Contacts: Gary Hubbard, 202-256-8125, ghubbard@usw.org
Wayne Ranick, 412-562-2444, wranick@usw.org
(Pittsburgh) -- United Steelworkers (USW) International President Leo W. Gerard issued the following statement today:
“The Make It In America agenda focuses on the most critical economic issues facing our country today: Expanding production while creating and retaining jobs in America. Since it was announced, the agenda has helped provide hope to the millions of manufacturing workers, their families and communities.
“The Make It In America agenda addresses many of the pressing issues facing the manufacturing sector such as ensuring that our nation’s budget priorities fuel innovation, production and job creation. It will make sure that we can expand exports and respond to the predatory practices of our trading partners. It would also reauthorize the ‘America Competes Act,’ first signed into law by President Bush, to improve our nation’s competitiveness.
“Unfortunately, the many common-sense, job-creating bills comprising the Make It In America agenda are being blocked by the Republicans. Millions of manufacturing jobs have been lost and more than 60,000 facilities have been shuttered, but Congressional Republicans continue to focus on ideological initiatives and renaming post offices. It’s time they went to work putting America back to work.
“The USW supports Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-5th-MD) in announcing the Make It In America agenda, which if enacted, will help create and maintain good family supportive jobs in a vibrant manufacturing economy right here at home."
The USW represents 850,000 workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors.
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