Campaigns and Initiatives

U.S.-Colombian Free Trade Agreement

The U.S. and Colombia signed a Free Trade Agreement in 2006. Because of the high level of violence against trade unionists in Colombia, this agreement is particularly controversial and was not brought up to a vote in 2007. The Bush Administration is pushing for a vote in 2008. Click the link above to learn more and take action on this important issue.

"Fast Track" Trade Authority

Under "Fast Track," Congress is not able to make amendments to trade agreements. The Administration negotiates the terms of the agreement and Congress can only approve or reject an agreement as negotiated. On June 30, 2007, Congress alllowed "fast track" to expire, for now. Without "fast track," it is considered nearly impossible for an Administration to negotiate and pass new trade agreements. Eventual renewal of "fast track" will effectively set U.S. policy on key rules for the global economy in the next round of trade agreements. Clink on the link above to learn more about "fast track" and how it led to NAFTA, CAFTA, and agreements with Colombia, Peru, and Panama.

Worker Rights Petitions

Worker rights petitions have been the single most effective source of U.S. leverage for promoting worker rights in Latin America. However, passage of free trade agreements, e.g. CAFTA, has been gradually wiping out the petition process of U.S. trade programs and their stronger labor standards, greatly weakening the ability of USLEAP and others to try to apply U.S. trade leverage to support worker rights abroad.

USLEAP has filed numerous petitions on Guatemala, and, more recently, on Ecuador, a petition that is still pending. Clink on the link above to learn more about worker rights petitions.