Representative Paul Tonko, Organized Labor, Community and Faith Groups Respond to Recent TPP Text Release

Recently released text verifies that the Trans Pacific Partnership is no different from already disastrous trade deals like NAFTA, and will slash jobs and cut environmental and consumer protections.

ALBANY, NY (11/12/2015)(readMedia)-- A coalition of labor organizations, community and faith groups will join together with Congressman Paul Tonko to respond to the recently released Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) text.

The TPP, sometimes nicknamed "NAFTA on steroids" has been pushed by big corporations and negotiated in secret between the United States and 11 other countries – Australia, Brunei, Canada, Japan, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam which make up 40 percent of the world economy. Speculation by advocates as to the contents of the TPP have painted a grim picture for the past several years, but concerns were confirmed last Thursday, November 5th when the text for the proposed trade deal was finally released.

"The TPP is NAFTA on steroids, plain and simple. Crafted in secret for six years, this deal would cost American jobs, suppress wages and lock us into agreements with countries that have abysmal human rights records. Our fight continues on Thursday in the Capital Region to push back against this terrible plan and protect domestic jobs," said Congressman Paul Tonko.

"This expanded NAFTA style trade agreement will continue offshoring US jobs, increase wealth inequality, grow our trade deficits, and plunge more American families into poverty. It is clear that the TPP is written for the exclusive profit and monopoly interests of transnational corporations, granting them powers that usurp our systems and principles of democracy, civil liberties, and human rights," said Frank Natalie, Executive Vice President of the Capital District Area Labor Federation.

"We can't let the CEOs behind this deal get away with destroying our economy and millions of lives for their own profit," said Mark Emanatian, Capital District Organizer for Citizen Action of New York.

American workers need a trade policy that strengthens labor and human rights, protects us from unsafe imports, and promotes the export of goods instead of jobs. U.S. trade deals for the past 25 years have been corporate-driven, incorporating rules that skew benefits to economic elites while requiring working families to bear the brunt of such policies; TPP is no different. This is unacceptable in a democratic system, and we stand together as labor, community and faith leaders to reject this proposed trade deal.