April 14, 2008

(Washington, D.C.) –Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Monday said President George Bush is out of touch with American workers when he says a trade deal with Colombia would be good for them.

The Teamsters strongly oppose the agreement.

"George Bush is dead wrong when he says a trade deal with Colombia would be good for American workers," Hoffa said. "That's the same lie that was told about NAFTA, CAFTA and PNTR. American workers know these trade deals are a disaster."

Colombia is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a trade unionist. More than 2,500 have been murdered with impunity there.

"The Colombian government has failed to bring the killers of trade unionists to justice," Hoffa said. "This deal should never have been negotiated in the first place."

"Even if Colombia didn't have a horrible human rights record, this deal would still be bad for workers," Hoffa said. "It would still make it easier for corporations to send jobs overseas, and that's the last thing we need right now.

"The Democratic leadership was right to take control of the trade process to make sure this bad deal doesn't go through," he said.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.