MUA National Council Resolution on TPP-11

The MUA National Council held this week unanimously passed a resolution regarding the TPP-11

MUA National Council resolution on TPP-11 5 October 2018

The MUA National Council opposes the Liberal/National Parties and ALP opposition’s support for the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP-11) and calls on all MUA members, the broader labour movement and the community to oppose the adoption of the trade deal. The MUA sees the TPP-11 as being a vehicle for the destruction of Australian coastal shipping and jobs. We are extremely concerned about the potential capacity of foreign shipping multi-nationals to sue any government willing to make changes to protect Australian national seafarers.

The TPP is a tool of multi-national capital. Corporations are seeking unfettered access to Australian government contracts and are rallying against protections for workers that will destroy Australian jobs.

Free trade deals such as the TPP-11 are the result of the globalisation of production and reflect the desire of huge corporate powers to spread their influence and profit-making excesses across the planet into new markets at the expense of the local working people and businesses.

Basic needs of the people are being challenged as corporate manipulation of trade will see changes to patenting laws that will jeopardise the ability of companies to produce cheaper generic medicines. The big drug companies will have the ability to alter patent laws and processes, increasing their monopoly control over health care essentials for the community.

There are massive threats to worker’s rights with scope for company projects to import cheaper and highly exploited labour, with no labour market testing, undermining hard fought for wages and conditions of Australian workers. This just creates a race to the bottom for working people and community standards.

These trade deals are negotiated in secret and at the table you will find government ministers and the leaders of the corporate world.

These same corporations will now have the ability to sue a state or federal government for adopting legal and democratically formulated policies in Australian parliaments. This is a blatant sell out to corporate interests over Australian sovereignty.

TPP-11 is bad because:

• Democracy: It allows global corporations to sue governments over health, environment and public interest laws.
• Essential services: locks in deregulation, promotes privatisation and prevents future governments from regulating in the public
• Workers: Contains no real protection for labour rights or migrant workers and removes labour market testing for vulnerable temporary migrant
• The environment: Lacks enforceable commitments to key international agreements, does not mention climate change and allows corporations to sue over new environmental

The MUA National Council, the supreme governing body of the union, urges the federal parliamentary Labor caucus to withdraw support for the TPP-11

Endorsed Unanimously MUA National Council

The resolution has been sent to members of the ALP Executive and current ALP senators. 

Members should contact their MP's and ask them to oppose the deal: click here