April 2009 Newsletter

Keep your guard up about the Panama FTA! The office of the U.S. Trade Representative has said that it wants to move forward with the Panama Free Trade Agreement. This FTA is a trade deal that was negotiated by the Bush administration that repeats most of the major problems that are presented by NAFTA and CAFTA, represents business-as-usual on trade, and is not the type of change that voters were promised. In addition, its status as a tax haven where businesses like AIG are known to be trying to doing business to avoid paying US taxes, is extremely problematic during these difficult economic times.

Currently we are trying to set up meetings with Jay Inslee, Jim McDermott, Rick Larsen and Brian Baird to ask them to oppose the FTA. It is more important than ever to let our elected officials know that a negotiated, NAFTA-style trade deal is not only bad economic policy, but bad politics. You can make a difference by letting your members of Congress know that you oppose the FTA and ask them do the same, by calling them!

Jay Inslee                                                                           Jim McDermott

Trade LA: Megan Eidman                                               Trade LA: Jayme White

(202) 225-6311                                                                (202) 225-3106

Rick Larsen                                                                       Brian Baird

Trade LA: Jasper MacSlarrow                                        Trade LA: Jessica Lemos

(202) 225-2605                                                                (202) 225-3536

In retaliation to the U.S. government decision to end a program allowing some Mexican trucks on America's highways, Mexico has announced higher tariffs on $2.4 billion worth of imports from the United States – many of which impact Washington State.

Traditionally, Mexican officials have been permitted only along the narrow strip north of the border to transfer to U.S. trucks. The U.S. claims that the Mexican trucks are unsafe, though Mexican officials deny this. Under NAFTA, Mexican carriers were authorized to deliver their cargo to any border state, and by the year 2000, anywhere in the United States. A pilot program to start letting in some trucks was recently cancelled, which has led Mexico to declare this a violation of NAFTA, and to place retaliatory tariffs on a number of goods that are exported from the United States to Mexico.

The tariffs placed on 89 products appeared to be designed to put pressure on Congress by hitting products from a wide number of states, including Washington. The tariff increase will impact many agricultural products in Washington State such as pears, which accounted for over 33 million exports in 2008 from Washington to Mexico, and the increase will affect over 88 million total exports to Mexico in 2008. The trade war is upsetting many people on both sides of the border.

See For Further Reading for several articles explaining this trade disagreement in more detail.

Stephanie Celt, WFTC director, recently had the opportunity to visit Mexico as part of a delegation looking into the impacts of NAFTA and possibilities of NAFTA renegotiation! The trip was organized by the Cross Border Labor Organizing Committee of Portland, and the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign. The goals of the delegation were to learn more about how NAFTA has impacted people in Mexico, especially those working in agriculture, labor organizing, and the maquiladora sector, as well as to discuss ideas for how NAFTA could be renegotiated.

In addition to seeing some of the results of this truck dispute (in the form of a huge traffic jam caused by striking truck drivers!), the delegation had the opportunity to see many of the impacts of NAFTA first hand, and to learn more about how devastating it has been for many people in Mexico. Some of the best outcomes of the trip were the cross-border alliances built with groups fighting for fair trade, and justice. The delegation also filmed all its meetings, and a documentary is being made which we hope to bring to Washington State in the coming months. If anyone wants to hear more details about the trip, feel free to get in touch!

We would like to offer a warm welcome to our 43^rd member organization – the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW) local 183. AWPPW folks are great allies and strong advocates for fair trade. We are proud to have this local, represented by president Josh Estes, in the Washington Fair Trade Coalition.

"Let Us Eat! Food Security, Trade and Migration in the U.S. and Mexico as NAFTA Turns 15"
Panel and Community Discussion

Thursday April 9, 7-9pm
Seattle Labor Temple, Hall 8 (ground floor) - 2800 1st Ave, Seattle

Join a panel of civic leaders and community members for a discussion on the impact of trade and immigration policies on communities in the US, Mexico and beyond. Special guest Baldemar Mendoza, of Oaxaca, Mexico and an expert on food sovereignty and the impacts of free trade agreements on indigenous farmers from Oaxaca and the coordinator of Union of Organizations of the Sierra Juarez, Oaxaca, will be speaking along with many leaders from Seattle organizations. Free and open to the public.

Washington Fair Trade Coalition * 606 Maynard Ave S, Suite 252 * Seattle, WA 98104 * Phone: (206) 227-3079 * www.washingtonfairtrade.org