The Australian government is currently negotiating the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement with the US, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan. Nothing to worry about here? Standard negotiations? WRONG. Two big reasons the TPP is a big worry: 1. The negotiations are secret; and 2. The TPP is not only about trade -- it extends into many areas of domestic policy. Leaked documents show that with no community consultation, corporate rights are being extended at the expense of workers rights and the United States, on behalf of its major industries, wants to change Australian law in many areas of domestic policy. Policies currently on the table include less Australian content in film and television, higher prices for medicines -- which would hit workers and their families hard -- and special rights for foreign investors to sue governments over any domestic health and environment laws that limit their profits. So far there is no sign of enforceable labour rights as part of the agreement. These policies should be decided through public and parliamentary processes, not through trade negotiations conducted behind closed doors. Watch the video, produced by the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and featuring our own President, Ged Kearney, for more information. Like and share to spread the word, then take action here: aftinet.org.au/cms/node/627youtu.be/zq3ujEx9r5Iyoutu.be/zq3ujEx9r5I
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 00:54:54 +0000
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