February 2024
FIGHTING FOR FAIR TRADE, BETTER WAGES, AND A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR WORKERS As the economic recovery continues, working people are showing their strength, calling on our elected leaders to build a fair economy that benefits everyone. And many are responding, as we see renewed efforts to secure fair trade, better wages, and lower costs for families. In this issue of In Union, we’ll dive deeper into these important issues and examine what is being done to safeguard our economic future and ensure our hard work pays off.
“Millions of good-paying manufacturing jobs have been outsourced to countries like China. President Biden and Senator Casey are working hard to change that. We must bring these jobs back to America to help our economy and ensure we can make things in this country again.”
—Don Furko President, USW Local 1557 Pittsburgh, PA
FAIR TRADE. HIGHER WAGES. REDUCING COSTS. WORKING PEOPLE ARE HOLDING OUR LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE. A Path to Fair Trade Free trade policies in the U.S. have consistently benefited global corporations at the expense of working people. Workers need fair trade policies that will protect American jobs and crack down on foreign countries like China that manipulate trade rules.
U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) has fiercely advocated for fair trade protections to combat anticompetitive behavior by China. He joined with colleagues of both parties in the Senate to introduce the “Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act.” The legislation, which had significant bipartisan support, would have strengthened the Commerce Department’s authority to conduct investigations and enforce our trade agreements.
[The Bradford Era, 6/9/2023]
Better Jobs and Higher Wages In the last few years, President Biden has worked with leaders like Senator Casey to pass landmark legislation—including the American Rescue Plan, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. These laws are driving an economic agenda that puts working people first by investing in our communities, creating millions of jobs, and helping to grow the middle class.
These historic investments in and strengthen supply chains in Schuylkill County and Powe Pennsylvania as a leader in thi
“We have an opportunity to ta future, our environmental fut need to prioritize our workers should respond to the econom
Reducing Costs Senator Bob Casey worked with elected leaders and the Biden Administration to pass legislation that will ease the burden on working families and help with costs like health care, prescription drugs, and energy costs.
The Inflation Reduction Act reduces costs by allowing M companies, requiring drug companies to pay an “inflatio capping the price of insulin at $35 per month and out-of beneficiaries, and providing tax credits and rebates on e
[CNBC, 8/10/2023; Kiplinger.com, 9/18/2023; Kaise Reports, 8/12/2022; Green
STANDING UP FOR PENNSYLVANIA’S WORKERS President Biden’s focus on “buy American” rules and domestic manufacturing investments are helping to strengthen our supply chain and ensure American workers are globally competitive.
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Pennsylvania continue to create good-paying jobs s, with semiconductor producers like EMD Electronics erex in Youngwood expanding capacity and solidifying is critical industry. [The Keystone, 8/9/2023; TribLive, 4/21/2023]
ake control of our future, our economic future, our energy ture, and our national security future. But we as a nation s to do that,” said Senator Casey, speaking on how the U.S. mic threats posed by China. [90.5 WESA, 6/30/2023]
Medicare to negotiate the best deal possible with drug on rebate” if they raise prices more than the rate of inflation, f-pocket drug costs at $2,000 per year for Medicare energy-efficient appliances and home energy systems.
er Family Foundation, 1/24/2023; Axios, 8/11/2022; Consumer n Business Network, 2/16/2023; energy.gov, updated 3/2023]
Biden’s policies have created thousands of Pennsylvania manufacturing jobs in places like Allentown, where private companies have invested over $500 million and factory construction has increased over 100%.
“Instead of exporting jobs—it used to be: find the cheapest market in the world, send the job overseas, and bring the product back. Not on my watch. Right here, we’re doing—we’re creating jobs in America, and we’re exporting American products.” —President Biden [PBS News Hour, 7/28/2021; CNN, 7/26/2023; UPI, 1/12/2024]
U.S. Senator Bob Casey has been a steadfast ally of working Pennsylvanians, championing investments in manufacturing and leading efforts to protect workers’ jobs and rights.
Casey introduces AI bills aimed at protecting workers from potential employer abuses “Today, algorithms and automated decision systems have vast implications for employment decisions, worker rights, and safety in the workplace,” Casey wrote. “Without oversight and safeguards, these ‘robot bosses’ increase the risks of discrimination, unfair disciplinary actions, and dangerous working conditions.” [Pennsylvania Capital-Star, 7/21/2023]
Contact Senator Bob Casey and thank him for standing up for hardworking Pennsylvanians. Call his office at (202) 224-6324 or visit casey.senate.gov/ contact/share to send an email.
Visit www.inunionusa.com to see how Pennsylvania’s members of Congress voted on important legislation that impacts working people.
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In Union is a project supported by a group of unions. We’ll provide you with research on issues that affect working people’s lives, examine the records of elected officials on those issues, and give you ways to hold your elected representatives accountable. In Union is not affiliated with, does not take contributions from, and does not make contributions to any candidates or political parties. For more information, please visit www.inunionusa.com.
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