>> >>PEGGY: I'M PRETTY SURE NOT MANY OF YOU IN SAN DIEGO HAVE EVER HEARD OF THE TRANS
PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP FREE TRADE AGREEMENT UNTIL THIS WEEK.
HAS IT BEEN A SECRET?
SOME MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THINK SO, THE 13TH IN A SERIES OF TRADE NEGOTIATIONS IS GOING
ON AT THE HILTON.
TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT THE NEGOTIATORS AND PROTESTERS WANT IS CAROL GUTHRIE, ASSISTANT
U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE, AND CELESTE DRAKE, A POLICY EXPERT WITH THE AFLCIO.
CAROL, I HAVE THE FIRST QUESTION FOR YOU.
TELL US WHAT THESE NEGOTIATIONS ARE AND HOW THEY CAME ABOUT?
>> >>CAROL GUTHRIE: IN A TRANS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP THE U.S. IS WORKING WITH CURRENTLY EIGHT OTHER
COUNTRIES IN THE ASIA PACIFIC AREA TO CREATE A NEW TRADE AGREEMENT THAT WILL ULTIMATELY
GIVE THE UNITED STATES AND OUR EXPORTERS MORE ACCESS TO THE DYNAMIC AND GROWING MARKETS
OF THE ASIA PACIFIC SO WE CAN FOLLOW THE PRESIDENT'S DICTUM TO MAKE MORE HERE, SELL MORE THERE,
AND GET MORE JOBS IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE HAD FOLKS FROM THE LABOR MOVEMENT, FROM OCCUPY, NOT ONLY OUTSIDE THE
HOTEL, BUT INSIDE THE HOTEL FOR OUR STAKE HOLDER ENGAGEMENT SO WE CAN TALK A LITTLE
MORE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON SO MORE PEOPLE CAN LEARN ABOUT THE TRANS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP.
>> >>PEGGY: WHEN YOU SAY BIG TRADE, YOU THINK OF THESE BIG TRADE AGREEMENTS, IT KIND OF
SCARES A LOT OF PEOPLE.
CELESTE ARE THERE PROTECTIONS FOR THE U.S. GOING ON DURING THESE NEGOTIATIONS FOR LABOR?
>> >>CELESTE DRAKE: WE KNOW THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS PROPOSED SOME PROTECTIONS FOR
WORKERS, SOME FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.
PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR AGREEMENT IS THAT WITH NINE NATIONS, IT'S NOT JUST THE
U.S. AND ONE OTHER COUNTRY TRYING TO WORK IT OUT, BUT IT COULD BE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE
VERY CONCERNS ABOUT HAVING HIGH LABOR STANDARDS LIKE VIETNAM, FIGHTING BACK AND NOT ACCEPTING
THE U.S. PROPOSAL.
THESE MATTER.
IF THERE ARE NOT LABOR PROTECTIONS FOR WORKERS IN THESE COUNTRIES, IT'S NOT JUST LOW WAGE
WAGES, BUT THE FACT THE WORKERS ARE REPRESSED, CAN'T FORM A UNION, CAN'T BARGAIN.
>> >>CAROL GUTHRIE: IS THAT WHAT A LOT OF THE PROTESTERS ARE OUT THERE FOR RIGHT NOW?
>> >>CELESTE DRAKE: THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT JOBS, LABOR RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS,
TRADE RULES THAT WILL WORK FOR WORKING PEOPLE AND NOT JUST FOR THE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS.
>> >>PEGGY: SO IT'S NOT A BLANKET NO, WE DON'T WANT THIS, IT'S TRYING TO FOUND OUT THE DETAILS
OF IT.
CAROL, WHY IS IT IMPORT TONIGHT IMPROVE PACIFIC RIM RELATIONSHIPS?
QUHIE IS THIS NEEDED?
IT SEEMS LIKE WE TRADE WITH JAPAN AND CHINAÊ >> >>CAROL GUTHRIE: WE DO TRADE WITH JAPAN
AND CHINA AND OTHER NATIONS IN THE ASIA PACIFIC, BUT WE COULD TRADE MORE AND BERT.
ONE OF THE THINGS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S SAID IS WE NEEDED TO DO TRADE POLICY DIFFERENTLY.
THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE SHUT OUT OF THE TRADE CONVERSATION IN THE UNITED STATES AND
WE CAME IN SAYING THAT WE WANTED TO TRADE POLICY THAT WAS MORE RESPONSIBLE AND MORE
RESPONSIVE TO AMERICAN'S CONCERNS.
THIS NEEDS TO BE A HIGH STANDARD, TWIRS CENTURY AGREEMENT THAT TACKLES OLD PROBLEMS IN NEW
WAYS AND TACKLES PROBLEMS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TACKLED BEFORE IN TRADE AGREEMENTS.
THERE IS NO COUNTRY IN THE TRANS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP THAT WILL BE ALLOWED TO HAVE A LOWER SET OF
COMMITMENTS ON LABOR ON THE ENVIRONMENT OR ANY OTHER ISSUE.
EVERYBODY HAS TO MEET THE HIGH STANDARDS.
THAT'S WHAT ALL THE PARTNERS HAVE COMMITTED TO DO.
WE WILL NOT SUPPORT AN OUTCOME IN THIS NEGOTIATION THAT DOESN'T PUT THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS ON
THE SAME FOOTING AS COMMERCIAL INTEREST.
>> >>PEGGY: I WANT TO ASK WE DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF TIME, EACH OF YOU, I'LL START
WITH CELESTE.
THE NORTH AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT, THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THESE TRADE AGREEMENTS
THAT'S WHAT COMES TO MIND.
HOW DO YOU VIEW IF AS A SUCCESS OR FAILURE?
>> >>DAVID LAGSTEIN: IT'S A FAILURE FOR AMERICAN WORKERS AND WORKERS IN MEXICO AND CANADA.
AMERICA HAS LOST 700,000 JOBS JOBS DEW TO NAFTA; ASK IN MEXICO, PEASANTS PUSHED OFF
THE LAND DUE TO CHEAP U.S. AGRICULTURAL IMPORTS, IT IS OUR CHANCE TO FIX IT.
IF WE DON'T, IT WILL BE NAFTA TO THE REVENGE.
>> >>PEGGY: THAT'S ONE SIDE OF IT.
CAROL, WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON IT?
>> >>CAROL GUTHRIE: THERE'S REALLY GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE WHO SUPERTHESE CONCERNS BECAUSE
REES NTDLY CANADA AND MEXICO HAVE BEEN INVITED TO JOIN THE TRANS PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP.
WE FEEL THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PROMISE TO BUILD ON WHAT WHAWZ IN
NAFTA AND MAKE THINGS BETTER.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS AND ADDRESS CONCERNS WE'VE BEEN
HEARING FOR A LONG TIME.
>> >>PEGGY: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.