Labor, Environmental, Consumer Groups Unite to Demand Rejection of TPP and Other Corporate Trade Deals

A major gathering of labor, environmental, healthcare, consumer and other advocacy groups will rally in Washington November 17 to demand Congress reject the fatally flawed Trans-Pacific Partnership pact whether it is revived in any form in either the lame duck session or the next administration.

The November 17 events, which will include Congressional lobbying as well as a Capitol Hill rally, is expected to be the first big post-election gathering of multiple activist groups that participants say is a reminder of the grassroots mobilizations that will be ever more critical in the coming years.

More than 60 national organizations have endorsed the day of action, which will also include lobby visits or other actions in Chicago, several California cities, and other locales.

“After a national election in which the three leading candidates all campaigned against the TPP, it is critical that Washington understands the widespread public opposition to not only the TPP but any trade deals that put corporate wealth ahead of jobs, and health, safety, and environmental protections,” said Jean Ross, RN, co-president of National Nurses United, a leading organizer of the actions.

What: Rally, lobbying against the TPP
When: Thursday, November 17
Time: Lobby Visits, 9 a.m. to 12 noon | Rally, 1 p.m., Upper Senate Park
Where: U.S. Capitol, Washington DC

Sen. Bernie Sanders is one of the invited speakers at the rally.

If ratified by Congress, say the endorsers, the TPP will increase the power of multinational corporations to overturn rules and laws that protect workers and the public, undermine environmental and food safety laws, hurt access to medicines, and outsource many more jobs. 

Even if the TPP is not introduced in the lame duck Congress, it could still be considered in the next Congress, along with other corporate-oriented global trade deals, such as the Transactlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) pact.

Further, as a result of a pro-corporate global trade deal vote last spring, Congress continues to have fast track authority to approve such treaties without amendments for another two years.

Endorsing partners of the November 17 rally and lobby day include:

Labor – AFL-CIO, National Nurses United (the lead organizer of the actions), Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), Communication Workers (CWA), SEIU, United Steel Workers, AFSCME, United Auto Workers, American Federation of Teachers, Teamsters, American Postal Workers Union, UniteHere, Firefighters, and United Electrical workers (UE).

Environmental/Community – 350.org, Sierra Club, Our Revolution, Public Citizen, People’s Action, United Students Against Sweatshops, Alliance for Retired Americans, Friends of the Earth, Reclaim Chicago, South Dakota Farmers Union, Working Families, Vocal NY, and many others.

 Learn more about the day’s events at http://www.stoptppaction.org/