Stopping Fast Track..

President Perrone: “The Best Way to Help the Jobless is to Stop Passing Trade Agreements like TPP that Kill Jobs.”

 “Our campaign for trade policy that is fair and just will continue full speed ahead.”

 Washington, D.C. — Today, Marc Perrone, International President of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the largest private sector union in the nation, released the following statement in response to the U.S. House failing to advance fast track trade legislation.

 "This is a victory for hard-working men and women all across America. In the face of long odds, the American people sent a powerful message that their interests trump narrow political agendas and special interests.

“Today, we saw elected leaders stand up and make clear that the failed promises of global trade agreements, which only seem to serve irresponsible corporations, must come to an end. More importantly, we have seen what hard-working families can accomplish when we stand together and fight for what is right for both workers and this nation.

“With respect to TAA, we support a clean extension of the program, but the best way to help the jobless is to simply stop passing trade agreements like TPP that kill jobs. “While one vote does not end the fight, our campaign for a better America will continue full speed ahead until the threat of TPP and other unfair trade deals is gone for good.”

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Help Stop Fast Track! Call Your Representative

As you know, after being stalled for weeks, Fast Track was approved by the Senate late Friday night. The bill now goes to the House, where the vote is expected to be tight – and we are preparing for a fight that may last through June.  I am asking that you participate in this National Call-In.  (See attached flier below)

Currently, eighteen Democrats support fast track with six to ten still undecided or undeclared.  This means our opponents can’t afford to lose more than about 55 Republicans.  By some estimates, there are at least 50 Republicans opposed with another 40 still undecided.  But holding most House Democrats and enlisting the number of Republicans we need to defeat Fast Track is far from certain. We fully expect our opponents to unleash a torrent of ads and ramp up an unprecedented grassroots and digital mobilization effort to ram Fast Track through when the House reconvenes the first week of June.

The House needs to hear the voices of working families as clearly and as loudly and as often as possible. Please join us and our trade allies for a national call-in day Wednesday, June 3. We are calling every House member – Democrat and Republican – with this simple message: The “Fast Track” trade bill in Congress will send jobs overseas and give more power to giant corporations. It continues the same failed trade policies that leave working people behind.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact our Political Coordinator, Brendan Sexton: bsexton@ufcw1500.org and visit nofasttrack.com.

Thank you and in Solidarity,


Bruce Both
President

UFCW President Perrone: We are Determined to See Fast Track Defeated

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Marc Perrone, International President of the 1.3 million member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), today released the following statement in response to the agreement reached on trade promotion authority or fast track.

“The TPP and fast track are not just wrong for America, they will hurt every hard-working family. The fact that Democrats and Republicans support TPP is a bipartisan insult to the millions of men and women struggling to find good jobs
and earn a decent living.

Make no mistake, we are determined to see this legislation defeated. Our members will mobilize across the United States to call on Congress to stand up for hard-working families. While we may not be able to change every mind, our voices will be heard. And we will remember those who turned their back on America’s workers by voting for another destructive trade deal.”

A copy of President Perrone’s Wednesday op-ed in The Hill is linked here.

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Join the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) online at www.ufcw.org

We are 1.3 million families standing together to build an economy that every hard-working family deserves.

No on Fast Track

Call Your Elected Officials Today! Help Fight for Good Jobs – Tell Them to Vote ‘No’ on Fast Track.

America’s workers and hard-working families need your help, and the time to act is now!

As you may know, the U.S. House and Senate will soon consider Fast Track legislation to help pass another bad trade deal. As history shows, fast track has been used to quickly pass some of our nation’s worst trade agreements. This time will no different.

If fast track passes, we will face another terrible trade deal, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which will all but guarantee that more families will suffer, more jobs will be lost, and more of our communities will be devastated.

Contact your elected officials today. Tell them to vote ‘NO’ on Fast Track

Unfortunately, President Obama, and certain Republican and Democratic Members of Congress, support fast track authority and TPP. They are choosing to ignore the severe price our workers and families will pay if fast track and TPP passes

We all know the reality of past trade deals. Bad trade deals, like TPP, don’t care whether you are Republican or Democrat. They devastate workers from every party and every state.

The simple truth is that opposing TPP is not about partisan politics, it’s about supporting our jobs, our workers, and our families.

So we all have a choice – stay silent or speak out. It’s time for you, your friends, and your family to stand up and speak out to help stop this bad trade deal.

Please don’t wait—call your member of Congress today and tell them to vote ‘NO’ on Fast Track

How bad of a deal is the TPP?

The TPP trade deal has been put together in secret. Hundreds of corporate lawyers and other special interest groups have been advising the U.S. Trade Representative, but the voices of hard-working families have been left out.

No elected official, regardless of political party, who is truly interested in making the economy better and fairer, can responsibly support the TPP.

Now, more than ever, we need you to speak out and help us stop Fast Track and TPP.

Please reach out to your Members of Congress today, because together we can build an America that works for our workers and our families.