Alliance for Responsible Trade

Yesterday was our first day in Trinidad, a delightful island with warm, beautiful and generous people at every turn.  We had no access to internet today - it is amazing how quickly one becomes disconnected from news and events, especially when you are right at the center of a major regional event.   

I attended the Hemispheric Council meeting of the Hemispheric Social Alliance.  It was a full day, with the meeting running from 9am to 9pm.   A culturally and racially diverse group of about 70 people from many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean gathered for rich discussion, with many points of views expressed.  Even when substantial political differences were articulated, an attitude of mutual respect and congeniality permeated all of our interactions.  

A principal focus of the Council Meeting was to determine activities we can advance collectively to address the multiple crises - ecological, economic and social - faced by all of our countries.  A basic consensus was that the severity of the crisis is a clear demonstration that the dominant economic model is not viable, and cosmetic fixes will never be sufficient for the survival of our species.

There was a unified commitment to work together to forge a new world view and political force which rejects the dominant values and embraces the concept of ‘living well,’ articulated by the government of Evo Morales and the indigenous peoples of the continent. The indigenous peoples and their collective wisdom will be our eyes to guide us into the future.  The shift to this new consciousness is considered imperative in terms of human evolution and to halt the process of our own self destruction.

No one in the room holds out hope for significant changes coming from the policies or actions of the new government in the United States.  There is a general understanding that the Obama Administration would not be governing if they didn’t wholeheartedly embrace the model.   Tone and demeanor have softened, but the response to the financial crisis and the continued commitment to war has quickly dashed any hopes which may have existed for a new government committed to substantial changes.  

A short distance from our meeting, the recently formed Trade Union Council of the Americas (TUCA) also held an all day meeting attended by the Labor Ministers from Trinidad and the United States.  Unfortunately the Labor Minister from Trinidad, although coming from a labor background, was reported to have been uncomfortably anti-labor in his positions and suggestions as to measures and conduct that unions should adopt in this crisis situation.  

Hilda Solis brought a much more positive message.  She spoke of her roots, growing up as the child of immigrant parents from Mexico and Nicaragua.  U.S. Labor Unions consider themselves fortunate to have her as Secretary of Labor. She is the first person in recent memory to hold this position who actually views her job as promoting the interests of labor.  

Security for the Labor meeting went on lockdown when Hilda Solis arrived with Secret Service prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving.  Maybe you need to be here to grasp the absurdity of the scene on this mellow laid back island, where I have yet to see anyone carrying a gun, not even the guards at the banks.

It remains to be seen if a pro-labor Labor Secretary will have the political space to defend workers rights in the declining U.S. economic climate. In what appears to be a flagrant double standard, even the Obama government feels obligated to respect contracts protecting the extravagant salaries and bonuses of the banking elite  while taking away health benefits of retires in failing manufacturing industries and other measures which impact workers.  

Tomorrow the People’s Summit begins.  We move to a new location where we will have access to internet. So stay tuned for more reflection on news from the Summits and regional dynamics.  With President Obama in Mexico and the ALBA Presidents meeting, there should be plenty of grist for the mill.