News

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) Event - Atlanta, GA - September 10, 2014

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) Event was was hosted at Emory University, which is a private educational institution. Within the relatively short time frame in which to organize a team to participate in the strategic actions at this event, we were able to put together a highly effective team of 6 people. The team consisted of the following individuals:

  • Booker Lester, CWA District 3
  • Eric Richardson, CWA Local 3204
  • Micah Benson, Emory student, Minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church (Martin Luther King's church)
  • Jesse Orrock, GA Senator Orrocks son
  • Neil Sardana, Atlanta Jobs With Justice
  • Ron Allen, former Team Lead with UAW Global Organizing Institute

Attendees: 100 - 200

Final speakers list:

  • Kurt Kuehn, CFO, UPS, Inc.
  • Tim Bennett, Director-General/CEO, Trans-Atlantic Business Council (TABC)
  • Andreas von UexKull, Minister Counselor, Head of Section Trade and Economic Affairs, Embassy of Sweden in the United States
  • Chris Israel, Partner, ACG Analytics
  • Gary Bruce, President of North America, Partner Tech, Inc.
  • Rudi Herbst, President and CEO, United Soft Plastics, Inc.
  • Doug Ladd, CMO, EndoChoice, Inc.
  • Sebastian Oertel, COO, TUV Rheinland Mobility

The most important information gathered and insights gained from this event are bulleted below.

  • Trans-Atlantic Business Council (TABC) and their allies belief that the lack of public awareness of this potential trade agree and it's impact are perceived as benefits for their strategic plan to shape opinions on the agreement, fast track the agreement, and get it passed in the 2016 lame duck session of congress.
  • The program agenda and the Resources on TTIP handout that were provided at the event allowed us to obtain a list of TABC allies and the sources for the information/research, claims of potential benefits, and others assertations that were made at the event.
  • Based on the location and charactics of the venues for the next 7 sessions, different tactics will need to be used to effectively participate in these events.

View photos here -- http://district3.cwa-union.org/photos/entry/transatlantic_trade_and_investment_partnership_ttip_event_-_atlanta_ga_-_se