Activists In Washington protest against TPP
Bernama | 9 Dec 2014
Activists In Washington protest against TPP
SINGAPORE, Dec 9 (Bernama) — An hour of loud chanting and noisemakers ensured that chief negotiators involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks on Tuesday were aware of growing US public opposition to the TPP and the dim prospects that US President Barack Obama will obtain Fast Track trade authority, Public Citizen said.
Hundreds of activists from labour, environmental, consumer, human rights, public health, internet freedom, faith and family farm groups protested outside the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) where negotiators from 12 nations were meeting in Washington, D.C.
"US public opposition is focused on TPP non-trade terms being pushed by US officials on behalf of corporate interests that would raise medicine prices, undermine internet freedom and give foreign firms operating here special privileges relative to their domestic competitors," said director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, Lori Wallach.
"President Obama will not get Fast Track authority for the TPP because congressional Democrats and Republicans alike oppose such ’diplomatic legislating’, and are irate about the actual trade terms such as disciplines against currency manipulation that the administration has refused to raise in TPP talks," Wallach said in a statement.
Teamsters general president Jim Hoffa said: "The voices of millions of working, middle-class Americans cannot be ignored."
He said they are tired of being the casualties of bad trade deals that send good-paying jobs overseas.
"The Teamsters Union will continue to fight against Fast Track authorisation and the Trans-Pacific Partnership - American workers cannot pay the price of another bad trade deal," Hoffa said.
George Kohl, senior director of Communications Workers of America, said: "We believe in trade. We are fighting against old trade policy that literally guarantees corporate profits at the expense of working families in all nations.
"In the weeks ahead, we will mobilise like never before against Fast Track authorising legislation and the TPP, and for 21st century trade that gives workers’ rights, environmental issues and other concerns the same standing as corporate profits."
Sierra Club’s Responsible Trade Programme director Ilana Solomon said: "It’s time for all Americans - environmentalists, parents and workers - to come together and make some noise.
"We can’t let negotiators secretly shape trade pacts behind closed doors that will open up the floodgates for fracking, make environmental safeguards vulnerable to polluter attacks and worsen climate disruption.
"We’re raising our voices to say ’no’ to fast tracking a flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership, and ’yes’ to protecting our families and communities," she said.
Arthur Stamoulis, executive director of Citizens Trade Campaign, stressed that trade negotiators need to wake up to the fact that Fast Track is dead and will not be resurrected.
Stamoulis said voters have had enough of backroom pacts that put corporate profits ahead of human needs, and Congress members increasingly understand that rubber-stamping the TPP would be a fast track out of office.
