What is MFTC?

WORKING TOGETHER FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE POLICY & A GLOBAL ECONOMY THAT IS SOCIALLY, ECONOMICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY JUST

Maine Fair Trade Campaign
Statement of who we are

What is the Maine Fair Trade Campaign?

The Maine Fair Trade Campaign (MFTC) is a state coalition of labor, environmental, family farm, religious, peace and justice, and other civil society groups based in Maine.   We are united in a common belief that international trade and investment are not ends unto themselves, but instead must be viewed as a means for achieving other societal goals such as economic justice, human rights, healthy communities, and a sound environment. The rules which govern the global economy must reflect the views and needs of the majority of the world’s people on issues such as jobs, wages, the environment, human rights, food and consumer safety, access to essential services, and public health. MFTC is a leading organizing and advocacy vehicle in the state to fight for trade and globalization policy that is not tilted in favor of the interests of multinational corporations and against the interests of the majority of the world’s people.

What Do We Do?

MFTC works to educate, organize and mobilize organizations and individuals to work for the creation of just trade policies and a fair global economy that respects working people, family farmers, our environment, and our democracy.   We forward this purpose through education, statewide organizing and coalition building, state and national legislative work and lobbying, and the promotion of local and global fair trade alternatives. The MFTC works to help make the connections between international trade and economic policies and their local impact on Maine workers and small businesses, Maine’s environment and Maine’s democracy.

What is Our Common Vision?

• Environmental, labor, health, and other public interest standards must not be undermined by international trade and investment rules.
• Global labor, environmental, and other public interest standards must be strengthened to prevent a global “race to the bottom.”
• Raising standards in developing countries requires additional assistance and respect for diversity of policies and priorities. Trade is no substitute for aid.
• Countries must be allowed to design and implement policies to sustain family farms and achieve food security.
• Healthy local, regional and national economies are essential to a healthy global economy.
• Rules for the global economy must be developed and implemented democratically and with transparency and accountability.

What Have We Accomplished?

• We passed first in the nation state legislation, the Maine Jobs, Trade and Democracy Act, establishing the Citizen Trade Policy Commission, a 17 member citizen/legislator commission, which monitors the impact of trade agreements on Maine workers, businesses and democracy and gives the public a greater voice on trade issues.

• We successfully lobbied Maine Governor John Baldacci to remove Maine from the government procurement list in CAFTA and other trade agreements. These rules could have restricted Maine’s ability to use government purchasing to support economic development, human rights, environmental sustainability and fair labor conditions.

• We collected more than 13,000 ballots opposing the creation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) which were delivered to trade ministers in Miami in November 2003.

• We co-sponsored seven “Don’t Outsource our Future” town meetings leading up to the 2004 election which focused on trade and outsourcing issues in the elections.

• We are campaigning hard to have Maine’s entire Congressional delegation vote against the proposed Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), a regional trade agreement that would expand NAFTA to Central America.

• We have done widespread education about trade and globalization issues throughout the state.

Who Are We?

Formal members of MFTC include Peace through Inter-American Community Action (PICA), IBEW Union local 2327, Teamsters local 340, Maine Peoples Alliance, Southern Maine Central Labor Council, Veterans for Peace, the Alliance for Democracy, and Waldo County Progressives.   Active organizations that have not yet become formal members include MOFGA, PACE union locals, Maine Sierra Club, Maine Labor Group on Health, IBEW Local 567, IBEW Local 1837, Greater Bangor Area Central Labor Council, Peace Action Maine, Food and Medicine, Laborers Union local 327, Machinists Union local 1821, Rockland Forum and the Maine Council of Churches.

Note: we are just beginning to recruit member organizations to join the coalition. So the number of member organizations will increase over the coming months.

For More Information:

Maine Fair Trade Campaign

217 South Mountain Road, Greene, Maine 04236

Phone: 777-6387

Fax: 207-783-5096

Email: daphne@mainefairtrade.org

Website: www.mainefairtrade.org