Organized Labor Activists Takes Aim at China Trade Deal
LOU WATERS, CNN ANCHOR: In the nation's capital today, organized labor activists are taking aim at a trade deal that would open U.S. markets to China. They say the deal would cost hundreds of thousands of American jobs. And despite pressure from the White House, Congress has not signed off on normalizing trade relations with China. CNN's Kathleen Koch with the story now from Capitol Hill -- Kathleen.</s>KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, the scene is quiet here now, protesting Teamsters union members have moved on to join an AFL- CIO rally on the west front of the Capitol. Now there is no official count, but organizers say as many as 11,000 labor union members from across the country have come to Washington today to express their opposition to granting China permanent normal trade relations. Now labor protesters insist that China uses child and slave labor very often to make some of those low-cost goods that flood U.S. store shelves. So it needs more, not less, supervision of its human rights practices.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We believe that there should be annual review of China's trade status with America and not a permanent review. We believe that we need to maintain our leverage with China and, as really the only remaining superpower in the world, we need to remain the moral guide and protect workers in this country, but workers throughout the world.</s>KOCH: The White House points out that, under this trade deal, U.S. goods would finally have free and unfettered access to China's markets, and that that would go a long way toward reducing the $68 billion trade imbalance that the U.S. currently has with China, that it would provide jobs in the United States. Now the first vote on normalizing trade relations with China comes the week of May 22 here on Capitol Hill. It is expected to easily pass the Senate, but is in deep trouble in the House of Representatives. So the protesting labor union members, once they wrap up rallies here on the Hill, plan to fan out and lobby congressmen and congresswomen all across Capitol Hill to support their cause and continue the strict tough supervision of China and its human rights practices. Back to you, Lou.</s>WATERS: All right, Kathleen Koch on a windy day for protests in the nation's capital. Search CNN.com CNNSI.com CNNmoney.com The Web