Posted at: 12/05/2009 7:22 PM | KSAX.com
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Protests March Through Twin Cities for Fair Trade

Dozens of students, labor union workers and environmental activists marched across the Ford Parkway Bridge Saturday in support of fair trade.

The Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition organized the rally to mark the 10th anniversary of the protests at the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in 1999.

"We're not against trade. We believe it should be done in a way that supports a majority of the people and the environment," said Alicia Ranney with the Coalition.

One marcher, Milt Nordmeyer, has worked for Honeywell for 30 years. He says in that time, the number of union workers at the company has dwindled from 14,000 to 1,200 members. He says the North American Free Trade Agreement has caused jobs to be outsourced.

"Just take a look around the economy, what's happening, we need to have all the jobs we can get here," said Nordmeyer.

Organizers say a bill before both houses of congress called the Trade, Reform, Accountability Development and Employment Act, would make trade more fair. Representative Keith Ellison is a sponsor.

"This is not a protectionist movement, but this is a movement to try to rebalance the scales so that when we engage in trade, it's good for the buyer, good for the seller, good for the worker, all the way around," said Rep. Ellison.

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce says trade helps the economy here in the United States and Overseas.