UAW President Stephen P. Yokich has issued a statement (29/11/00) on the negotiations
between the United States and Japan regarding automotive trade:

"The UAW strongly supports the negotiation of a new US-Japan auto trade
agreement that will address the growing trade imbalance in this critical US
industry. We have been disappointed with the lack of results from the 1995 agreement
and we will not be satisfied until US-Japan auto trade is firmly on a path toward
balance.

With a truly open market in Japan and sourcing decisions that are fair to the
US-made products of US-based suppliers, we believe that can be achieved. But
it clearly will not happen without the US government insisting that it happen.
That is why the UAW has fought for the negotiation of a results-oriented agreement
that sets the trade imbalance as the measure of success in effectively opening
markets."

"If a new agreement that meets the UAW’s concerns is not reached, the
UAW will use all available avenues, including US trade laws, to create the fairness
and balance in US-Japan auto trade that has been absent for nearly 20 years.
With the explosion of the US trade deficit in recent years, and the growing
danger it presents to US economic stability, solutions to one of our nation’s
most persistent trade problems must be found. America’s auto workers simply
cannot wait any longer."