AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said unions don’t support the new North American trade pact right now – despite President Donald Trump repeatedly saying that they are in favor it, Politico is reporting.
"Maybe he’s talking about the unions in some other country?” Trumka told Politico.
He laughed at Trump suggesting the unions are backing the deal the administration negotiated with Mexico and Canada to replace NAFTA, according to Politico.
“I don’t have a clue” where Trump gets that from, Trumka said, “because we’re pretty united.”
Politico noted that ratification of the pact is Trump’s key legislative priority this year.
“We still have a lot of work to do and rushing this thing or trying to push it through to a vote will backfire, because if people were forced to vote on the current text, they would have to vote 'no,'" Trumka said.
He noted unions want to be able to support the pact, but the administration needs to give more time for negotiations with House Democrats.
“There are people in the Trump administration that are trying to rush this thing through and I think it’s a terrible, foolish strategy because it will blow up in their face,” Trumka said.
“I think the reasonable people in the Trump administration know it’s more important to get this right than to do it tomorrow.”