CAW continues to fight proposed Canada-Korea free trade deal
Wednesday, September 20th, 2006 - 3:59 pm
CAW (Canadian Autoworkers Union) president Buzz Hargrove released a study yesterday in Ottawa after meeting with International Trade Minister David Emerson to highlight the negative impact of Canada-Korea Free Trade. The CAW, Canada’s largest private sector union, represents workers in many industries. The CAW claims the federal government’s proposed Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA) raises will cost more than 33,000 Canadian manufacturing jobs.
The government has released its own, less comprehensive study claiming losses in the Canadian auto industry would only amount to 35 light-vehicle assembly jobs. The CAW study, which looked at a wider range of industry, posits 4,000 jobs lost in the auto industry.
Canada opened free trade negotiations with Korea in November 2004. Hargrove says there’s no deal in sight. Trade Minister Emerson said, “I wouldn’t call it an impasse. We’re not where we want to be, but these negotiations go on.” The government continues to solicit public comment on a possible FTA with Korea. (Sources: Globe and Mail, page B4; CAW; Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada)
