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Fight Against Fast Track Heats Up as House Vote Nears
As a U.S. House vote loomed on “fast track” trade legislation, union mem- bers stepped up their fight for fair trade pacts that take workers’ rights as seriously as they take the demands of multinational corporations.
As the CWA News went to press, it wasn’t clear whether the House would vote on fast track before its August recess. Known as the Crane bill, introduced by Rep. Philip Crane (R-Ill.), it gives President Bush the right to negotiate trade deals with no amendments from Congress.
“In its 52 pages, the Crane bill never mentions labor rights, human rights or the environment,” CWA President Morton Bahr said. “It does, however, cover every concern corporate America may have.”
CWA members are among thousands of labor, human rights and environmental activists who have called and e-mailed lawmakers to ask them to vote against the Crane bill.
“We’ve had a great response,” said Carrie Biggs-Adams, CWA representative for international affairs, who is coordinating CWA's anti-fast track efforts. “We’re optimistic that we had an effect on representatives who are on the fence, but we haven’t defeated it yet. And even if the Crane bill goes down, another nearly identical bill is waiting to take its place."
Fast track and fair trade were key topics at CWA’s 63rd annual convention in Minneapolis. Speakers and delegates demanded that trade pacts include language that protects workers and the environment from companies that think fleeing the United States means they won’t have to meet standards for wages, job safety and pollution control.
“I want to see a world economy and a global economy — and a free trade agreement that works not just for multinationals, but for working people, for human rights, for children, for the environment,” Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone said in a blistering speech that won repeated cheers.
Delegates passed a fair trade resolution pledging a continued fight against the Free Trade Area of the Americas, FTAA. In its present form, the trade pact described as “NAFTA on steroids” extends the North American free trade zone to the entire Western Hemisphere.
The Crane bill and similar legislation would give President Bush the authority to approve FTAA and other trade pacts. Congress would be able to vote yes or no, but couldn’t amend the pacts in any way.
“FTAA is easy to understand,” CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen said. “It is NAFTA times 10. Instead of three countries, it is 34 countries.”
CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling told delegates that trade affects workers’ everyday lives; “we’re not discussing theory or ideology.”
“We’re talking about the real-life impact on working families the world over,” Easterling said. “Since its passage in 1994, NAFTA has caused the loss of more than
1 million jobs in the United States and Canada, and
it has cut the wages of Mexican workers by 25 percent or more. In NAFTA, there has been only one winner: giant multinational corporations.”
CWA members and their families are urged to call or e-mail House members about the Crane bill and similar fast-track legislation. The toll-free number is (800) 393-1082; zip codes are used to put callers in touch with their representatives. A suggested script for the phone call is available at ga.cwa-union.org; follow links to “NAFTA is Back.” Messages can be e-mailed by going to: www.cwa-legis-pol.org.
As the CWA News went to press, it wasn’t clear whether the House would vote on fast track before its August recess. Known as the Crane bill, introduced by Rep. Philip Crane (R-Ill.), it gives President Bush the right to negotiate trade deals with no amendments from Congress.
“In its 52 pages, the Crane bill never mentions labor rights, human rights or the environment,” CWA President Morton Bahr said. “It does, however, cover every concern corporate America may have.”
CWA members are among thousands of labor, human rights and environmental activists who have called and e-mailed lawmakers to ask them to vote against the Crane bill.
“We’ve had a great response,” said Carrie Biggs-Adams, CWA representative for international affairs, who is coordinating CWA's anti-fast track efforts. “We’re optimistic that we had an effect on representatives who are on the fence, but we haven’t defeated it yet. And even if the Crane bill goes down, another nearly identical bill is waiting to take its place."
Fast track and fair trade were key topics at CWA’s 63rd annual convention in Minneapolis. Speakers and delegates demanded that trade pacts include language that protects workers and the environment from companies that think fleeing the United States means they won’t have to meet standards for wages, job safety and pollution control.
“I want to see a world economy and a global economy — and a free trade agreement that works not just for multinationals, but for working people, for human rights, for children, for the environment,” Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone said in a blistering speech that won repeated cheers.
Delegates passed a fair trade resolution pledging a continued fight against the Free Trade Area of the Americas, FTAA. In its present form, the trade pact described as “NAFTA on steroids” extends the North American free trade zone to the entire Western Hemisphere.
The Crane bill and similar legislation would give President Bush the authority to approve FTAA and other trade pacts. Congress would be able to vote yes or no, but couldn’t amend the pacts in any way.
“FTAA is easy to understand,” CWA Executive Vice President Larry Cohen said. “It is NAFTA times 10. Instead of three countries, it is 34 countries.”
CWA Secretary-Treasurer Barbara Easterling told delegates that trade affects workers’ everyday lives; “we’re not discussing theory or ideology.”
“We’re talking about the real-life impact on working families the world over,” Easterling said. “Since its passage in 1994, NAFTA has caused the loss of more than
1 million jobs in the United States and Canada, and
it has cut the wages of Mexican workers by 25 percent or more. In NAFTA, there has been only one winner: giant multinational corporations.”
CWA members and their families are urged to call or e-mail House members about the Crane bill and similar fast-track legislation. The toll-free number is (800) 393-1082; zip codes are used to put callers in touch with their representatives. A suggested script for the phone call is available at ga.cwa-union.org; follow links to “NAFTA is Back.” Messages can be e-mailed by going to: www.cwa-legis-pol.org.