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Throughout history, labor movements have been protagonists in democratic struggles. Tens of thousands of marchers at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom held signs declaring union support [...]

The article presents the discussion on wage-setting mechanism in the U.S. labor market. Topics include bargaining the power of workers while concentrating the political power and wealth of large corporations and the wealthy; rewarding a short-term business model characterized by high turnover and overreliance on government safety net programs; and paying a living wage and benefits for sharing the profits and productivity gains.

EFFECTIVE PROTEST EFFORTS RANGE FROM COMIC BOOKS TO BOYCOTTS. There is nothing inevitable about the current direction of globalization. Yes, corporations have used their tremendous power to shape many of [...]

'There needs to be recognition that $700 billion trade deficits are unsustainable and cannot be a foundation for going forward.'--Thea Lee, [...]

US trade and globalization policy has hurt the middle class by eroding living standards and undermining their long-term security and safety. These policies have put the interests of multinational corporations above those of domestic companies and workers.

Presents an excerpt from a testimony by Thea M. Lee, chief international economist with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, regarding the success of the North American Free Trade Association. Purpose of the agreement; Effect on the jobs in the U.S.; Increase in the number of people in poverty in Mexico when NAFTA was implemented.

Presents the perspectives of economists on the successes and failures of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Disadvantages of the NAFTA according to Thea M. Lee, chief international economist at the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations; Assessment of Daniel T. Griswold, associate director of the Center for Trade Policy Studies at the CATO Institute, on the benefits brought by the NAFTA; Way by which NAFTA create barriers to trade, according to Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a Reginald Jones Senior Fellow at the Institute of International Economics.

The author of the article offers commentary on the 2008 U.S. financial crisis, and the proposed legislation to bail out Wall Street corporate interests, criticizing how the interests of U.S. working families are being ignored in the crisis. The author offers a list of guidelines for the U.S. government concerning the interests of working families, including helping homeowners stay in their homes, rebuilding the U.S. economy with unemployment benefits, and the creation of jobs.

The article presents policy issues to be addressed before America can properly operate in a sustainable globalized economy. Making exports exempt from taxes will provide an incentive for companies to invest in American labor; the current corporate tax system subsidizes moving American jobs to foreign countries. The dollar, according to the article, is overvalued, which favors retailers over workers. The need for trade rules to be written with worker interests in mind is also discussed.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Does Third World Growth Hurt First World Prosperity?" by Paul Krugman from the July-August 1994 issue.