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ThinkTwice about "Fast Track"
Many IBM employees have recently received messages from executives
outlining the company's position on Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)
legislation (also known as "fast track"). Although the company cannot
legally ask employees to take political action, the implied message is
clear -- IBM would like you to contact your representatives in Congress
in support of TPA legislation.
TPA would give the President (through his appointed negotiators)
authority to negotiate the terms of international trade agreements
without significant input from outside of the administration. Under the
currect TPA proposal, Congress would have no ability to alter the terms
of a trade agreement; only a "yes" or "no" vote would be possible.
There are no real provisions for consultation and democratic debate
about trade policy, even though these issues affect every U.S. citizen
and resident.
The TPA bill outlines specific business protection provisions which
are required to be part of any negotiated trade agreement. However,
there are no required provisions for worker or environmental protection
(just "objectives" which do not have to be included in agreements). It
is clear that TPA legislation is aimed at the interests of large
corporations, not the American people at large.
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was negotiated
under "fast track". NAFTA has resulted in the loss of hundreds of
thousands of American jobs, while simultaneously lowering wages in all
of the affected countries. Under NAFTA, state and local consumer and
worker protection laws can be overturned by a secret and undemocratic
process -- under the guise of being "unfair" to corporations. It is
primarily as a result of these experiences that "fast track" was
defeated in 1997 and 1998. "Free trade" will only work if it is fair
trade. There is no doubt that worldwide trade reform is needed;
however, the current TPA proposal is not the appropriate way to
accomplish it.
The current TPA bill is H.R. 3005, the "Bipartisan Trade Promotion
Authority Act of 2001". This bill is expected to be brought to a vote
in the House of Representatives on December 6. If you would like to
contact your Representative, you may call toll-free at 800-393-1082
(courtesy of the AFL-CIO). Or, if you would like to learn more to write
a letter or send an e-mail, see the CWA's website on trade agreements:
http://www.cwa-union.org/international/ftaa/index.asp
Vote expected in the House of Representatives on Dec. 6th.
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