Obama’s Interest In Trade Deal Alarms Labor Allies

Indications are that President Obama is looking for a way to make a deal with dissenting Democrats and some Republicans to get Congress to grant him fast-track authority in order to seal international trade agreements, according to an article in The Hill, and labor and environmental groups are not pleased. “From our point of view,” said an official with the AFL-CIO, “it’s inadvisable.” Trade agreement critics point to inadequate labor and environmental protections, as well as a lack of currency manipulation provisions. Currently on the agenda is the Trans-Pacific Partnership; talks on the TPP have been taking place this week.