What -- Stop the FTAA! Rally
Where -- Niagara Square, Downtown Buffalo, outside of Buffalo City Hall
When -- Saturday, November 22nd at Noon
Tons of Musical entertainment will be provided, featuring the 12-8 Path Band, the Buffalo chapter of the Raging Grannies (in their premiere performance!) and Jean Dickson. Join us and hear from workers from Tri-Co and Buffalo China who have lost their jobs, residents from Hickory Woods, elected officials, and local community groups. Props,puppets, and street theatre will be plentiful!
The Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) is the expansion of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to every country in in Central America, South America and the Caribbean, except Cuba. NAFTA has devestated communities throughout North America, including Buffalo; over 50,000 jobs have left New York State since NAFTA was enacted. If you think NAFTA has been a disaster for working families and the environment in the US, Canada, and Mexico, the FTAA (also known as NAFTA on Steroids) will be far worse.
This week, labor, environmental, human rights, and peace groups all over the nation will rally together in solidarity with thousands of people protesting the FTAA as it's being negotiated at the trade ministerial meeting in Miami and with those protesting human rights violations at the School of the Americas (SOA) in Georgia to stop this "Race to the Bottom" and to affirm that Another World Is Possible!
The WNY Fair Trade Coalition is a coalition of labor unions, environmental, community, and student groups. For more info on the rally, call Roger at 833-5416 or Charles at 894-2013.
We will also be doing a car caravan "Reality Tour" of Free Trade's Impact on Buffalo earlier that Saturday morning. Car caravan meets at 11 AM sharp at Buffalo China/ Oneida at 500 Bailey Avenue. For more info, call Mike or Emily at 882-6003.
