Many a jaw dropped at the UAW’s support for the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. The UAW seeks fair trade and a more equitable global economy that raises the standard of living for workers who have created enormous wealth around the world. The union has a proud history of advocating for fair trade and believes that worker and consumer protections must come first.

The Obama administration is negotiating with Japan and 10 other nations on a Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement. Japan’s inclusion could weaken U.S. labor rights, and harm domestic manufacturing and the American middle class. We must raise our voices now for a trade deal that is fair to American workers, manufacturers and consumers.

Japanese auto companies here routinely deny workers the right to freely choose union representation. These threats start with indoctrination at the time of hire, including implying that the plant will close, will not get new products or new investments if workers chose a union.

Pro-union workers are threatened and harassed. A recent report by Mississippi NAACP President Derrick Johnson and professor Lance Compa, an international labor law scholar, demonstrates that in Canton, Miss., Nissan is not living up to international labor standards. Compa concludes that “Nissan is systematically interfering with the internationally recognized right to form a union.”

The International Labor Organization prohibits companies from imposing pressure, instilling fear and making threats that undermine workers’ right to freedom of association.

Jeff Moore, a Nissan body shop quality technician hired in 2001, said the anti-union intimidation began early. “In the first meetings, managers told us that Nissan is totally nonunion and didn’t want any part of unions, that unions make plants close,” said Moore. “Everything they said about unions was negative, nothing positive. It’s like they were drilling it into our heads, stay away from the union.”

Workers are forced to watch films, hear speeches and attend orchestrated one-on-one meetings with supervisors, all warning of dire consequences that come with union representation.

This must stop.

Nissan and other Japanese automakers must abide by international treaties and must respect workers rights to organize. If these companies do not change their practices now, what incentive will they have after their position is enhanced by the TPP?

Japan must also become a fair trading partner. While Japan doesn’t impose tariffs on U.S. cars, it uses an array of underhanded practices including currency manipulation, regulatory schemes and anti-consumer policies to guarantee that Japan’s auto companies have an absolute monopoly on local markets. Japan’s auto market is the most insular in the developed world. Hyundai-Kia — which is gaining small vehicle market share around the world — spent nearly a decade trying to sell cars in Japan and eventually gave up in frustration.

With more than half the cars sold in the U.S. produced by foreign automakers, our market is open, encouraging competition. But Japan does not play by the same rules.

Japan exports 130 vehicles to the U.S. for every one American vehicle exported there.

The TPP could worsen this problem, potentially phasing out tariffs on Japanese automobiles, parts and light trucks. Removing tariffs would be equivalent to a $1 billion tax break for Japanese automakers, costing at least 100,000 American jobs.

If Japan does not meet these goals, trade with Japan will indeed be free, but it won’t be fair.


Bob King is president of the United Auto Workers.