WASHINGTON–The largest American labour federation says it and its affiliated unions are freezing political contributions to federal candidates "until further notice" to channel funds into labour's intensifying battle to stop or at least help shape a proposed free-trade agreement being negotiated by the US and other nations that border the Pacific Ocean.
Meanwhile, the Teamsters union called for US negotiators on the trade pact to press for a crackdown on Mexican cross-border trucking as part of the emerging agreement.Both unions have been critical of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership. The unions are battling legislation now being considered by Congress to give the negotiations a "fast track" to passage in the House and Senate.Such a trade shortcut has been used before, notably in the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement.
AP