Opposing view: TPP failed workers and deserved to die

The Trans-Pacific Partnership died because it ultimately failed America’s working families. Instead of addressing the economic devastation wreaked by wrong-headed trade deals, the TPP doubled down on a failed, corporatedriven ideology.

We lost 2 million jobs to bad trade rules with TPP nations in 2015 alone. This agreement would have delivered an even bigger blow. Outsourcing deals like it drive down wages for 70% of America’s workers.

That’s why a powerful, bipartisan coalition of working people successfully rallied to stop it — and why the administration has no business reviving it. If it wanted to uproot and fundamentally renegotiate the TPP, we’d be willing to listen. But the prospect of reviving the current deal is a non-starter.

President Trump ran against the TPP throughout his campaign and formally withdrew from the agreement last year, rightly finishing what working people started. His action kept a central promise to millions of hardworking Americans from all communities, industries and political persuasions who had hoped for a new set of economic rules.

Withdrawing from the TPP was only the first step toward making that hope a reality. Providing real economic security for working people starts with incorporating strong labor protections into our trade agreements that will be swiftly and robustly enforced. We won’t secure a fair and just global economy until we ensure that all working people earn fair wages, enjoy safe workplaces, and have a voice on the job.

Fortunately, President Trump backtracked from his ill-advised trial balloon and still has the opportunity to fulfill his long-standing promise to fix trade policy and level the economic playing field. That requires a fundamental new direction for our trade deals that lifts up the workers who built this country. This is a moment for bold action. We urge the president to keep his promise and stand ready to work with him to secure a brighter economic future for working people.

Richard Trumka is president of the AFL-CIO.