The trade policies of the United States are undermining the interests of working men and women. Trade negotiations known as “Fast Track” or Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) are bad for democracy and bad for American workers and their families. Fast-tracked trade deals weaken our communities, erode our cities and towns, and hurt our state. That’s why the AFL-CIO strongly opposes President Obama’s call to renew his ability to negotiate international trade deals in secret, leaving Congress with a single up-or-down vote on the deal.
The President has already said he would use his “Fast Track” powers to enact the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), another global trade deal that doesn’t help American workers regain jobs lost to foreign competitors or close our trade deficit. How many more American workers must be laid off before we sign trade deals that benefit us as much as them?
The AFL-CIO is sponsoring a National “Fast Track” Lobby Day on March 4 for us to meet with members of our Congressional delegation and explain the many reasons we oppose “Fast Track.” Read President Wowkanech’s op-ed in The Record of Bergen County by CLICKING HERE.