Rally, March Storm Downtown DC to Protest Secret Trade Deal

More than a thousand activists marched through the streets of Washington, DC, on April 20, demanding that legislators, ‘Don’t Trade Our Future,’ and stop the “fast tracking” of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). 

The National People’s Action, Campaign for America’s Future, Alliance for a Just Society and USAction organized the event, which the DC Labor Chorus kicked off, getting the crowd into a fighting spirit. 

AFL-CIO members, including the American Federation of Government Employees, Amalgamated Transit Union, Communication Workers of America and the American Postal Workers Union followed a TPP ‘Trojan Horse’ in a march from AFL-CIO headquarters to the Chamber of Commerce, and then to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, where a brief rally was held. The horse symbolized the hidden, negative impact of the trade deal. 

Chants of “Fast Track, Fat Chance!” and “Beat Back the Fast Track!” floated through the spring air.  Rally speakers included Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre, CWA President Larry Cohen, commentator Jim Hightower and APWU President Mark Dimondstein.  

“What kind of fast track is it? It’s a fast track to Wall Street,” Dimondstein said. “We want our fast track: A fast track to living-wage jobs and a fast track to public services for the public

good.” 

Speakers warned of the dangers of the TPP, which has been negotiated behind closed doors, amid heavy influence by Wall Street and corporate lobbyists. 

A vote is expected sometime this week to ”fast track” this legislation –  which would prevent legislators from amending the biggest trade deal since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Proponents of NAFTA claimed it would create 200,000 jobs in 1995 alone, but instead, 700,000 U.S. jobs were lost to Mexico.

The negotiations are purportedly aimed at increasing international trade and investments by lowering tariffs and other trade barriers among participating countries. But not much of the TPP actually addresses trade issues. 

TPP regulations would trump the laws of participating countries. That means, for example, that the TPP could erode our food safety standards by allowing foreign governments to initiate proceedings against the U.S. government if our food safety regulations limit the expansive rights investors are given under the agreement.

Please contact your Senate or House representative and tell them to vote “no” on fast tracking the TPP by calling 202-224-3121.