Maine Women Say NO to CAFTA

 

Now is the time for women to come together and join the growing opposition to CAFTA

 

After many months delay the Central American Free Trade Ageement (CAFTA) may finally be coming up for a vote in Congress. This flawed trade deal with Central America and the Dominican Republic is just like NAFTA – and like NAFTA it  will be a failure. Women, who are disproportionately harmed by these trade deals, should be very concerned about CAFTA. Here's why:

 

·                     CAFTA, like NAFTA, will not deliver the promised jobs and prosperity either here or abroad. In the US, since NAFTA's implementation, real wages have fallen and 1,000,000 jobs and job opportunities have been lost.  In Maine, NAFTA has contributed to the loss of nearly 24,000 good paying jobs.  In Mexico, millions of farmers have been displaced, poverty and inequality have increased and real wages for factory workers have fallen.

 

·                     Under CAFTA, U.S. communities will be devastated and families will suffer as companies close and jobs are exported. Jobs in every sector – from manufacturing to farming to logging will continue to be lost. Outsourcing of technical, communications, and service-related jobs will increase. Millions of skilled workers will not be able to find living-wage work.

 

·                     CAFTA, like NAFTA, will be disastrous for the environment. Under CAFTA rules, multinational corporations can secretly challenge and potentially overturn environmental laws that get in the way of their profits. 

 

·                     CAFTA will also contribute to the privatization of essential public services (education, water, healthcare) and make access to affordable medicines more difficult.

 

·                     CAFTA, like NAFTA, is designed to benefit multinational corporations at the expense of the majority of people in the US and Central America.

 

Opposition to CAFTA is growing. The more all Americans  – but especially women – find out about it and its devastating effects, the less they like it.

 

As women we want FAIR trade with our Central American neighbors and with all people around the world. We all share the common desire to be able to provide for our families by earning a living wage and  working in safe and humane workplaces. We all want safe communities in which to live, clean water to drink, and unpolluted air to breathe.

 

For the sake of all women, their families, and communities – here in Maine or around the world- we must defeat CAFTA.

 

Please contact Senator Collins and Senator Snowe to urge them to VOTE NO on CAFTA

 

Sen. Snowe: Maine 1-800-432-1599      DC: 202-224-5344

Sen. Collins: Maine  784-6969          DC:202-224-2523

http://www.mainefairtrade.org

 

For more info: www.citizenstrade.org, www.citizen.org/trade, www.womensedge.org, www.igtn.org