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With 3.2 million U.S. manufacturing jobs lost, issues facing industry should be discussed in tonight’s debate
More than 91,000 manufacturing jobs lost in South Carolina
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 15, 2007) – With 3.2 million manufacturing jobs lost across the U.S. since 2000 – more than 91,000 of those in South Carolina – AAM is urging Republican presidential candidates to address the serious issues facing American manufacturers and workers in tonight’s televised debate in Columbia, S.C.
When the Democratic presidential candidates gathered for a debate in South Carolina on April 26, the word “manufacturing” was not mentioned once, despite the state’s significant loss of manufacturing jobs. On May 2, at the Republican candidate debate in California, where more than 376,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost, the challenges facing manufacturing were mentioned briefly by only two candidates.
The manufacturing job losses are the result of many factors, including unfair international trade practices, health care and retirement costs, energy costs and the manipulation of currency rates.
“Every American has a stake in manufacturing. We depend on manufacturing for innovation, national security, jobs and enormous contributions to our economy,” said Horace Cooper, deputy director of AAM. “Americans deserve to hear a vigorous discussion about the very real challenges that threaten American manufacturing, challenges that are chipping away at the foundation of the American economy and the livelihood of countless American families.”
- Manufacturing is the largest single contributor to the U.S. economy – $1.4 trillion (12 percent) annually.
- As a share of gross state product, manufacturing is the largest sector in 10 states (including South Carolina) and in the Midwest region as a whole. It is the second largest in nine states and third largest in 21 others.
- Manufacturing directly employs 14 million Americans and supports 8 million more jobs in other sectors.
- Every 100 manufacturing jobs create as many as 700 new jobs in other job sectors.
- Manufacturing is responsible for nearly two-thirds of the private sector research and development in the U.S., and nearly 80 percent of all new patents filed originate in the manufacturing sector.
“The reality is American manufacturers create the very type of economic development and jobs that we know are vital to our country’s success in the future,” Cooper said. “We hope the candidates for president – Democratic and Republican – will articulate their positions on manufacturing and issues like international trade, health care and retirement security.”
Click here for a PDF of this release: 05.15.07 Talk About Manufacturing
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The Alliance for American Manufacturing is a unique non-partisan, non-profit partnership forged to strengthen manufacturing in the U.S. AAM brings together a select group of America’s leading manufacturers and the United Steelworkers to promote creative policy solutions on priorities such as international trade, energy security, health care, retirement security, currency manipulation, and other issues of mutual concern. For more information: www.americanmanufacturing.org.
