It’s Time to End the Secrecy Surrounding TPP

Why would such a major matter, with strong bipartisan support, be pushed aside? Because there is increasing desperation to reach an agreement. Negotiators know they are in a race against time. As more details are secretly leaked about how the deal will affect workers and consumers, opposition is rising. Trade officials are suffering for engaging in a closed process.

The latest leaks show the U.S. is pushing forward with policies that further investor privileges and investor-state dispute settlement that expose our laws to foreign tribunals. They also expand incentives to move more U.S. jobs abroad, hurting hard-working Americans who are already paying the price for previous financial policy disasters. Meanwhile, enforceable labor and environmental standards remain unresolved. And efforts to rein in unfair subsidies for state-owned entities like New Zealand’s dairy industry remain undone.

Add to that the opposition to fast-track trade authority from both Democrats and Republicans and the picture becomes clearer. TPP is a going to be dead on arrival unless the administration changes how it is handling the situation. That means making the trade pact public so everyone has a chance to comment on the proposal. I am calling for the release of the text of this agreement. We cannot rely on unconfirmed leaks to find out what is in this agreement.

The Teamsters set out key fair trade objectives for the TPP three years ago that we believed the proposed trade deal had to meet to earn our support. They are:

• Protect workers’ rights through a strong labor chapter;
• Protect the environment through a strong environmental chapter;
• Protect American investors in the investment chapter – no “investor-state” dispute resolution;
• Protect food safety and family farmers; and
• Allow for “Buy American” government purchasing rules in the procurement chapter

Well, we’re not there yet. Or shall I say, we don’t know if we’re there yet. But either way, there needs to be more certainty for policymakers and the public if they are going to go along with such a deal. Americans deserve a bigger say in their future.

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James P. Hoffa is the only son of James R. Hoffa, former General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. On his 18th birthday, Hoffa received his own union card and was sworn in by his father. In the 1960s, he worked as a Teamster laborer in Detroit and Alaska, loading and unloading freight from ships, driving trucks and buses, and operating heavy equipment. He earned his undergraduate degree in economics from Michigan State University and his law degree from the University of Michigan. From 1968 to 1993, he worked as a Teamster attorney representing members in workers compensation cases, Social Security, and personal legal matters; and representingTeamster Joint Councils and local unions. In 1999, he became General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

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Follow James P. Hoffa on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TeamsterPower

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This piece was first published on The Huffington Post.