The Colombia Free Trade Agreement is wrong for workers in the U.S. and wrong for workers in Colombia.

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world in which to be a union member—39 trade unionists were murdered in 2007, and another 11 to date in 2008. Of the more than 2,500 murders of trade unionists since 1986, only about 70 cases—around 3 percent—have resulted in convictions.  It is wrong to reward the Colombian government with a free trade agreement at a time when Colombia’s labor movement is under attack, both through legal channels and through violence, intimidation and harassment.

The agreement itself is a continuation of the Bush administration’s failed trade policies, an agenda that has contributed to the loss of over 3 million manufacturing jobs in the U.S. since 2000, skyrocketing trade deficits and paychecks that are shrinking at an accelerating rate.

The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) will meet next week to decide whether they want to support the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.  If they decide to support this resolution, it will make our job of defeating this unjust and flawed trade agreement much more difficult. 

Fill out your information below to tell the state senators and representatives who sit on the Labor and Economic Development Committee at NCSL to stand in solidarity with American and Colombian workers and say no to the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I urge you to vote against the Colombia Free Trade Resolution you will be considering at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The Colombia Free Trade Agreement will have both a detrimental effect on families in both the United States and Colombia.

Colombia has a terrible record on human rights. Thousands have been murdered and very few even tried for these crimes. The acts for which these victims were punished were seeking to bargain collectively with employers, or in the case of Afro-Colombians, simply not wanting to be pushed off their land. These victims are tortured and in some cases, made an example of in their community.

The way the Colombia agreement is crafted would open up every state to lawsuits should the state provide special benefits or consideration for products grown or made in your particular state. For example, many states give preference to home grown products to be used in school cafeterias. Under the Colombia agreement, this would be actionable should Colombia wish to sue the state. The judges in these cases are international trade tribunals. They are neither elected by nor responsible to the American people. This is a direct infringement on states rights and sovereignty. Furthermore, these cases will cost states millions of dollars to defend and there is no limit placed on the damages sought.

This resolution seeks to combine increasing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for workers who lose their job with support for the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. President Bush has already said that the will veto the TAA bill which the House of Representatives passed. Expanding TAA is a good policy but combining it with a bad trade agreement as this resolution seeks to do is a terrible policy and does not serve the best interests of the people.

Our country is going through a rough economic time right now. The unemployment rate is rising, incomes falling or stagnating, and the dollar weakening. This is not the time for the Federal Government to enter into any more of these damaging trade agreements which have led to unsustainable trade deficits and have contributed to huge strains on state budgets. This is an issue where you must look to do what's right for the entire country. Voting against this resolution in your committee meeting at NCSL is a positive step.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 18, 2008