Posts Tagged: Trade

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and United States Trade Representative Michael Froman announced the appointments of two UFCW International staff members to two Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees. They were tapped to serve on the committees as part of a group of more than 100 private-sector members to be a part of the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) or one of the six Agricultural Technical Advisory Committees (ATACs). This group of committee members will serve until June 15, 2019.

Kurt Brandt, Assistant to the Director in the UFCW Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division, was appointed to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Animals and Animal Products. Barbara Gilbert, Senior Policy Advisor to the President in the UFCW Strategic Resources Department, was appointed to the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade in Processed Foods.

“USDA and USTR rely on the individuals who serve on these committees to provide their expert advice on U.S. trade policy and priorities. They are an invaluable asset as we work to enact trade agreements and trade policies that deliver the greatest economic benefit for U.S. agriculture and for our nation as a whole,” Vilsack said.

“The strength of our trade agenda is dependent on the advice and counsel we receive from our trade advisors. And, now is more important than ever as we pursue the most ambitious trade agenda ever for America’s farmers, ranchers and businesses of all sizes. The individuals we are appointing today represent one of the most important sectors to America’s export economy and will provide critical advice as we negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and work to expand export opportunities for American agriculture,” said Froman.

Congress established the advisory committee system in 1974 to ensure a private-sector voice in establishing U.S. agricultural trade policy objectives to reflect U.S. commercial and economic interests. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative jointly manage the committees. The APAC provides advice and information to the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative on the administration of trade policy, including enforcement of existing trade agreements and negotiating objectives for new trade agreements.The ATACs offer technical advice and information about specific commodities and products.

In light of an expected vote on fast track in the U.S. Senate, UFCW International President Marc Perrone, today released a letter to all 100 members of the U.S. Senate urging them to vote no on the stand-alone Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill, also known as fast track. The final vote is scheduled to take place Wednesday evening.

The Senate letter is the latest action taken by the UFCW and its 1.3 million members to highlight the negative impact that TPA and TPP will have on the country. This week, UFCW members are mobilizing in every state to reach out and convince their Senators to stop this stand-alone fast track bill.

The full letter from Marc Perrone is copied below.

Dear Senator,

On behalf of the 1.3 million hard-working members of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), I am writing to strongly urge you to oppose the stand-alone Trade Promotion Authority bill, also known as fast track. 

The debate over fast track and the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is not one defined by party or partisanship. Nor is it about the President or his agenda. This debate is about whether or not our elected officials will stand with the millions of workers and hard-working families who oppose this trade deal because it is they – not those in Washington – who will ultimately bear the burden of its aftermath.

This current stand-alone fast track bill is even worse for workers than the previous Senate bill you voted on a few weeks ago. It gives no guarantee that workers who will lose their jobs and income due to unfair trade deals get assistance. Worse yet, this bill fails to address currency manipulation, climate change, human trafficking, or countries who refuse to play by the rules when it comes to labor standards. 

Simply put, no Democrat or Republican should be willing to cede their legislative responsibilities to President Obama, multinational corporations, or special interests and insiders who have negotiated this deal in secret.

While it is easy to rationalize that this trade deal will be different, the facts and history are quite clear. If TPP passes, we can expect more American workers will lose their jobs, more families will struggle, wages will be driven even lower and income inequality will worsen. 

Instead of barreling towards another unfair trade deal that will fail America’s hard-working men and women, the Senate should slow down and work to pass a responsible bill that will truly protect our economy, our workers and their families.

Make no mistake, your constituents, our members, and the American people will remember who stood against this trade deal and who did not. For the sake of the better America we must all believe in, please do what is right for the hard-working families you have sworn to serve and vote no on fast track.

Sincerely,

Marc Perrone

International President