DC commuters are meeting the victims of bad trade deals. The Metro station near the U.S. Capitol will have a single message aimed at members of Congress and their staff over the next four weeks: "Say No to Fast Track and TPP. " All of the billboards and even the floor at the Capitol South station will be papered with workers' photos and testimonials about bad trade deals...
One of the campaign's faces belongs to Richard Blake Poindexter, a young TU activist whose job was outsourced to the Philippines and who unexpectedly passed away last week before he could see the ads go up. The ads explain why fast track, which would rush trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership through Congress without debate or amendments, would undermine the already fragile US economy. The Capitol South Metro Station, used by most Congressional staff, is one of the city's busiest transit hubs. CWA partnered with the AFL-CIO, AFSCME, and other unions to launch the unconventional ad campaign. "We need a 21st century trade deal which puts the interests of working families above corporate interests," CWA President Larry Cohen said. "Citizen rights should trump corporate profits." The campaign’s ad graphics, workers' stories and a petition can be found at the companion website, NoFastTrack.com. "Fast Track is a misguided and undemocratic policy that advances the corporate trade agenda and bad deals like NAFTA, CAFTA, and the Korea FTA," said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. "Congress must end the secrecy and create a new process to develop and implement trade, investment and economic policies that will promote good jobs, rising wages, a clean environment and a fair economy for us all. America's workers simply can't afford more fast track."