June 8, 2015
By NYS AFL-CIO President Mario Cilento
Long Island, NY – Rep. Kathleen Rice had gone on record repeatedly to say that she opposes Fast Track. But now, the Congresswoman has decided to flip flop and betray her constituents to side with Speaker John Boehner, and businesses who want to outsource good American jobs.
This is unacceptable and a slap in the face to all those who counted on her to represent them, not corporate interests, in Congress. She is showing a blatant disregard for the needs and concerns of all working men and women.
Fast Track is a bad deal for workers across the country and it needs to be stopped now. Under Fast Track, or Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) Congress would be relegated to being a rubber stamp to any agreement. New York’s trade deficit exceeded $47 billion in 2014. The last thing we can afford is another bad deal that lowers wages and outsources jobs.
The Labor Movement is united in standing up for good jobs, better working conditions and higher wages. We thought Rep. Rice stood with us. Clearly she has now chosen corporate interests over workers and has decided to put American jobs at risk.
Her betrayal will not be forgotten. Sadly, constituents are now left to wonder which Kathleen Rice they voted for – the one who promised to fight for working families in Nassau County – or the one who ignores their needs as soon as she gets inside the beltway.
