International labor union kicks off ad campaign against TPP

An international labor union is launching an advertising campaign against an expansive Asia-Pacific trade agreement ahead of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to Washington this week.

The International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), which represents 400,000 building and construction trades workers in the United States and Canada, is urging Trudeau to oppose the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in what it describes as a “secret, job-killing trade deal.”

{mosads}President Obama and Trudeau are expected to discuss the path for the TPP’s passage during meetings at the White House later this week. 

The president is calling on Congress to ratify the deal before he leaves office. Trudeau’s administration has indicated that they will shop the trade deal around Canada and ensure the Parliament holds a robust debate before agreeing to approve the TPP agreement. 

The union argues that the TPP “puts jobs, wages and worker safety at risk.”

Labor unions are vehemently opposed to the trade agreement saying that it hurts workers and benefits large businesses. 

The ads call on Trudeau to stop the TPP deal he inherited from former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and to protect Canadian jobs. 

The campaign will run in Washington through the week before expanding into other U.S. and Canadian media markets.

Trudeau’s visit comes as the debate over trade ramps up in the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns.

GOP front-runner Donald Trump is saying that he would rip up all existing trade agreements and Sen. Bernie Sanders is trying to create some space between him and rival Hillary Clinton, criticizing her for supporting agreements he argues have hurt the U.S. economy.