Florida Launches Fair Trade Campaign

  
The Citizens' Trade Campaign has asked well-known social activist Eric Ruben to develop a fair trade coalition in Florida. Ruben was in Miami the week of July 1 and began his agenda with a successful meeting with Representative Carrie Meek. The Florida congresswoman, who recently announced her retirement, received the thanks of top labor, environmental, agricultural and civic leaders for her vote against the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) requested by President Bush.

Ruben is quick to explain that the new coalition is not being built to reject TPA, but that it is a permanent group that will seek to educate and involve Floridians in improved trade policies. It is quite an accomplishment for Ruben to unite a diverse group that included the president of the South Florida AFL-CIO and a prominent Homestead farmer in the visit to Representative Meek. The Florida Fair Trade Campaign is being run out of St. Petersburg, Florida where Ruben organizes the Tampa Bay Action Group, a coalition of 40 organizations, religious institutions, unions, community groups, student/youth groups and concerned individuals committed "to create local alternatives to corporate globalization." This experience and years of community organizing give Ruben good credentials for undertaking this mission.

South Florida itself has not had any coherent fair trade coalition or activities. Early in 1999, a group working out of Florida Atlantic University began to develop an organization that later linked with activists in Miami to bring attention to globalization issues. Despite some interesting and well attended teach-ins in Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, they have little to show for their efforts. The University of Miami and Florida International University also have concerned student groups, but they have been unable to rally support. It remains to be seen if Ruben's efforts will strike a chord in this part of the state.

The worsening economic situation, increasing unemployment and growing concerns over the environment and related issues make this a propitious time for a renewal of opposition to free trade. Anti-globalization and anti-corporate groups could also get a boost from the Enron and WorldCom scandals. For the time being, Florida doesn't appear to be on the priority list of national organizations, but if Ruben's organizing work bears fruit that could change. Ultimately, Florida depends on trade and needs to find ways to gain greater influence in national debates on this topic.

For more information about the Florida Fair Trade Campaign, contact Eric Ruben at: [email protected].