This just in from Congressman Walz's office:
COLEMAN, KLOBUCHAR, WALZ APPLAUD TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE BENEFITS FOR LAID OFF TRW WORKERS
After sending a letter to Department of Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, Senators Norm Coleman, Amy Klobuchar and Congressman Tim Walz today applauded the Department for approving Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) benefits to workers being laid off at the TRW facility in Winona, Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, nearly 100 workers were laid off last Friday as a result of TRW shifting jobs from its Body Control Systems unit in Winona, Minnesota to Mexico.
"TAA benefits will serve as a lifeline to TRW workers as they work to get back on their feet, and I appreciate Secretary Chao's quick action on this matter" said Coleman. "I have long been an ardent supporter of the TAA program, and I am hopeful these benefits will help the affected workers and their families during this time of transition."
"When a company decides to pull up and move to a foreign country, the workers and families left behind deserve a helping hand," said Klobuchar. "While the training and other assistance are essential in the short term, what these workers need above all is a strong economy that produces good jobs at good wages. I will continue to fight for opportunities to strengthen our economy and provide Minnesota workers and families with quality jobs."
Congressman Tim Walz, who personally spoke with Department of Labor officials last week regarding the application, said, "Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits are designed to help workers and families whose jobs have been sent out of the country due to no fault of their own. The assistance approved today will be essential to getting families back on their feet, but this no substitute for a good-paying, stable job. There is no doubt that these workers would rather have their jobs back. TRW's layoffs demonstrate the all too real impact of poorly designed trade deals."
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers provides assistance to qualified workers who lose their jobs as a direct result of increased imports or shifts in production out of the United States. Under TAA, workers whose unemployment compensation has ended and who are in approved training may receive Trade Readjustment Allowances (TRA) for a maximum of 130 weeks.Some workers age 50 or older are eligible to receive Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance for Older Workers (ATAA,) a wage supplement in lieu of training and TRA benefits. Under TAA, workers can receive benefits including training opportunities, job search assistance, relocation benefits and income supplements in addition to a Health Coverage Tax Credit.
We have to admit that we agree with labor leader Laura Askelin on this one. She told Workday Minnesota:
But TAA is not a solution, said Laura Askelin, president of the Southeast Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO.
"While that may temporarily help keep families afloat, ask any worker what they would rather have, TAA or their job, and I bet most would choose their job."
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