U.S. activists protest the Free Trade of the American Agreement.
June 23, 2015 The Senate on Tuesday voted to advance President Obama’s trade agenda, approving a measure to end debate on fast-track authority.
The 60-37 motion sets up a vote on final passage on Wednesday. If the Senate approves fast-track or trade promotion authority (TPA), it would then be sent to Obama’s desk to become law.
Opponents led by Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) warned fast-track would cost thousands of American jobs and allow multi-national companies to evade U.S. law. Read more
Postal Unions vigorously opposed trade promotion authority (TPA)
TISA: Another Secret Trade Deal Threatens Public Postal Service, Workers
In a report “TISA versus Public Services,” researchers highlight how the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) would lock in existing and any future privatization of public services.
More than 350 organizations in 115 countries warn that Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) will make it easier for corporations to make profits and with impunity.
APWU warned members in its May-June 2015 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine
A trade deal the U.S. is negotiating behind closed doors with 50 other countries threatens the future of public- and private-sector services, including the U.S. Postal Service.
Little is known about the Trade in Service Agreement (TISA), because talks have been taking place in secret between the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile, Taiwan, Columbia, Costa Rica, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, South Korea, Switzerland, Turkey, and 28 member states of the European Union since 2012.
Because TISA is shrouded in secrecy, the public has to rely on leaked documents for insight into its provisions. Based on the little information that is available, there is reason for serious concern.
Canadian protesters rally for public services that TISA threatens.
We do know this: TISA regulations would trump the laws of participating nations. That means, for example, that transnational corporations could challenge water quality standards in U.S. cities, municipal zoning laws, worker safety protections, requirements for permits to operate toxic waste disposal services, and regulations on the production and distribution of tobacco and alcohol. Walmart is said to be especially interested in challenging zoning laws that have limited the anti-worker retail giant’s access to non-commercial locations.
And the U.S. Postal Service
TISA rules also could be used to undermine the U.S. Postal Service. Member countries could challenge requirements to serve customers in all areas, jeopardizing service to rural communities.
The lobbying group Express Association of America, which represents FedEx and UPS, states that TISA “provides an opportunity to review the postal policies of the negotiating partners.”
According to the lobbying association, TISA is expected to:
- Eliminate regulations that favor public postal services.
- Eliminate licensing requirements for express delivery providers.
- Eliminate mandates that require express delivery providers to contribute to universal service funds.
Marchers protest the General Agreement on Trade Services, which has the same negative effects as TISA. The banner says, “Our world is not for sale”.
TISA’s broad scope also affects private-sector services. For example, TISA could strike down laws that prohibit foreign airlines from operating within the United States and that prevent foreign investors from owning American airline companies.
Even more disturbing, if public services are ever privatized, TISA would prevent governments from returning them to the people, even if privatized services fail.
According to Public Services International (PSI), a global labor federation of public-sector unions, TISA seeks to further deregulate financial markets. This means that in the aftermath of the financial crisis, Wall Street fat cats would have even fewer restrictions on the way they do business.
May-June 2015 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine
Wait, didn’t the Union tell us to vote for Obama??? Another thing, enough nonsense about this “rural Community ” stuff. This is 2015, internet and GPS, if anyone still believes there is an old farm couple sitting on rocking chairs waiting for that Postcard to lighten up their day, you need help.
This President has turned out to be a huge disappointment concerning the working class of America. He doesn’t and has never supported six day delivery. Does he even know anything other than email arriving in his mailbox? I understand he has someone who does all this for him, but come on we have 500,000 blue collar jobs supported by the USPS, what kind of Dem is he by not supporting us. If it weren’t for the RHB the USPS would have shown a profit.
I will not vote for another Dem unless I hear it from their mouths, that they support the USPS along with six day delivery and are willing to protect our service etc. Some of you may now say, then by voting for the Republicans your supporting them destroying our jobs. Heck, the democrats have already showed they too don’t support us.
When the American public pays a $1.00 a letter , I can’t wait for them to say why?
P.S Parcels r the only profitable USPS operation; at least according 2 the last two PMG.
Even without the ridiculous 75-year future retirement mandate, many quarters USPS would still show a loss . (negative cash flow) Unless y have ur own information the only USPS business r parcels . Does USPS have any such corporate divisions? We do not have business devisions, such as General Electric has. Besides only the U.S.Congress could repeal the extremely cash-negative “75year mandate” Lots a luck with that. They r the most useless humankind’s of all in D.C.
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I can’t believe ,after the unions and employees backed the President, Obama would go up to the Ratpublicans and agree to push anti worker legislation. After the way Senator Kentucky Hillbilly told the Ratpublican senators to make Obama a one term President and not help the President any way. Even after that, the President goes along to push anti worker with the Ratpublicans leading the way! Doesn’t the President care that many employees will loose their jobs? Just goes to show that we are just cheap sources of labor that must work for as little as possible. We do live in a great country, The United Corporations of America. And we must do what we can to help the corporate executives live the good life!
Have faith Republicans will win the white house next election but might be to late due to Obama destruction.
All the fractions of the past are starting to make sense. Can you see the “big picture now??”
This might be a dumb question, but can someone please explain this? I understand privatization, but what is this trade secret exactly?
Secret trade deal
If this passes, the last remnants of our supposed democracy will be history.
And naturally, The GOP is backing this wholeheartedly.
Disgusting.
“June 23, 2015 The Senate on Tuesday voted to advance President Obama’s trade agenda, approving a measure to end debate on fast-track authority.”
And Carter was suuuch a good President!
So is President Obama. I’m nominally a democrat, but because I believe it’s my privilege as a voting citizen to hold my elected officials accountable, even when I voted for them, I have no problem asserting that President Obama has been a huge disappointment. Why Republicans complain so much is beyond me because he’s acted like a Republican his whole seven years. I didn’t vote for him to be a GOP in Democrat’s clothing. Examples:
The fast track Pacific Rim approval. Wasn’t NAFTA enough, and sadly, that was approved and supported by Clinton, another supposed Democrat? We are destroying the middle class and jobs by making it even easier for big business to utilize sweat shop labor, operate factories in hideously unsafe conditions without any regulatory oversight, and make certain parts of the world the equivalent of the working conditions of the Industrial Revolution.
War We are still mired in an idiotic pointless war in Afghanistan that will never end, costing us more lives and maiming soldiers while the defense industry makes billions. And we’ll be back in Iraq soon.
Domestic spying If you think the NSA isn’t spying on us just because it was ruled unconstitutional to access phone records without warrants, you are a fool. Obama has done nothing to protect our civil liberties or privacy, nor has he any intention to. Face it – if you have a computer, smart phone, cell phone and sooner than later, spyware in your TV you don’t even know about that sends information about your viewing choices to sponsors and government spies who may not like what you watch – there are televisions out there with that feature in them already, you are on some database and being watched.
Pissing on organized labor. Obama has done nothing to support unions, and in fact has agreed with GOP assholes who want to weaken and destroy federal union workers.
So what are Republicans complaining about? We haven’t had a real democrat since Carter, and he was not very effective. This country desperately needs a labor president, one like the great FDR, the last REAL president we ever had. He put people to work, encouraged union participation, raised the quality of living and helped industry thrive because people had money to spend, and it was all made at home. If you have a problem with that, you are truly an imbecile.
I have no faith at all in our elected officials on either side of the aisle, and until the Republican voters can hold their slime bags responsible like Democrats do, it’ll only get worse.
Tried to impress that on Senator McCaskill , but obviously didn’t take ! These folks just “Selfieing” the USPS into oblivion ! !
UPS, Fed Ex, even DHL already use our massive infrastructure, so y would they want 2 privatize our still money losing operation. It’s the not the 1980s. This is yet another example of the current APWU National, ignorant, impotent, and incompetent leadership.
We’re not losing money, which makes you ignorant. If you are indeed a postal worker, it’s also kind of sad. When we’re privatized, they’ll take out the most lucrative parts and leave behind a massive, money-losing venture which will be a profit mill for bulk mailers only.
In EVERY other country this has already happened in, services standards have been destroyed (sound familiar), and costs/prices have skyrocketed (coming soon).
I love the postal unions who for years blasted Republicans . Now Obuma is sticking it up their butts just like all the other demacraps . That is the end of our world as we know it . All in secret .
I bet you’re a tea-party supporter.