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Turning the Tide on Trade
A Briefing by the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign on "The TRADE Act" and Opportunities for Change
Tuesday, June 24 * 7:00 pm
AFSCME Council 75 Building
6025 E. Burnside * Portland, OR
NAFTA and the WTO have been a disaster for working people in Oregon and around the globe -- but the coming year offers amazing opportunities to not only stop the expansion of these corporate trade deals, but to actually begin fixing the problems they have created.
Just this month, landmark new Fair Trade legislation has been introduced in Congress. It would go a long way towards ensuring that trade policy actually benefits working people and strengthens the economy, as well as protecting consumers, the environment, public health and small farmers, both at home and abroad.
The TRADE Act was introduced with over 50 original cosponsors, and more are signing on every day. It is supported nationally by a wide range of progressive organizations including the AFL-CIO, Change to Win, Sierra Club, National Farmers Union, United Methodists, Public Citizen, United Steelworkers, Machinists, Teamsters, Communication Workers of America, UNITE HERE, Friends of the Earth, National Family Farm Coalition, Citizens Trade Campaign and many others.
Come learn more about this crucially-important new legislation; how we can support it here in Oregon; and ways we can move forward together to win real change on trade in 2009 and beyond.
For more info, contact the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign at (503) 736-9777 or
orftc@citizenstrade.org.
What People Are Saying about the TRADE Act:
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney:
"This bill ... outlines a new U.S. trade strategy -- one that puts a priority on the interests of working class Americans, farmers, the environment, and domestic manufacturers, not just multinational corporations. The AFL-CIO is proud to support the TRADE Act. It is past time to restructure U.S. trade policy to work for working families -- here at home and around the world."
Sierra Club Trade Program Director Margrete Strand Rangnes:
"This Act has the potential to set straight the history of NAFTA and the WTO to encourage truly sustainable development that promises to benefit the majority of the world's people ... while protecting our resources for future generations."
Teamsters General President James Hoffa:
"At long last, we can see an end to 14 years of disastrous trade deals. The TRADE Act would make sure that the benefits of trade go to workers as well as the richest few. It sets new rules for global trade that create good jobs and improve working conditions everywhere. The TRADE Act lays out the foundation of how a trade agreement should be negotiated, and what it can and cannot include. Finally, we can have fair trade that workers everywhere deserve.”
CWA President Larry Cohen:
"The TRADE Act restores Congress's constitutional right of oversight in trade policy. The Bush Administration has trampled on that right. The landmark legislation ... will ensure that no matter who occupies the Oval Office, Congress will have a meaningful say in trade policy."
Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder:
“Trade agreements should support, rather than undermine, environmental protection. The TRADE Act encourages responsible behavior, providing a blueprint for a far better and more balanced way to conduct international trade.”
UNITE HERE General President Bruce Raynor:
“This bill breaks new ground on the enforcement of labor rights, environmental protection, food and product safety, procurement, safeguards against surges of imports, trade remedies against unfair trade practices and the ability for countries to regulate foreign investment."
National Family Farm Coalition President Ben Burkett:
“We applaud the introduction of the TRADE Act. The legislation is clear that fair trade begins with farmers being able to earn fair prices reflecting cost of production, fair treatment of farm labor, and limitations against unfair dumping practices. It allows for all countries who are part of a trade agreement to establish strategic food and energy reserves, an important policy instrument that must be reinstated to address the growing global food crisis."
Public Citizen Global Trade Watch Director Lori Wallach:
"The TRADE Act is exciting because it describes concretely new trade and globalization policies that many Americans would support and shifts the debate toward future consensus about what we are for, rather than focusing on opposition to the current model. Corporate interests have hijacked past trade pacts to get special protections -- patent extensions that jack up drug prices, subsidies for offshoring production and more. The TRADE Act tips the scales back in balance with a trade agenda that also suits workers, the environment and everyday consumers."
United Steelworkers Legislative Director Holly Hart:
“The USW strongly encourages you to cosponsor this groundbreaking legislation. We must take action now to shape the future debate on trade.”
International Association of Machinists Statement:
"The TRADE Act represents a fresh new start to replacing the failed trade model that continues to destroy jobs, lives and communities."
Americans for Democratic Action Statement:
"The time has come for the United States to take a new step forward on global trade so that everyone benefits. Americans for Democratic Action wholeheartedly supports the TRADE Act as the approach to move us in the right direction."
Citizens Trade Campaign National Director Andrew Gussert:
“This Act is a balanced way to expand trade, offering us all a fair way forward. It means trade agreements will better serve a majority of people on issues such as jobs, the environment, human rights and public health, giving us all a model we can support.”