- More than 525,094 U.S. workers have been certified as
of December 31, 2002 under one special NAFTA unemployment program, NAFTA
Transitional Adjustment Assistance (NAFTA TAA). These workers represent
only a fraction of the total U.S. jobs lost due to NAFTA. The NAFTA TAA
program provides job training and income support to workers who meet very
narrow criteria. Only workers who know about and choose to apply for the
program are even considered, and only certain types of workers in certain
types of companies can qualify.
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- Also, only workers who produce a product (rather than
a service) that was directly affected by NAFTA can qualify. The program's
narrow criteria exclude a significant amount of NAFTA job loss. For example,
workers at an auto assembly plant that relocated to Mexico would be good
candidates for NAFTA TAA. But, the plants' parts manufacturers and suppliers,
as well as stores and restaurants in the community, would not be eligible
for the program. The entire service sector is exempt from the program.
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- The program only includes workers who have petitioned
the Labor Department. The NAFTA TAA program has certified 62% of the petitions
it has received. Of course, many workers are not aware that the program
exists since there is no mandatory posting of information about the program
required for local unemployment offices. Also, many workers laid off under
NAFTA may apply instead for generic Trade Adjustment Assistance which provides
the same benefits with easier administrative requirements. Some unions
advise members not to apply for NAFTA TAA for this reason.
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- In a historic reversal, the U.S. has developed a trade
deficit with Mexico since NAFTA. The $1.7 billion U.S. trade surplus with
Mexico in 1993 has been transformed into an annual trade deficit of $25.0
billion in 2000. The U.S. trade deficit with Canada has increased from
$10.8 to $44.9 billion over the same period.
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- For a more thorough assessment of NAFTA job loss, please
see the Economic Policy Institute's <http://www.epinet.org/briefingpapers/nafta01/index.html>NAFTA
AT SEVEN: ITS IMPACT ON WORKERS IN ALL THREE NATIONS.
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- While NAFTA TAA represents only the tip of the iceberg
of NAFTA job loss, it does provide a useful sampling of some of the U.S.
workers laid off because of NAFTA. While this job loss is a matter of public
record, NAFTA proponents can not provide documentation for more than a
few thousand NAFTA job gains.
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- For more information, please check the Department of
Labor site for information on <http://wdsc.doleta.gov/trade_act/petitions.asp>submitting
a petition. Also search by state for your <http://wdr.doleta.gov/contacts/dislocated/>local
DoL office.
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- http://www.citizen.org/trade/forms/search_taa.cfm
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