For too long, debates over international trade have been dominated by corporate elites and economic idealogues, rather than rooted in the experiences of ordinary Americans.
The Trade Stories Project allows people who have been affected by policies and institutions like NAFTA and the WTO to share their views on a matter crucial to the global economy.
This includes displaced workers, farmers, small business owners and immigrants who have been typically excluded from the trade debate.
Larry Durfee
Roseburg, OR
Larry worked at Roseburg Forest Products for 22 years before losing his union-wage job when the mill where he worked shut down due to increased imports under NAFTA.
“There’s no good solid ground to stand on. The community is falling down more and more with the wood industry—and that’s what we pivot around, the wood industry itself, and it’s falling apart. There are a lot of jobs out here at minimum wage. Most people can’t afford those jobs. They’ll lose everything. You just drive through the area and look at the ‘FOR SALE’ signs. It’s terrible…
“I tried to get a number of jobs and I felt it was age discrimination, even though I can’t prove it. At 60 years old, I would be the first one notified that I wasn’t needed in that particular position, and there were 8 or 10 jobs I applied for throughout the month. I finally got this one that pays $8 an hour, and I was grateful to get in.”
Hear part of Larry's story...