In two op-eds this week, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka called upon Donald Trump to embrace policies that will help working people, not roll back the hard-fought gains that so many have sacrificed to achieve. In The Hill, Trumka said:
Much has been made of President Trump’s sweeping comments and random tweets. But now that he’s been officially sworn in, the consequences for American workers are much more tangible.
Donald Trump will soon decide whether or not to repeal a number of pro-worker regulations that make a real difference in the lives of working people.
Regulations make sure our food is inspected and stop Wall Street firms from bleeding our retirement funds. They help us stay safe on the job and to prevent airplanes from falling apart in the sky.
The push for removing regulations has always come from those in the millionaire and billionaire class, who want to line their pockets at the expense of everyday Americans. They prefer rules that maximize their wealth—a trickle-down approach that has failed our nation time and time again.
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In USA Today, Trumka said:
On Monday, the United States withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. President Trump may have signed the TPP’s death certificate, but it was working people and our progressive allies who killed this unfair agreement. For years, we have mobilized and organized in opposition to the TPP, winning the debate in Congress and on the campaign trail.
While the 2016 election was full of division, Americans across the political spectrum are united in their desire for trade deals that create jobs and empower people, not corporations. With the TPP now off the table, the next step is to renegotiate the job-killing North American Free Trade Agreement. As always, the devil is in the details.
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