Community and Labor Leaders Call for Fair Trade, Not Free Trade Agreement at San Diego TPP Negotiations

 

Amid continued closed-door discussions, labor, environmental, consumer, and social justice organizations rally to bring jobs back home to America

WHAT:          
Broad coalition of labor and community groups will join Congressman Bob Filner and Lorena Gonzalez to speak out against the ongoing, secretive trade agreement known as TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) negotiations taking place in San Diego on July 2-10, 2012. A press conference and community rally calling for fair trade kicks off the first day of TPP talks.

EVENT:         
Leaders will call on trade officials from the United States, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam to share details of this trade agreement that has been held almost exclusively behind closed doors. This NAFTA-like deal will also include Mexico, Canada, Japan and, potentially, China, Russia and India among other Pacific Rim nations in the future, so we must ensure that America stops giveaways to big Wall Street banks, shipping jobs overseas, attacking worker rights, and eroding environmental protections, all in the name of “free trade.”

WHO:             
Congressman Bob Filner, California 51st District; Lorena Gonzalez, Secretary-Treasurer/CEO, San Diego Labor Council; Arthur Stamoulis, Citizens Trade Campaign; and speakers for: Machinists Union, UNITE HERE Local 11, Environmental Health Coalition, Union de Barrio, Canvass for a Cause, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Green Party, Occupy San Diego, Af3rm San Diego, Anakbayan, Women Occupy, Activist San Diego, Friends of the Earth.  Bob Filner, Lorena Gonzalez and Arthur Stamoulis will be available to speak with media.

WHEN:          
Monday, July 2, 2012
12:00 p.m.

WHERE:        
Outside the Hilton Bayfront Hotel, One Park Drive, San Diego, CA 92101