Local unionists and activists organized by the Baltimore Coalition against the FTAA held a press conference at the Washington Monument in downtown Baltimore to say, "Stop the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA)." Following the press conference, members of the groups fanned out to the city's markets and at Sparrows Point to encourage people to sign petitions against the FTAA. These documents will be presented at the ministerial trade meetings this month in Miami, Florida.






Betty Robinson, Coalition Against Global Exploitation representative, moderates press conference



Largely attended by local Steelworkers who have been hard-hit by changes in trade over the past three decades, the coalition's message denounced the effects of "free" trade liberalization brought about by NAFTA and to be extended by the FTAA. These agreements formalize corporate control over trade laws. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 766,030 jobs and job opportunities have been lost in the U.S. since NAFTA was introduced in 1994.

Official speakers avoided a nationalist framework of blaming Third World countries for job losses by pointing out that "free" trade hurts workers in the developing world as much as it hurts workers in America.





John Hough, VP of United Steelworkers Local 9477



John Hough, Vice President of United Steelworkers Local 9477, read a statement from Ernie Greco, President of the AFL-CIO. He said, "U.S. steel can't be competitive under the
FTAA" and will lead to the further erosion of high-paying manufacturing jobs.

Free Trade Hits Home

Many of the steelworkers and union officials cited the local effects of trade agreements as reasons for opposing FTAA. The steady decline of steelworkers at Bethlehem Steel's Sparrow's Point plant has been among the results. In the 1970s, 35,000 people worked for Bethlehem Steel. Recently purchased out of bankruptcy by steel giant ISG, only 2,000 workers remain. They are fighting for their jobs while the company reports that profits are not yet high enough to keep making steel in Baltimore.

As part of the sale to ISG, workers' pensions and retirement benefits from the bankrupt
Bethlehem Steel were cut. Retired steelworker Kenneth Carroll talked about his pension.

Carroll worked at Bethlehem steel for 44 years,working overtime to put extra money into
his pension. His monthly payout was decreased by $560 and he lost his medical insurance. He talked about the sacrifice of working at a dangerous job for years - a job that "built America," - but feels lucky compared to other retirees. "I have good health." Carroll's wife died several years ago, leaving no one else to depend on his income. However he knows a woman with four children who was receiving her husband's pension payments. These have been cut to $100 per month.

Job and Benefits Losses Not Exclusive to Steel Manufacturing

Significant, high-paying jobs like steel work flow out of the country to low-paid workers
in other countries. But they are not the only ones to feel the effects. According to
Jim Strong, Sub-District Director of United Steelworkers of America, even candy bar
production, such as a Nestle's plant in Fulton, New York, is moving south to Latin
America. The Fulton plant is laying off 470 workers. Intensifying the effect, manufacturing job losses ripple outward as suppliers lose business and lay off workers as well.

Furthermore, Strong faulted the current administration for it's request for $87 billion for the occupation and reconstruction of Iraq. He pointed out that "$800 million of the billions is supposed to provide free health care to Iraqis. Yet we can't provide healthcare for the 46 million Americans who are uninsured."

Organizing in Maryland to Stop the FTAA

Several people spoke about specific organizing efforts. Antonio Hayes, speaking for Sheila Dixon, President of the City Council, said Dixon would be introducing legislation into the council to oppose the FTAA.








Ryan Harvey of NO FTAA Towson

Ryan Harvey, of No FTAA Towson, talked about the need for middle class people to be better educated. "It hurts me to buy things that are hurting the people who make them. If people understood that what they buy is produced in a sweatshop, they would object." He and other members of No FTAA Towson were going to perform street theater in Lexington Market to bring more attention to the issue.

State Delegate Salima Marriott said she would like to see every county council develop
resolutions to oppose FTAA. "The negatives of free trade certainly outweigh the benefits. We've lost 2 million manufacturing jobs in this country."

No FTAA Towson, the Steelworkers Union, Coalition Against Global Exploitation, and other groups are organizing to attend the protest at the Miami meetings of the FTAA ministerial on November 19-21.

What's the Alternative?

Several speakers advocated for "fair trade" rather than "free" trade. The concept of fair trade developed in the 1970's and has advocates world wide, as well as business endeavors based on the idea. The notion of fair trade concretely entails living wages, the encouragement of labor unions, standards for a sustainable environment and the end of child labor. Fair trade entails paying higher prices for goods and services.

Staying the course will further widen the gap between the world's rich and poor. And as this occurs, the volatility of the world will intensify. Without regulation corporations
will destroy the environment. As corporations gain power over states and nations, people's
democratic rights will be further diminished. Paying a fair price for goods and services seems a small price to pay for global peace and justice.

For more information on the FTAA and the organizing in Baltimore and in Miami, visit the Coalition Against Global Exploitation's website www.baltimorecage.org/ .

The co-sponsors for the November 1 event included MD-DC AFL-CIO, Metro Baltimore Labor Council AFL-CIO, UAW Region 8, USWA District 8, Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees, Coalition Against Global Exploitation, No FTAA Towson, NAACP-Baltimore, Lonnie Vick (Business agent IAM Lodge 4, UNITE! Mid-Atlantic Region, Reverend Vernon Dobson (Union Baptist Church), CWA District 2, Catholic Labor Support Committee (Father Joe Muth), SLAC-JHU, SWAT-Towson, GROWL-Goucher, A. Philip Randolph Institute, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, Reverend John H. Davis-El (Chair Religion-Labor Committee AFL-CIO), Reverend Iris Farabee-Lewis (President Clergy United for Revitalization of East Baltimore), Sierra Club

See also Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch for detailed analysis of the Free Trade Area of the Americas, www.publiccitizen.org/trade/ftaa/

For the Spanish translation of this article see "Nuestro Mundo No Esta en Venta" on the Newswire: baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/5420/index.php