About Us

The WFTC is a proud ongoing sponsor of the “Strengthening Local Economies, Everywhere” Dinner and Fair organized by the Community Alliance for Global Justice. This annual event has been held since 2007 in Seattle. The goal of this event is to educate and inspire the public to take action to build alternatives to corporate-led globalization. The event will help strengthen alliances between the burgeoning ‘buy local’ and sustainability movements, and the fair trade and global justice movements in the Northwest. Together we can work to ensure that people everywhere have healthy local economies, in which workers, immigrants and small farmers are treated fairly. (Ongoing)

The Washington Fair Trade Coalition has endorsed the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that aims to ensure the rights of workers to join a union if they choose. The right for workers to organize is clearly linked to our mission to create a fair global trading system in which core workers’ rights, community values, and our environment are safeguarded.  (Spring 2010)

The Washington Fair Trade Coalition joins hundreds of other civil society groups from Mexico, Canada, and the US in a statement of solidarity with Mexican farmers’ and indigenous organizations who are working to halt the agricultural trade liberalization that is destroying the Mexican countryside, rural communities, indigenous peoples and farmers, driving them into economic exile. We support their proposals to rebuild Mexican agriculture, food sovereignty and rural development. …full declaration(February 2008)

The Washington Fair Trade Coalition joins social justice and other groups to endorse HR 2634, the Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation of 2007. This legislation cancels impoverished country debt; removes harmful economic conditions from the cancellation process; mandates transparency and accountability; and establishes a framework for more responsible and transparent lending practices in the future.  This is timely legislation. Congress is seeking to find a new direction for international trade policy, and we contend that debt cancellation should be one component of a new, pro-active agenda on trade. This would help level the economic playing field and encourage healthy, fair economic relations between countries. (Fall 2007)

The Washington Fair Trade Coalition endorses International Day of Action on November 17, 2007 against the 5 largest supermarket chains in the world, including Wal-Mart. This day of action will call attention to the issues with Big Box Retailers, including worker rights violations, buyer power abuses, unsustainable distribution practices, destruction of local independent businesses and small-scale farming, and exploitation of agricultural and other labor. (Fall 2007)

The Washington Fair Trade Coalition applauds the success of UW SLAP – Student Labor Action Project – as they work to establish a Designated Supplier Program at UW. This policy change will insure UW-branded materials come from suppliers that have been designated as fair employers. (Spring 2007)

The Washington Fair Trade Coalition believes that trade policy should support sustainable agricultural practices, and must not restrict governments’ ability to safeguard their food supply, rural development programs, and small farmers. As a consequence, we endorse the “Building Sustainable Futures for Farmers Globally” Campaign. (Fall 2006)