Recall shines harsh spotlight on what 'made in the USA' really means

Looking for the union label has long been second nature to Deb Paulin, a member of the Alden Central School Employees Association since 1986.

Then, as more companies started moving production facilities overseas to cut labor costs, she added Made in America to her "do-buy" list to reward those companies staying in the states.
"I want to support my union brothers and sisters and I want to support American-made companies," said Paulin. "Living in western New York, we've just watched company after company move to Mexico."

But that has only toughened her resolve.

While she drives both in-district and out-of-district bus routes, Paulin became president of her local union more than 10 years ago and has served on NYSUT's Board of Directors since 2002.
She and her husband John, an electrician and member of UAW Local 424 at American Axle and Manufacturing, raised four children in Alden.

Now they have two grandchildren to buy presents for.

"Just like I did for my own kids, I have been searching out what I thought were good American companies like Fisher-Price and Mattel. I thought that not only was I buying toys made in America, I was supporting American workers," Paulin said during a report at NYSUT's annual School-Related Professional leadership conference.

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