Much like CAFTA, the Andean Free Trade Agreement (AFTA) continues the race to the basement on trade. Negotiating parties include the United States, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Bolivia, currently participating as an observer, is also expected to join. Negotiations to complete AFTA should be finished in November, and the deal could be brought before Congress as early as February.

The audacity of AFTA is the Administration’s eagerness to negotiate a free trade agreement with Colombia -- the country that currently leads the Western hemisphere in reported human rights and international humanitarian law violations (Human Rights Watch, January 2004). Just under 200 unionists were killed last year alone in Colombia, making it the most dangerous country in the world for unionists. For more on AFTA labor abuses, click here.

There is no good reason why a member of Congress who opposed CAFTA should turn around and support AFTA. The rules being negotiated are the same as those in CAFTA, and in some cases, worse.

Take Action on AFTA

Unless we stop the flawed approach of AFTA, NAFTA and CAFTA, we will continue to outsource Wisconsin jobs, offshore Wisconsin businesses, destroy the environment, and hurt working people. Wisconsin businesses can compete with anybody on the planet if we have a level playing field, but we cannot compete when AFTA allows other countries to be free from basic labor rights or environmental protections.

Negotiations on AFTA are going on right now, and it is a crucial time for members of Congress to hear from constituents. Contact your member toll free at 866-340-9281, and ask him or her to publicly oppose AFTA unless it includes core labor standards and environmental protection provisions.

Script:

Hello, my name is _______ and I live in the district. I'm calling to ask Representative _______ to oppose the Andean Free Trade Agreement, also known as AFTA. If you opposed CAFTA, then you should also oppose AFTA. It has the same problems, the same language, and continues the same race to the basement. Please contact the Administration and tell them you won’t support AFTA unless they add core environmental and labor standards to these trade agreements. Can I ask you: Will the Representative publicly come out and oppose AFTA unless it includes core labor and environmental provisions?

My address is __________ and I’m hoping you can send me a response. Thank you.

When You Call:

Ask to speak to the Trade LA, chief of staff or legislative director.
Tell them you are a constituent and want to know your Representative’s position on AFTA. Give your address, and ask for a response.
Ask the staff person to send concerns to the administration.
If the Rep is opposed to the agreement and will vote against it, thank him/her.
If the Rep is for AFTA, urge reconsideration. Inform the office that you intend to spread the word that he is voting for the policy of outsourcing.

The Bad and the Ugly

The Bad: All that Glitters is Not Glamis Gold

Environmental groups are fighting a controversial NAFTA suit brought against the United States by Glamis Gold, a gold mining company with incorporated status in British Columbia and an actual corporate headquarters in Reno, Nevada. Glamis has sought to operate an open-pit gold mine in California using cyanide-heap leaching technology.

While Glamis is incorporated in Canada, it has no operations, or offices, in that country. The company filed its NAFTA suit in 2003 after California took legislative action requiring clean-up operations that the company claims would make its planned mine in southeastern California "uneconomic."

According to Graham Saul at Friends of the Earth Canada, "Although there are more mining companies incorporated in Canada than in any other country in the world, many of these companies don't have mining operations in Canada. Their physical presence consists of little more than a post office box at their lawyer's office in Vancouver. Mining companies shouldn't be allowed to wrap themselves in the Canadian flag for the purposes of undermining environmental policy."

Read the policy brief on the Glamis case (PDF, 138KB)
Take action against Glamis Gold by clicking here.
To view the Amicus Submission from Friends of the Earth click here.

The Ugly: Administration Takes Step Back on Labor Standards pushed by Puru

According to the National Journal, Democrats were given a boost when Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo, on a visit to Washington to tout AFTA, appeared to endorse labor rights. He said in meetings with members of Congress and the business community that his nation would abide by International Labor Organization core labor standards if they were within the text of the trade agreement. But sources said Toledo’s position was not acceptable to Republicans in America.

House Ways and Means Chairman Thomas quickly made known to Toledo that he disagreed with his comments. And the Bush administration is unlikely to accept language that enshrines ILO principles in the text of a trade agreement, on the grounds that to do so would expose the United States to more scrutiny.

Toledo's comments were particularly significant because during consideration of CAFTA, Democrats made repeated claims that CAFTA countries, if asked, would have agreed to include language on ILO core labor standards. But the Democrats could not back up that claim with public statements by Central American officials.

Thea Lee, an AFL-CIO lobbyist, said the record of violence against trade unionists in the Andean region -- and particularly in Colombia -- made it important that labor protections in the Andean pact be stronger than those in CAFTA.

Trade News You Can Use

House Democrats Wary Of AFTA Trade Pact
Rep. Sander Levin (MI) said he was discouraged by the administration’s failure to back tougher labor standards in the Andean pact (AFTA) after Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo voiced his support for them. “The Peruvian president said right off the bat that it was important for workers to have their rights … It was clear as day. There’s this basic issue that has to be worked out and yet they haven’t,” said Levin, who holds substantial sway in the Democratic caucus on trade issues.