Related Articles

Bushs Pick for "Manufacturing Czar" Withdraws

March 15, 2004

Tony Raimondo, President Bushs pick for "Manufacturing Czar" withdrew his name from consideration on March 11 after a cyclone of controversy over the selection. Bush announced several months ago that he would create the new position after Democratic Presidential candidates accused him of being asleep at the wheel while U.S. manufacturing and services are being "outsourced" to China, India and other nations.

Raimondo, it turns out, was one of the manufacturers who put U.S. workers on the street and opened up shop in China.

An on-line report from the Center for American Progress, www.progressreport.org, outlines Raimondos anti-worker resume:

• In 2002, Raimondo, CEO of Behlen Manufacturing Inc., a Nebraska metal buildings producer, laid off 75 U.S. workers. Four months later he announced that Behlen would build a $3 million, 180 worker plant in northwest Beijing, China.
  
• Raimondo is hostile to unions. He instigated a successful union de-certification campaign at Behlens facilities.
  
• During Raimondos tenure, Behlen has been fined $123,000 by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for safety violations that resulted in injury to a plant worker.

Raimondo, a major contributor to the Bush Presidential campaign, is also on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). NAM has led the effort to strip 8 million workers of federal overtime pay protections, to oppose an increase in the minimum wage and to weaken workplace safety legislation.

President Bush was already under criticism, prior to the Raimondo controversy, for taking so long to fill the new position. Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said: "On Labor Day, more than six months ago, President Bush came to my district to announce the creation of a manufacturing czar. The President took so long to name anyone to that post, we thought the job had been outsourced."

Taking It To The Streets... Jan-Feb 2004 Journal

Labor Protests Set for Miami Trade Talks...
November 13, 2003

Republican Party Reported to Use India Call Center to Raise Funds...
September 5, 2003

Trade Imbalance Likely to Worsen With New Agreements

Stop FTAAIts the Wrong Choice... AFL-CIO

President Hill's Message... September 2003

U.S., Central American Labor Leaders Include Workers Rights in Trade Pact... January 2003

Bush Wants to Expand NAFTA... April 2001