Labor and Enviros Together Against Bush, Oh My!

Some of us have been trying for decades to bring labor and environmentalists together, but it seems like President Bush has found the secret -- piss them both off. Here is a column by UAW President Ron Gettelfinger and Sierra Club President Carl Pope that argues that the administration's new fuel efficiency standards will be bad for jobs and the environment.

United States manufacturing is already in deep crisis, with employment having declined every month since President Bush took office — a total of 2.8 million lost manufacturing jobs. The Bush administration should not aggravate the problem with changes in fuel economy standards that could jeopardize the jobs of thousands of workers in the auto industry. Even some automakers have expressed concern about these new standards, preferring the existing rules to uncertain new requirements.

The Sierra Club and the United Auto Workers do not always agree on automobile policy. We do agree, however, that the Bush administration's proposal would destroy American jobs, reduce fuel economy and increase global warming emissions — and add to the burdens of an already struggling auto industry.