Screen Actors Guild Urges Members to Help Defeat CAFTA

Los Angeles (July 21, 2005) --- It’s down to the wire, and SAG needs its members help.

The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)—the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement—by July 28.

CAFTA is a regional agreement between the U.S. and six Central American countries: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic. CAFTA is another flawed trade deal that will sell out America's jobs and do nothing to pull people out of poverty in Central America and the Dominican Republic.

Like its predecessor, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), CAFTA promises to “help” the United States economy and reduce poverty and inequality. Not so! In the case of NAFTA, the U.S. lost nearly one million jobs and Mexican workers now earn less in real terms than they did before NAFTA.

CAFTA lacks real workers’ rights protections—but it offers plenty of trade breaks to companies operating in countries that violate workers' rights. The big winners from this deal will be the corporations that profit from moving our jobs offshore while taking advantage of exploited Central American workers.

There is still time to stop CAFTA—but not much time.

Please urge your U.S. representative to vote CAFTA down. Email or mail the following message to your representative TODAY:

Dear [Your Congress member]:

As a proud member of Screen Actors Guild, I urge you to oppose the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Flawed trade deals like CAFTA have devastated our communities as companies close or export their jobs and millions of skilled workers cannot find jobs that pay living wages.

Right now we are losing jobs because of bad trade deals in every sector that is open to trade competition, from lumber and aerospace to clothing. CAFTA won't help--CAFTA will make it worse. Outsourcing has taken its toll on U.S. entertainment jobs and you have the opportunity to take a stand for workers in our state and in Central America and the Dominican Republic.

Please oppose CAFTA.

Sincerely,

The link below will direct you to your representative:
http://www.house.gov/writerep