Time to Choose:Good Jobs and Strong Communities or NAFTA Times 10?

1. Time to Choose:Good Jobs and Strong Communities orNAFTA Times 10?

2. Remember NAFTA? • Began in 1994 • Includes Canada, US and Mexico • Weak protections for workers’ rights and the environment • Pits workers against each other

3. Promises US: 200,000 new jobs Mexico: higher living standards Realities US: Nearly 766,000 jobs have been lost in the US Mexico: millions of Mexicans living in severe poverty. NAFTA’s Unfulfilled Promises

4. NAFTA Times 10=Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) • Expansion of NAFTA to all countries in the Americas except Cuba • Expected to be completed by 2005 • No meaningful labor rights, environmental safeguards or consumer protections

5. FTAA: A Disaster for Working Families • Puts jobs and pro-worker policies (e.g.living wage ordinances) in jeopardy • Increases rights and protections for corporations • Endangers public services • Undermines workers’ wages and benefits

6. FTAA and Manufacturing Workers • Rising trade deficits would destroy manufacturing jobs; • Companies would move more jobs overseas; • Employer threats would keep unions out and wages down; • Workers’ rights become sucked into a race to the bottom.

7. FTAA and Public Sector Workers • Privatize public services; • Outsource jobs overseas more easily; • Challenge policies used to protect workers’ rights and union jobs; • Reduce manufacturing jobs which drains away state and local tax revenue.

8. Protects Corporate Rights • Retains NAFTA’s Chapter 11 • Chapter 11 gives corporations the power to sue governments directly for anticipated lost profits • For example, corporations can sue governments over laws that protect worker rights and the environment • Decisions to protect corporate rights made in secret tribunals

9. Privatizes Public Services • Increased pressure to privatize public services such as health care, education and water • Corporations who take over the services for profit are accountable to shareholders, NOT clients • FTAA could make it difficult for governments to provide basic services for people

10. FTAA Supporters • Chambers of Commerce • National Association of Manufacturers • Transnational corporations • Americas Business Forum

11. Labor’s position on the FTAA • Enforceable worker rights and environmental protections in the FTAA; • Protection of public services; • No special rights for corporations; • Transparency in the negotiations and texts of the FTAA; and • Active involvement of civil society organizations in the discussions of the FTAA.

12. AFL-CIO Campaign on the FTAA • Brochures • Ballot campaign • Worksite flyers • Miami Ministerial activities • 2004 elections

13. November 19-21, 2003Miami • Trade ministers representing countries throughout the Americas will meet in Miami • Possibly establish FTAA headquarters in Miami

14. Proposed Labor-sponsored Events at the Miami Ministerial • AFL-CIO worker forum • USWA forum • ORIT forum with labor leaders and workers from throughout the hemisphere • Cultural night • Parade • Presentation of the ballots to the trade ministers • Labor’s allies will be organizing other educational activities

15. Get Involved! • Distribute FTAA brochures • Participate in the ballot campaign • Organize educational events for members • Distribute worksite flyers • Work with coalition partners to organize activities during the trade ministerial in November

16. Resources available at www.aflcio.org/stopftaa • Brochures • Ballots-cast your ballot online! • Worksite flyer • Sectoral factsheets • Policy papers • Power point presentation