This was from a few days ago in Congress Daily (it’s a subscription only publication):

The fallout from a decision by Rep. Kendrick Meek, D-Fla., to take his

name off of a union-backed trade bill continues to roil his 2010 Senate

bid.

Meek on Oct. 15 signed on as a co-sponsor to legislation sponsored by Rep.

Michael Michaud, D-Maine, to prevent trade agreements from reaching the

floor unless certain labor, environment, food and product safety and other

standards are included.

It would require renegotiation of several existing pacts to bring them

into line with the new standards. Those are the agreements establishing the

U.S. entry into the World Trade Organization; the North American Free Trade

Agreement, the Central America Free Trade Agreement, and the U.S.-Jordan

trade accord.

On Oct. 21, he withdrew his support from the bill, sparking a

conflagration his office is still trying to put out. Meek had a conference

call the following day with around 40 Florida labor officials to thank them

for their support; instead, the labor officials erupted with anger over his

move, according to people on the call.

 

   And…

Frank Ortis, president of the Florida Machinists, said "all of our jobs

are going south" because of trade pacts, and that a once million-strong

union is down to 372,000 members.

"I love [Meek]; I’ve known him a long time, him and his mother," said

Ortis, referring to former Rep. Carrie Meek, D-Fla. "I’d like to help him

out, but I can’t convince [the national union] to release the purse strings

unless he gets better on trade." Added Ortis, who is also mayor of Pembroke

Pines, Fla.: "I understand his position; he’s in a bind. But the union and

all working Americans are in a bind as well."

   It is a good development when the labor movement actually demands some standards from politicians, expects those politicians to keep their word and holds the politicians accountable when they stray. In my view, labor should have adopted that practice going back to the passage of NAFTA–which might have made a difference on the winding road of bad trade deals that followed.