Washington, DC: While President Obama visits Asian countries this week to promote the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) urges caution. “We know that opening up Asian markets, particularly along the Asian Rim, as well as establishing a US regional presence via the Asian Pivot, is an important priority for this administration,” said APALA National President and Special Assistant to Executive Director of UDW/AFSCME Local 3930, Johanna Hester. “However, we are distressed about hearing about the lack of focus on workers’ rights in TPP discussions, and very concerned about the unprecedented level of secrecy that negotiations have been conducted in.”
“We’re tired of trade policy that benefits the 1% and hurts working and middle class families,” added Gregory Cendana, Executive Director of APALA. “It’s time that trade policy worked for the average American worker. We want fair trade, not free trade. We want domestic job creation, not more job outsourcing. We’re not going to get that with fast-tracked trade deals that benefit Wall Street.”
APALA is concerned about workers’ rights violations in some Asian countries, as well as protecting workers’ rights in the US. To make sure workers benefit from the TPP, APALA believes the public needs to see what’s proposed. Instead, Congress has been urged to fast-track the biggest global trade deal in world history with language that’s kept secret from the very body authorized to set trade policy – Congress. If TPP is fast-tracked, neither Congress nor the American people will be able to voice concerns or add any pro-worker language.
“Who will benefit from such a secretive deal that was shaped not by Congress, but by 600 corporate lobbyists behind closed doors? Corporate interests designed this deal that will hugely alter and impact domestic and global policies and have very real consequences for us all. These policies will far exceed just trade issues, and will have a very wide range of impact on workers’ daily lives,” said Ryan Mariategue, APALA National Executive Board member.
“We’ve already learned our lesson from 20 years of NAFTA. Trade agreements that put corporate profits over American workers cost the US millions of jobs and our industrial base. NAFTA exacerbated inequality in Mexico and spurred economic migration to the US. As it stands now, the TPP would be NAFTA on steroids--exponentially more dangerous for American and other workers. We weren’t able to protect workers during NAFTA negotiations but we’re not going to let that happen again,” said Sally Kim, APALA Young Leaders Council member and UAW, Global Organizing Institute Project staff.
To protect the interests of American workers, APALA urges Congress to oppose fast-track authority, and allow the public and our Congressional representatives to view current TPP text and have a voice in the process.
“We’re tired of trade policy that benefits the 1% and hurts working and middle class families,” added Gregory Cendana, Executive Director of APALA. “It’s time that trade policy worked for the average American worker. We want fair trade, not free trade. We want domestic job creation, not more job outsourcing. We’re not going to get that with fast-tracked trade deals that benefit Wall Street.”
APALA is concerned about workers’ rights violations in some Asian countries, as well as protecting workers’ rights in the US. To make sure workers benefit from the TPP, APALA believes the public needs to see what’s proposed. Instead, Congress has been urged to fast-track the biggest global trade deal in world history with language that’s kept secret from the very body authorized to set trade policy – Congress. If TPP is fast-tracked, neither Congress nor the American people will be able to voice concerns or add any pro-worker language.
“Who will benefit from such a secretive deal that was shaped not by Congress, but by 600 corporate lobbyists behind closed doors? Corporate interests designed this deal that will hugely alter and impact domestic and global policies and have very real consequences for us all. These policies will far exceed just trade issues, and will have a very wide range of impact on workers’ daily lives,” said Ryan Mariategue, APALA National Executive Board member.
“We’ve already learned our lesson from 20 years of NAFTA. Trade agreements that put corporate profits over American workers cost the US millions of jobs and our industrial base. NAFTA exacerbated inequality in Mexico and spurred economic migration to the US. As it stands now, the TPP would be NAFTA on steroids--exponentially more dangerous for American and other workers. We weren’t able to protect workers during NAFTA negotiations but we’re not going to let that happen again,” said Sally Kim, APALA Young Leaders Council member and UAW, Global Organizing Institute Project staff.
To protect the interests of American workers, APALA urges Congress to oppose fast-track authority, and allow the public and our Congressional representatives to view current TPP text and have a voice in the process.
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