The Trade Stories Project

The Trade Stories Project provides opportunities for people whose livelihoods have been negatively affected by existing trade agreements to actively participate in trade policy debates.  In doing so, the project seeks to increase public awareness, participation and accountability surrounding questions of trade policy.  This website is one tool through which affected individuals can share their stories and get involved.

Broad policy objectives shared among the Trade Stories Project’s sponsoring organizations include:

  • Starting over on pending trade deals that were negotiated by the Bush administration but not yet approved by Congress;
  • Establishing mandatory new criteria for future trade agreements, and renegotiating or scrapping existing deals that do not meet those standards; and
  • Increasing transparency, oversight and democratic participation in trade policymaking.
  • Funding for the Trade Stories Project was provided by the Solidago Foundation, Moriah Foundation and individuals like yourself.  Please support our work by making a donation to any of the organizations listed below, earmarked “Trade Stories Project.”

Contact Information

Media inquiries should be directed to Arthur Stamoulis of the Oregon Fair Trade Campaign at (503) 736-9777.

Maine Fair Trade Campaign
238 Goddard Rd
Lewiston, ME  04240
(207) 777-6387

Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition
2511 Franklin Ave East
Minneapolis, MN  55406
(612) 578-8266

Ohio Conference on Fair Trade
PO Box 06595
Columbus, OH  43206
(614) 280-3631

Oregon Fair Trade Campaign
310 SW 4th Ave #436
Portland, OR  97204
(503) 736-9777

Washington Fair Trade Coalition
606 Maynard Ave S, Ste 252
Seattle, WA  98104
(206) 227-3079

NAFTA Hurts Workers on Both Sides of the Border

Americans are rightly angry over their jobs leaving the country as a result of “free trade” policies like NAFTA, CAFTA and the WTO.  Increasingly, many also understand that these trade agreements are also a bad deal for working people abroad.

TAKE ACTION:
Support a New Model for International Trade

The Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment Act—or TRADE Act, for short—presents a new, progressive vision for international trade that will help working people across the globe.  Its commonsense provisions include establishing mandatory standards for future trade agreements, a process for renegotiating existing trade deals and increasing public oversight over the trade policymaking process.  Urge Congress to support the TRADE Act.

President Obama on Trade

During his campaign for the White House, President Obama made concrete promises to change the nation’s international trade policy.  He supported renegotiating NAFTA and CAFTA, and specifically outlined the types of problems he saw with these and other existing trade policies.  Learn about the President’s promises.