Change to Win Opposes Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Demands Congress Reject Pact

[Joanne98]

WASHINGTON, April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- Change to Win sent a letter
to all members of the United States Congress today demanding they reject
the Colombia Free Trade Agreement that President Bush sent to Congress and
has promised to sign, despite strong opposition expressed by the Democratic
leadership. Congress has 90 days to act on the Colombia trade deal.



"So-called 'free' trade agreements like Colombia, which encourage the
off-shoring of U.S. jobs, is one of the major reasons that a majority of
the public sees the American Dream slipping away for themselves and their
children," said Change to Win chair Anna Burger in the letter. "The
combination of ongoing assassinations, death threats, and violence against
family members creates a climate of fear for trade unionists that makes it
impossible for them to fully exercise their rights to organize, bargain
collectively, go on strike, or criticize the government. Congress should
reject the Colombia Free Trade Agreement."



Colombia remains the most dangerous country in the world for union
members. More than 2,500 workers have been murdered for trying to form
unions since 1991 - more than 500 since the beginning of President Uribe's
administration - and thousands more have been attacked, threatened and
detained. Yet the Colombian government has done nothing to effectively stop
death squads from murdering workers for trying to form unions.
Continued>>>
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-08-2008/0004789096&EDATE=


About Change to Win

Change to Win is a six million member partnership of seven unions
founded in 2005 to represent workers in the industries and occupations of
the 21st century economy. Change to Win committed to restoring the American
Dream for a new generation of workers-wages that can support a family,
affordable health care, a secure retirement, and the opportunity for the
future. The seven affiliated unions are: Service Employees International
Union, UNITE HERE, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union,
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers' International Union of
North America, Unite Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and
United Farm Workers of America.

[Joanne98]

1. USA products that will benefit if the trade deal goes thru! LOL

REPORTER: There was actually a second part to that question about the specific products or sectors that are going to benefit the most.

SEC. SCHAFER: Yes. We are looking at beef, pork, corn, wheat and barley products as well as cotton and some processed products like frozen French fries and cookies.

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2008/04/0097.xml

so if you're a french fry maker, this is a really good deal for you!

[Omaha Steve]

2. K&R

We should she a lot of posts like this over the next 90 days.