Building a Movement for People, the Planet and Fair Trade

About 1,000 progressive and grassroots activists, including 75 CWAers, spent last weekend in Washington, D.C., expanding their fight for justice and an economy that puts people and the planet before profits.

CWA President Larry Cohen drives home the threat that "fast tracking" TPP would pose to American jobs.

Below: The Populism 2015 Conference brought together a dynamic group of activists, across ages, races and genders, committed to combating climate change, addressing racial and gender inequality, raising wages and getting big money out of politics.

The Populism 2015 conference, "Building a Movement for People and the Planet," was organized by National People's Action, USAction, Campaign for America's Future and Alliance for a Just Society. It was a dynamic meeting of activists, across ages, races and genders, who are committed to combating climate change, addressing racial and gender inequality, raising wages and getting big money out of politics.

CWA President Larry Cohen talked to activists about the threat of "fast track" authority and the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, and CWAers and others shouted out exactly what they're doing in their communities to get members of Congress to listen to constituents and vote "No" on "fast track." CWA then held a workshop on TPP for conference participants.

In addition to CWAers, activists from the Amalgamated Transit Union and the Postal Workers Union joined the weekend meetings and actions.

On April 20, participants took to the streets to rally against "fast track" and the TPP. They demonstrated outside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, heard from union leaders outside the AFL-CIO, then marched to the office of the U.S. Trade Representative. (See the first story in this newsletter for more details).