April 2009
Posted on: April 15, 2009
We must build a better world from the ground up
The current economic crisis has clearly shown that capitalism conflicts with the social rights of people around the world, including their right to food, employment, a decent income, a fair division of wealth, health and a viable environment. What has the G 20 done to guarantee these rights? What has come out of this meeting of the leaders of the 20 most powerful countries in the world?
Not much. The banks were asked for a little more transparency; tax havens to be a bit more discreet with their money laundering, while the CEOs of large corporations got off with a slap on the wrist after being told not to always try getting a piece of the action. To top it all off, the monies made available for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) were doubled. Some fancy speeches, a great deal of media fanfare and presto, the job is done. Everyone goes back home, happy to have made history.
Posted on: April 1, 2009
Without Low Wages, There Wouldn’t Be Any Free Trade!
That’s what Colombian Senator Jorge Enrique Robledo came to tell us last week at a meeting to denounce the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. And he’s right! All of these agreements are based on unfair trade between industrialized nations and other countries.
This economic truth is the reason why CUPW has opposed free trade since the early 1980s. We opposed the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) and all bilateral agreements initiated by Canada. All of these agreements are used by multinationals to establish themselves in developed countries to steal their natural resources and directly exploit their workers.
