Union Boss Blasts Mexican Truck Decision

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jN8XV68I7vs9jAwkJsFaahOrplVQ

Union Boss Blasts Mexican Truck Decision

By JOHN PORRETTO – 2 days ago

HOUSTON (AP) — President Bush has "sucker punched" American workers and threatened national security by opening the nation's southern border to Mexican truckers, Teamsters President James Hoffa said Saturday.

Speaking to the union's annual women's conference, Hoffa said the Bush administration's new pilot program, which took effect Thursday, shows a lack of concern for homeland security.

"Oh, George Bush is so worried about national security," said Hoffa, adding that his biggest problem with the program is not knowing enough about the truckers and what they are hauling.

"And they're going to be coming across that border driving all over Canada and the United States. That's his vision of America, that's not our vision," Hoffa told about 1,000 women and guests in a downtown hotel ballroom.

The U.S. Transportation Department granted permission Thursday to Transportes Olympic, based in a suburb of Monterrey, Mexico, to haul cargo anywhere in the United States as part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. In turn, Mexico granted authority to Stagecoach Cartage & Distribution Inc. of El Paso to travel anywhere in Mexico.

Government lawyers said the program is a necessary part of the North American Free Trade Agreement and that trucks enrolled in the program would meet U.S. regulations.

FULL story at link.