Miami FTAA Meeting Call to Action

May 14, 2003

Campaign for Labor Rights has joined with a coalition to build a movement for the November Miami Ministerial Meeting. You can also take action by signing the "No More NAFTAs" ballot.

Nine years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was put into place, linking the economies of the United States, Canada and Mexico. Despite promises of job growth and an improvement in living conditions for the poor, NAFTA has resulted in stagnant or falling wages, increased poverty, growing inequality and an erosion of good jobs. Violations of the fundamental rights of workers, including the right to organize and bargain collectively, have continued, unaffected by the weak labor side agreement. Environmental quality has deteriorated in the absence of enforceable regulations. Small farmers in Mexico have been devastated by competition from subsidized agricultural imports.

Despite this dismal record, the United States government is moving ahead with negotiations to create the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), an expanded NAFTA that would include all countries in Latin America, North America, and the Caribbean, except for Cuba. FTAA negotiations, which have been going on for several years without substantive input from civil society organizations, are scheduled to finish in 2005. When the vote comes up in the US Congress under fast track rules, no amendments can be made to the agreement and only an up or down vote will be allowed. The race to finish the FTAA and to enforce a flawed trade model will lead to further devastating results.

There is a better way! We support trade models that include responsibilities, not just rights, for corporations; protect workers’ rights and the environment; and promote sustainable, equitable and democratic development. We join with peoples throughout the Americas in opposing the failed NAFTA model that is being proposed for the FTAA. We propose an alternative, sustainable model that ensures the protection of people’s livelihoods.

Call to Action

Join thousands of people in Miami, around the US and throughout the Americas on November 19-20th, 2003 to say:

• Yes to trade policies that create jobs and protect workers’ rights;
• Yes to democratic trade negotiations that include broad-based citizen consultation and participation;
• Yes to trade policies that protect the environment and public interest laws and regulations;
• Yes to trade policies that support sustainable agriculture for family farmers;
• Yes to trade policies that enable countries to invest in sustainable development policies; and
• No to the FTAA!

We call on people from throughout the Americas to join us in Miami to participate in a peaceful [and legal] mobilization to demonstrate the growing opposition to the FTAA. The mobilization will include a rally, cultural events and educational activities that will show the strength of popular opposition to the FTAA.

Leading up to the events in Miami, we will work together to mobilize a grassroots education and outreach campaign here in the United States to build awareness about the FTAA and to educate our elected officials and candidates in preparation for the 2004 elections. As part of the outreach campaign, we will work together with our brothers and sisters from throughout the Americas to collect millions of ballots that will be delivered to the trade ministers when they meet in Miami to negotiate the FTAA. This campaign is part of a larger campaign that is being supported by a diverse coalition throughout the Americas that is united in their opposition to the FTAA.

Join us in our campaign to defeat the FTAA! Come to Miami in November 19-20th 2003 to make your voice heard! For more information, visit www.aflcio.org/stopftaa.