Action on Sat 7th New Rd Brighton, against: new corporations' rights to over-ride democracy.
femartgroup brighton
Here in the UK: the EU & US are having trade agreement talks:
It will enable corporations to sue governments for
billions of pounds in lost profits -
if the laws of this country that protect
citizens also happen to endanger profits.
"Under the banner of free trade – Corporate Property rights will be elevated above all democratic rights" Micheal Parenti "
The TTIP (Transatlantic Trade & Investment Partnership) wants to establish a TAFTA (Transatlantic Free Trade Partnership) ...
The Trade Mechanism is called the “investor state dispute settlement” it is being used in many parts of the world to get rid of regulations protecting people and the environment.....
Australia was sued for compensation by tobacco company for plain cigarette packaging.
Argentina froze water and energy bills and was sued for billions by the utility companies.
El Salvador sued for $315m for ‘loss of future earnings’ for refusing gold mining.
Some members of the WDM are holding an action in Brighton on New Road at 11am, Sat 7th Dec - to protest & highlight what is happening - they will use street theatre - a tug of war between corporate people in suits and citizens.
The Argus are supposed to be going along and they have a press statement,
There is more info from the WDM and also from George Monbiot:
" If this legislation goes ahead the rights of investors will take precedence over the protection of our health, the environment and social rights. The rights of corporations will have higher priority than the sovereignty of states"
Too
extreme to be true?? NO
"The US has said it will oppose any European food safety labelling requirements as a "trade violation" (George Monbiot in the “Captive State”)
For more look at “ A Global Ban on left wing politics” by George Monbiot in the Guardian 4th Nov 2013
At risk: loss of workers’ rights and safe working conditions: an agreement between USA and Mexico led to 1 million job losses and declining wages in both countries.
Also under threat: small agriculture, animal welfare, limits on pesticides; public contracts (not) going to local companies; chemical regulation; financial market regulation, labour and union rights, affordable health care, water and fracking, privacy rights, GM labelling.
So that will be getting rid of anything that stands in the way of making more profit. Corporate profit will have more legal more importance than people or the environment.
( I don’t suppose the government will care much if the corporation sue them because it will just mean the tax payer will pay - and the corporations will be able to say there's nothing they can do then at the end of their stint in govt office they'll be off to their highly paid corporate jobs.)