Oppose the Unfair “Trans-Pacific Partnership” Trade Deal
Legislative Committee
Greater Seattle Area Local
WHEREAS, Trade deals like NAFTA have gutted the U.S. of manufacturing jobs, created a permanent weakness in our economy, and contributed to the decline of decent jobs, and
WHEREAS, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is poised to become the largest trade agreement ever; and
WHEREAS, the TPP is part of the overall corporate and Wall Street agenda to make the world safe for corporate investments and profits by reducing labor costs and undercutting workers’ rights; dismantling labor, environmental, health and financial laws and regulations that could negatively impact profits; and setting up a process to resolve any disputes by going through special international tribunals rather than our own court system;
WHEREAS, the TPP considers public banks, including postal banks, to have unfair advantages and therefore violates free trade;
WHEREAS, the TPP negotiations have been conducted in secret among the participating nations, including the United States, while excluding the majority of Congress, public interests groups, virtually all businesses and the press from any access to the negotiating texts, so that the TPP would become law without most Americans ever knowing what is in it; and
WHEREAS, 600 corporate advisers, including Verizon and Wal-Mart have been given total access to the TPP negotiations which have been characterized as “NAFTA on Steroids”;
WHEREAS, proponents of the TPP want undemocratic “Fast Track” authority for it, which would prevent Congress from amending or changing any of it, and force Congress to vote up or down on the entire package, after a very short debate; therefore be it
Resolved, that the APWU join with labor and other allies in exposing the truth about the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, and actively opposing Fast Track authority for this or any other trade agreement.