April 2015

On the 20th of April, unions members staged a march from the AFL-CIO's DC headquarters to the office of the United States Trade Representative against the TPP. The TPP is a proposed NAFTA style trade deal that would affect about 40% of the world and whose terms the negotiating parties are attempting to keep secret. The march featured a giant Trojan Horse as a warning against this secret treaty and the Congressional "fast-track" bill.

Video of the march starring the TPP Trojan horse

On the 18th of April, the World Bank Group staged the "Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day" concert, with Fallout boy headlining. This concert was during their Spring Meetings, and in spite of an increase in overall World Bank investments in fossil fuels. Global justice activists set up in front of the main bag search checkpoint and some went inside to hand out hundreds of fliers contrasting the message of the show with the World Bank Group's actual record.

Video-crazy security at concert, contrasted to "A16" IMF protests 15 years ago

On the 16th of April, new FERC commissioner Norman Bay got a taste of vehement opposition to his agency's record of rubberstamping fracking related projects. She tried to brush off protests by Calvert County residents and their supporters opposing Dominion's fracked gas export facility now under construction at Cove Point. On of the protesters lampooned the previous FERC director saying "Oh my God, we have a situation here. The situation is not going away," continuing "There is no democracy here. You just ignore what I write on my computer." This in reference to similar remarks by the last commissioner of FERC.

Youtube: Security guards drag citizens from FERC meeting for speaking up

On April 16, 2016, Sen Orrin Hatch(R-Utah), Sen Ron Wyden(Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Misrepresentative Paul Ryan (R-WI) formally introduced "The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," which is fast-track authority clearly meant for the proposed TPP or Trans-Pacific Partnership trade treaty. At or just before this introduction, protesters demanding "Flush the TPP" marched on the US Capitol, and some were able to enter one or more of the buildings of the Capitol complex

On the 15th of April, large numbers of union supporters gathered on Capitol Hill oppose the proposed TPP or Trans-Pacific Partnership. They called this "another NAFTA," and even used the term "SHAFTA" for the trade deals that have been offshoring US jobs and led to plummeting wages since 1994. Multiple members of Congress as well as union officials had some unusually tough talk against the "fast track" bill for the TPP. Fast track means a quick ratification vote with no debate if a treaty is signed, for a treaty whose very text is being kept secret.

Video-tough talk at Capitol Hill rally against the TPP