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For Release: Friday, February 4, 2000 UAW National CAP Conference Kicks Off SundayDelegates to Lobby Congress on China NTR Status and Other Issues |
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UAW political activists from across the nation will gather in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, February 6, to set the union's political action agenda at the annual UAW National Community Action Program (CAP) Conference. CAP is the political action arm of the UAW, which represents 1.3 million active and retired workers in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico.
The conference will be Sunday, February 6 through Wednesday, February 9, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Rd, NW, Washington, D.C. On Tuesday afternoon, February 8, UAW leaders and activists will head to Capitol Hill to discuss issues of concern to working families -- in particular, trade issues. The delegates will urge their U.S. Senators and Representatives in Congress to vote against permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status to China. In addition to meeting with members of Congress, the UAW political activists will participate in workshops on policy issues and worker-to-worker political education and hear from a variety of distinguished guest speakers. Highlights of the 2000 UAW National CAP Conference are:
General sessions are open to the press. A mult box is available. Media registration for the conference will be 12 Noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, February 6, in the UAW Public Relations office in the Washington Room - 8226 (phone: 202-745-2172), Marriott Wardman Park Hotel. This office will be open and staffed throughout the conference. Coinciding with the National CAP Conference, the UAW will launch an advertising campaign to encourage voters to tell their Representatives and Senators to vote "NO" on permanent Normal Trade Relations for China. The ad features the headline "You can't have free trade without freedom" superimposed over a dramatic photo of Chinese security forces choking a prisoner. The ad goes on to explain that if Congress grants China permanent NTR status, the U.S. would lose its ability "to withdraw NTR status if China continues to oppress basic human rights and threatens U.S. workers and companies with unfair competition." "The sad truth," the ad concludes, "is that China's rulers are not running a 'normal' country. So why treat them as 'normal' trading partners?" The ad is scheduled to run in the following publications: Washington Post - Tuesday, February 8 Washington Times - Tuesday, February 8 Wall Street Journal - Wednesday, February 9 Roll Call - Monday, February 7 The Hill - Tuesday, February 8 Congress Daily - Tuesday, February 8 Daily Monitor - Tuesday, February 8 American Prospect - March 13 edition For more information visit the UAW CAP Website |
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