Our hard work over the last several years has stopped the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Congressional leaders and the Obama administration have said publicly that there is no path forward for the TPP in the lame duck session of Congress: they simply do not have the votes.
TPP was defeated because AFA-CWA members stood together with our sisters and brothers of CWA and a broad coalition across the country to speak with one united voice. This was the work of affiliated labor, not the result of the U.S. presidential election. We made sure our issues were on the table and at the forefront of national discussion. It failed because we never gave up exposing the dangers of TPP. It failed because labor was completely united on this issue and the commitment to fighting for good jobs. It failed because we made calls, attended rallies, walked every inch of Capitol Hill, talked with our friends and neighbors and made sure our elected representatives knew we would hold them accountable. This is an example of democracy in action and we must keep it up.
This does not mean that our fight against the forces of corporate globalization and attacks on working people is over. We must stay mobilized and redouble our efforts to fight attacks on our careers like Norwegian Air International’s flag-of-convenience scheme or the Gulf States carriers’ illegal subsidies.
There will be challenging times ahead as we will fight to defend our collective bargaining rights. But today, let us celebrate a win for working families across the country.
We are stronger and better together.
