PSARA enlists in ‘Fair Trade’ battle

A breakthrough victory was achieved this year when the City of Seattle formally resolved to purchase only “sweat free” clothing, including the uniforms for its police and fire departments. The campaign was initiated by the Washington Fair Trade Coalition (WFTC). Councilmember Nick Licata sponsored the resolution and led the successful effort to pass it.

The PSARA Executive Board welcomed the opportunity to join the fifty organizations of the coalition in fighting for U.S. trade policies that foster labor and human rights, rather than promoting a race to the bottom for workers and the environment, while filling the corporate coffers of multinational corporations.

On November 30, the eleventh anniversary of the WTO, PSARA hosted a year-end wrap-up and fundraiser for the Fair Trade Coalition. Approximately 40 activists from organizations associated with the WFTC heard a review of the coalition’s accomplishments during 2010. WFTC Director Kristen Beifus eloquently reviewed the coalition’s work and spoke of the challenges ahead. These include stopping the Korea/US Free Trade Agreement (supported by the Obama administration) and continuing the effort to pass the Trade Act, which would help establish fair trade standards for all trade agreements to which the U.S. is a party.

Jeff Johnson from the Washington State Labor Council traced the policies that led to the current situation where corporate profiteers set the terms of trade agreements and workers, family farmers, and the environment suffer. Johnson spoke of the need to create a fair trading system but added that we also have to think beyond fair trade. We can escape the present economic vise, he said, if we commit our country to an industrial policy that creates incentives for investment in the production of goods that people around the world want and that also provide family-wage jobs.

Kathleen Story of the Sierra Club emphasized the need and the opportunity for labor, environmental advocates, and community-based groups to work together on fair trade issues.

The fundraiser was necessitated by a loss of revenue from the national Fair Trade Campaign. Impressed by the achievements of the WFTC, the audience took up a substantial collection to enable the coalition to continue its outstanding work.