Despite widespread opposition to the Colombia Free Trade Agreement in the United States and Colombia, the Republicans – together with their allies in the Colombian government –are pushing for the a vote on the agreement before President Bush leaves office.  Take action now and tell your Senators and Representative to vote NO on the Colombia FTA. 

The deal is wrong for workers in both countries.  The Colombia FTA represents a continuation of the Bush administration's failed trade policies, an agenda that has contributed to the loss of more than 3 million manufacturing jobs since 2000, skyrocketing trade deficits, and shrinking paychecks for US workers.  Colombia remains the most dangerous country in the world for union members - 2,700 trade unionists have been murdered in Colombia since 1986, including over 450 during the administration of President Alvaro Uribe.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I write to urge you to oppose the Colombia Free Trade Agreement and to vote NO if it comes to a vote. The Colombian government has brought "representatives" to Washington DC to lobby for the agreement, but clearly these individuals only represent the interests of the government's pro-FTA campaign. Unionists in Colombia and the U.S. remain opposed to a free trade agreement with Colombia.

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists, with over 2,700 union leaders and members murdered there since 1986. The government of Colombia ignores and violates workers' rights, and Colombian courts have found ties between high ranking government officials and the deadly paramilitary forces.

This model of trade agreements has already proven to be bad for workers. NAFTA and CAFTA have been devastating for workers in the U.S. and Latin America. Over 3 million U.S. manufacturing jobs have been lost since 2000. In Mexico, over 2 million farmers have been displaced from their land since the implementation of NAFTA in 1994. Mexicans and Central Americans who are losing their jobs due to U.S. trade policy often find no other option than to come to the United States looking for work, yet U.S. immigration policy turns its back on those workers displaced by NAFTA and CAFTA. Meanwhile, U.S. workers who have lost their jobs to "free trade" have also been abandoned.

It is time to change the direction of U.S. trade policy. Workers in the U.S. and Latin America need fair trade, not free trade agreements that undermine worker and environmental protections. Again, I urge you to take a stand for justice and workers rights everywhere by opposing the Colombia FTA.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
September 11, 2008