Plumbers Ask Washington Politicians About Tpp: Which Side Are You On?

When it comes to the controversial job-killing pro-corporate Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) “free trade” pact, Plumbers Local 290 has a simple question for the Vancouver, Wash., area’s lawmakers: Which side are you on?

And if you’re on the side of the TPP, don’t expect us to be on your side politically, their resolution adds. It will not “endorse, support” or donate politically to TPP backers, it says. The resolution was delivered to Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both D-Wash., and Rep. Jaime Herrera-Beutler, R-Wash., The Northwest Labor Press reported.

“The proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership is poised to become the largest free trade agreement in the world, with a dozen countries already included, and also containing a ‘docking’ mechanism that would allow new countries” to join later, the resolution says.

It notes current TPP signers include nations with terrible worker rights and no protections.

“The world cannot afford a ‘NAFTA of the Pacific,’” it adds, referring to the first of the controversial job-losing trade pacts, enacted 22 years ago.

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