LOCAL
‘NO on Fast Track’ protest outside Kerry event Tuesday
RENTON — Inside Boeing’s factory gates on Tuesday morning, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will be pleading the case for giving President Obama “Fast Track” Trade Promotion Authority for another NAFTA-like “free trade” deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Short of the votes they need to pass Fast Track through Congress, Kerry will be promising lots of jobs, lots of protections for workers, and lots of other things.
Outside Boeing’s gates, representatives of the many labor, environmental, community and civic groups opposed to Fast Track will be protesting with the message: “We’ve heard these promises before and the people say, ‘NO SALE!’ No on Fast Track!”
TAKE A STAND — All are invited to join an a “NO on Fast Track/TPP” protest outside John Kerry speech at Boeing. The action begins Tuesday, May 19, starting at 8:30 a.m. (Kerry’s speech is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.) at Boeing Gate D-35 at 998 Logan Ave. N. in Renton. Get details and RSVP at this Facebook event page.
“After more than 20 years of broken promises, lost jobs and rising economic inequality, the free traders have lost the benefit of the doubt,” said Gillian Locascio of the Washington Fair Trade Coalition. “We strongly support trade, but only trade that benefits everyone. We’ve seen and experienced the damage these deals can do. Trade is too important for Congress to pass up their only opportunity to influence these secret deals negotiated by international corporations. That means voting NO on Fast Track.”
The Fast Track/TPA legislation limits debate and forbids amendments to the secret TPP and other NAFTA-style trade deals negotiated over the next six years. The White House is short of the votes needed to pass Fast Track in the U.S. House of Representatives and many members of Washington state’s congressional delegation say they are undecided, which is why Kerry is coming to Renton on Tuesday.
A broad coalition of more than 100 unions, environmental groups, community organizations, small businesses, civic groups and political organizations — plus the Washington State Democrats and the city councils of Seattle and Bellingham — are all opposed to Fast Track. And recent polls show that voters in Washington state strongly oppose it.
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