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Tom Buffenbarger, an independent labor voice, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to talk about recent forced labor issues from China. Buffenbarger also talked about subsidies given to bring large companies to rural areas and the impact Boeing has made in South Carolina.
The recent findings by the U.S. government linking Chinese company Temu to forced labor practices have reignited talks of overseas labor issues. Many companies have yet to move away from the concept of forced labor increasing profit margins, Buffenbarger said. Despite legislation, many loopholes remain for companies to avoid punishment for goods made with forced labor. Until the U.S. can begin following through with punishments, American labor will continue to struggle as production is continuously moved overseas, he added.
Many cities and states use subsidies to lure major corporations to their region in hopes they will bring with them a need for workers. Many of these companies haven’t followed through with their half of the agreements though. The cities and states that try lure big companies to their area have been left struggling, Buffenbarger said. A study by Good Jobs First analyzed the deals that lure businesses to select specific regions. It found that the biggest recipient of these types of subsidies is Boeing.
Boeing received most of these subsidies over the last few years for their plant in South Carolina. Originally expected to bring many jobs to the area, Boeing claimed they needed more quality workers and began bringing in workers from out-of-state, Buffenbarger said. The result has been South Carolina’s education system and workforce is in shambles due to lost tax revenue, and they have a lot of work in front of them to get things right, he said.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.
America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.
America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, American Alliance for Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North America, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Survey and Ballot Systems, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.
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