April 12, 2005Tell your Congressional representatives to vote against CAFTA A coalition of anti-CAFTA organizations, which include the AFL-CIO, is mobilizing a National Call-in Day on April 13, 2005 to pressure the U.S. Congress reject the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Calls can also be made after this date. We need to keep the pressure on. Let's really give support to our brothers and sisters in Central America.
CAFTA would extend NAFTA-like free trade provisions to five Central American countries and the Dominican Republic. U.S. backed efforts to obtain ratification of the agreement by those countries have been met with general strikes and other mass protests led by labor, small farmers, and indigenous peoples who fear loss of jobs, privatization of public services and intensified exploitation by multinational corporations. Their protests have been suppressed with force and violence, including the murder of a Guatemalan teacher last month and the wounding of many others.
Under the fast track authority, Congress can only vote the agreement up or down within 15 days after it is brought to the floor. Currently both houses are conducting hearings on CAFTA and a vote may occur before Memorial Day.
You can help stop CAFTA by contacting your representatives using the AFL-CIO sponsored toll-free number 1-888-355-3588 (available only on April 13) or clicking on the link below for phone numbers to the House Switch Board and the Senate Finance Committee, which begins CAFTA hearings on April 13.
http://www.cispes.org/english/Campaign_Against_CAFTA_FTAA/April_CAFTA_alert.doc
You can also check http://www.stopcafta.org for updates about where to call after April 13, 2005. The effort to stop CAFTA will be ongoing until it is defeated.
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