Stand Up, Fight Back

More than a thousand activists from dozens of progressive organizations rallied outside the U.S. Capitol to protest fast track legislation and the negotiated-in-secret Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Braving thunder and a downpour, CWAers and members from 42 allies representing labor, environmental, student, citizen, faith and good government groups chanted, “They say ‘Fast Track!’ We Say ‘Fight Back!’”

Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), Sander Levin (D-Mich.), Mike Michaud (D-Me.), Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), who have been strong supporters of fair trade and workers’ rights, made it clear: trade deals should work for all of us.

Levin cut right to the bottom line: “When fast track was brought up, we said, ‘Look, we don’t agree to fast track anything if we have no idea what the hell is in it.’ We want to make sure there’s complete transparency. Trade is the business of all Americans — not just a selected few. And we’re going to stand up for that.”

Then together, greens, students, workers and others, visited every office of every member of Congress to show that our alliance is united in this fight for fair trade.

“We will march out of here more determined than ever to build this movement across this country and ask this president to join with us for fair trade, 21st century trade,” CWA President Larry Cohen said. “This is a new day. It’s time for a new deal on trade.”