Viet Nam with a slave wage of 28 cents per hour. Will they create a living wage before this deal is finalized? Will they raise their slave wages after this deal is done? The answer is no way, and you will never see a union in 99 percent of these countries.

If the president and Congress think this is a good deal, then U.S. workers better get ready for more plant closings and a surge in lost jobs.

Bud McKelvey, Hermitage, Pa.