Alternatives to corporate “trade” and globalization:
There are many other ideas about how to fundamentally restructure the global political economy to work for people, planet, and peace instead of corporate power, profit, militarism, and unrestricted economic growth. Learn about alternatives here.
A trade agreement for people and planet must:
- Prioritize reparations to indigenous peoples and black and brown communities through financial compensation and decolonization and respect the sovereignty of Indigenous Nations to control what happens on their land.
- Include strong and enforceable labor and environmental standards.
- Raise wages in all participating countries, support unions, repeal right to work laws, and end the outsourcing of jobs and pollution.
- Address climate change head on and defend the most vulnerable communities from environmental disasters.
- Protect wildlife, clean air and water, and the health of our communities.
- Protect small farmers, sustainable food systems and consumers with, for instance, agricultural cooperatives and farm worker unions; a just transition to regenerative farming that ends factory farms and the use of toxic chemicals; and strengthened food labeling and inspections of imported foods.
- Make medicine and health care more accessible and affordable by ending patent protections for big pharma.
- Eliminate ISDS and regulatory harmonization that creates a regulatory race to the bottom.
- Eliminate trade rules that waive important Buy American and Buy Local policies.
- Curtail the power of multinational monopolies with serious antitrust enforcement.
- Include a democratic and transparent negotiation process that includes broad swaths of society, not just corporations.
Also check out resources from allied groups and organizations.
- Report by Institute for Policy Studies on alternatives to corporate trade
- Environmental Movement’s recommendations to transform trade
- Fair World Project’s Fairness for Farmers Report
- Public Citizen Vision of a New Model
- AFLCIO NAFTA renegotiation demands and resolution 8 for working people centered trade
- 1000 plus civil society groups issue NAFTA renegotiation demands
- Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives
- CCPA report for better North American Trade Model
- CCPA on a sustainable NAFTA alternative
- Popular Resistance constructive programs
- New Economy Organizations
The TRADE Act:
Here is a basic summary of the trade act. Here is the final house legislation on the trade act. Here is a letter written in support of the trade act. The Trade Act is one important model that has wide support. Learn more about the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment Act (TRADE Act) of 2009.
WTO Turnaround:
Learn more about the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Public Citizen’s campaign to demand a WTO Turnaround.
Fast Track Replacement:
Learn more about the outdated Fast Track process and more democratic, inclusive alternatives to Fast Track.