nmentalists and labor and trade unions were the fiercest opponents of NAFTA in the U.S. Environmentalists were concerned that pollution and safety issues would be impossible to enforce in other countries. Labor and trade unions argued that many jobs would be lost as manufacturers sought cheaper labor and real estate in Mexico. While proponents of NAFTA argue that the agreement is not detrimental to U.S. wages and jobs, many Republicans and the majority of Americans believe otherwise five years after the agreement was enacted, “The latest evidence comes from a Dec. 10 Wall Street Journal/NBC News survey, which shows 58 percent of the public agreeing that trade is weakening U.S. wages and employment, and only 32 percent disagreeing…respondents blamed NAFTA for a net loss of U.S. jobs” (Tonelson 1).
Yet, many of the manufacturing and production jobs that are going to Mexico are going there to keep U.S. firms competitive on a global basis. Further, the majority of new jobs in the
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