Why Nurses Should Oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership

h/t ExposeTheTPP.org

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is the latest free trade agreement being negotiated by the United States, and it will be the largest — involving 11 countries and about 40% of the world’s economy. A lot is at stake, so it’s important that President Obama and Congress get this agreement right.

Earlier this week, Democrats in Congress held up a vote that would “Fast Track” trade negotiations, meaning that an agreement that has been negotiated behind closed doors would be presented “take it or leave it” to Congress for a vote, without the ability to negotiate the many different pieces. Democrats took a stand only after mounting pressure from labor, community and healthcare activists, who want less secrecy and more say in TPP’s different provisions.

We have a right to be skeptical of the TPP. Since NAFTA, the U.S.’s first free trade agreement took effect in 1994, nearly 700,000 U.S. jobs have been lost or displaced. Free trade agreements have given corporations more power over our lives, and they have used that power to lower wages and to challenge the health and environmental laws meant to keep us safe.

Not much is known about TPP, but information leaked from the secret negotiations spells trouble for global health. The intellectual property section of the TPP would limit competition for pharmaceutical companies and push drug prices even higher. Fewer generics and higher prices will have a devastating impact on public health and mortality rates in low- and moderate-wealth countries, and will impact patients in the U.S., as well. Not only do generics save our patients a lot of money, the TPP will make it more difficult to regulate U.S. drug prices in the future, prioritizing pharmaceutical profits over public health.

While it is encouraging that Fast Track was slowed this week, it has not been stopped. Only one day after Senate Democrats put the breaks on a Fast Track vote, they hit the gas, possibly reaching a deal with President Obama and Republicans to approve it. The Senate will likely vote again in the coming days to authorize Fast Track, so it is important that they hear from you.

Stopping Fast Track means that more people—not just big corporations—will have a seat at the table, so we have more power to stop the most harmful provisions in TPP. There’s no doubt that we are living in a global economy—but it’s up to us to help write the rules of that economy so that all people can survive—and thrive. To receive text alerts from the AFL-CIO about the TPP and how you can have your say, text FAST to 235246.