Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
We've tried explaining that NAFTA-stye trade deals are both bad policy and bad politics, but the Congressman's staff claims that his constituents actually want more free trade agreements. If you live in Congressman Schrader's district, please write him now with your views on free trade agreements. The Oregon Stories Project Trade in the 2008 Elections Trade played an unprecedented role in Oregon's U.S. Senate race -- and an important role in dozens of other Congressional campaigns throughout the country. In Oregon, more than a dozen separate television ads featured trade messaging. Candidates who highlighted their "fair trade" positions did extremely well in Oregon and elsewhere. 
Oppose Bush's Hangover Trade Deal with South Korea
Check out our new online toolkit to learn more about this disastrous proposal and what you can do to help stop it from moving forward.
Tell Congressman Schrader: Oregon Needs Jobs!
Freshman Congressman Kurt Schrader is headed down the wrong path when it comes to international trade. He has called on President Obama to "push forward" with new NAFTA-style trade agreements. He also says he opposes comprehensive trade reform legislation called the TRADE Act that is supported by labor, environmental, family farm and consumer organizations across the country -- as well as a majority of House Democrats.
"The TRADE Act" Offers a New Model for Trade
A landmark piece of fair trade legislation called the TRADE Act continues to gain support in Congress. The bill offers a way to help ensure that future trade policy actually benefits working people and strengthens the economy, as well as protecting consumers, the environment, public health and small farmers, both at home and abroad.
UPDATE: The TRADE Act was reintroduced in the U.S. House of Representative on June 24, 2009. It currently has over 150 cosponsors -- including a strong majority of the Democratic Caucus, such as Oregon Congressmen Peter DeFazio and David Wu. The Senate bill was reintroduced on December 1, 2009 with the support Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley and others.
TAKE ACTION: Urge Senator Wyden and the rest of Oregon's Congressional delegation to cosponsor the TRADE Act!
Approximately 74,500 Oregonians have lost jobs under NAFTA-style free trade deals. ORFTC has conducted one-on-one interviews with approximately 150 Oregon residents whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by offshoring, increased imports and/or dumping. Visit our Stories Project page for:
Also visit the site of the ORFTC-initiated national project TradeStories.org, which features the story of a new displaced worker each week.
Mobilizing Against the 2009 WTO Ministerial
As part of the global days of action against the new World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial, thousands of people from across the Pacific Northwest converged in downtown Portland on December 5th to speak out against the proposed expansion of failed "free trade" policies within the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Oregon Fair Trade Campaign led a coalition of more than 75 labor, environmental, immigrant rights, faith and social justice groups in organizing the mass march and rally.
Cause further offshoring of Oregon jobs
Thank you to everyone who made the "D5" demonstration such a powerful event!
Thanks to the hard work of fair trade activists around the globe, the WTO negotiations in Geneva didn't make much progress. Unfortunately, the same corporate interests behind the WTO are trying to advance their agenda through regional and bilateral trade agreements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the South Korea Free Trade Agreement.
ORFTC's Trade Delegation to Mexico
In March 2009, the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign and Cross Border Labor Organizing Commission led a delegation of trade activists to Mexico to examine the topic of cross-border opposition to NAFTA.
Delegates met with small farmers, labor leaders, community organizers and maquiladora workers in Tlaxcala, Mexico City and Ciudad Juarez. Discussions took place on the affects of NAFTA in Mexico, the steps people are taking to oppose it and what NAFTA renegotiation could mean for working people on both sides of the border.
Visit our online report-back for a summary of the delegations findings and audio highlights from some of our meetings.
"Free Trade" and Financial Deregulation
"Regulation" has long been a dirty word in America -- but Depression-era banking regulations were what prevented major financial market crashes for over 60 years. Visit ORFTC's "Trade Pacts and Financial Deregulation" page to learn how the World Trade Organization mandated the deregulation of banks in the 1990s, and the role that has played in the current global financial crisis.
ORFTC's White Paper: Trade in the 2008 Elections (PDF)
Jeff Merkley's Completed Questionnaire (PDF)
Barack Obama's Completed Questionnaire (PDF)
Voting Records of Oregon Senators and Representatives
Free Trade and Forced Migration 
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Voting Records on Trade for Oregon's Senators & Representatives