International Brotherhood of Teamsters

HOFFA LEADS TEAMSTER RALLY AGAINST PNTR FOR CHINA
April 6, 2000

More than 5,000 Teamsters Gather at U.S. Capitol

(Washington, DC) - International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa today led more than 5,000 rank and file members in a major political rally opposing Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status for Communist China.

"We are putting Congress on notice that the Teamsters Union is 100 percent opposed to China PNTR," said Hoffa. "We will do whatever it takes to protect American workers and win this fight."

At the rally, Hoffa and the Teamsters were joined by Harry Wu, a Chinese dissident, Rep. David Bonior (D-MI), Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA) and Reform Party presidential candidate Pat Buchanan.

The Teamsters oppose PNTR for Communist China for several reasons, including:

    · The United States will give up valuable negotiating leverage with China;
    · PNTR gives tacit approval of China’s atrocious record on human rights;
    · American jobs will be lost as companies move production to China for labor costs of roughly 13 cents per hour.
    · The Chinese government has not honored any of the trade agreements that it has negotiated with the Clinton administration.

"We all know the score," Hoffa continued. "If this trade deal with China passes, big business will continue the race to the bottom. We will not be satisfied with the promises of job protection - promises of human rights protections - and promises of labor protections. We heard these promises during the NAFTA fight and we see them for what they are - lies. I call on Congress to give us guarantess, give us enforcement mechanisms, give us recourse and let us keep our jobs."

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million working men and women througout the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.