The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) announced on Mar. 17 its support for new investigations by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) into global industrial overcapacity and the use of forced labor in international supply chains.
The union said these investigations are important because unfair trade practices and government-backed overproduction overseas have put American workers at a disadvantage. The probes, led by U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, include 60 separate inquiries under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to determine if major trading partners have failed to prevent goods produced with forced labor from entering their markets.
“For decades, unfair trade practices and government-backed overproduction overseas have put American workers at a disadvantage,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “Workers in aerospace, defense, shipbuilding, and manufacturing should never have to compete with systems built on subsidies, weak labor protections, or forced labor.”
The investigations will look at whether countries’ policies or enforcement failures allow forced labor to remain part of global supply chains. Forced labor is defined as work or service extracted from a person under threat of penalty and performed involuntarily. Despite longstanding prohibitions in U.S. law and international standards, an estimated 28 million people globally were trapped in forced labor as of 2021 according to the International Labour Organization—a rise since 2016.
Companies using forced labor can lower costs dramatically, allowing them to sell goods at prices that undercut responsible employers and threaten jobs in the United States. The current investigations target 60 major U.S. trading partners that together account for more than 99% of U.S. imports in 2024. Countries subject to investigation include China, South Korea, Canada, India, Japan, Mexico, Vietnam, members of the European Union, among others.
While some countries have measures against goods made with forced labor, USTR officials say none appear to both adopt and effectively enforce comprehensive bans on such imports. Under Section 301 procedures, the United States will seek consultations with governments involved while also gathering public input; comments are invited by April 15 with hearings starting April 28.
In addition to addressing forced labor issues, USTR is examining global industrial overcapacity—especially in steel and aluminum—where government subsidies have distorted markets worldwide. IAM leaders say confronting these practices is essential for protecting American manufacturing jobs.
The AFL-CIO also praised the action as necessary for protecting workers’ rights globally: “For decades, countries have flooded global industrial markets in an effort to tilt the trade balance in their favor and undermine domestic producers at the expense of union workers and their jobs,” said the federation. “The fact that forced labor continues in global supply chains violates human dignity and labor rights while harming workers and manufacturers who refuse to participate in this exploitation.”
Bryant concluded: “American workers can compete with anyone in the world when the rules are fair. Trade enforcement that protects workers’ rights and stops unfair practices is essential to defending good-paying jobs and rebuilding U.S. manufacturing.”
The IAM Union represents about 600,000 active and retired members across various industries including aerospace, defense, airlines, shipbuilding, rail transit healthcare automotive throughout North America.
