TPP Update

Rock Against the TPP This Summer

Why are artists and musicians rocking against the Trans-Pacific Partnership this summer? Actress Evangeline Lilly, who has been crisscrossing the nation on an anti-TPP concert tour, explains that time is of the essence.

"TPP is a horrible, toxic power grab," she told MSNBC. "And if we don't get our Congress to publically come out and oppose the TPP, Obama could call for a lame duck vote, and we could wind up being strapped with this really toxic trade deal."

A lame-duck session is the few weeks after the election when Obama and outgoing lawmakers will continue working before their successors arrive in DC. That means members of Congress who lose in November will be able to vote on the deal, and newly elected members won’t have a voice. Moreover, reelected legislators will be able to pass the TPP without facing voter anger for at least two years.

CWA is helping sponsor Rock Against the TPP's nationwide roadshow. The next stop is San Francisco on Sept. 9. Learn more at rockagainstthetpp.org.

Rock Against the TPP at Showbox SoDo in Seattle. Photo by Rick Barry.

Turning Up the Heat on Costa

Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) still hasn't made up his mind on the TPP. So this week, labor, environmental, and community activists met with the congressman to urge him to oppose the massive trade deal and picketed his Fresno office to ramp up the pressure. Because of Costa's indecision, CWA has endorsed his opponent Johnny Tacherra in the upcoming election. CWA Local 9408 activist Stan Santos told the Fresno Bee, "This is a calculated risk. We're frustrated with Costa."

Read more here.

Activists protest outside of Rep. Costa’s office in Fresno, Ca. Photo by Richard Iyall.