Who They Are, What They Want

A look at some of the groups protesting the World Trade Organization in Seattle:

Group/Description: Alliance for Sustainable Jobs & the Environment Alliance formed between locked-out Kaiser Steel workers and environmental groups in Northern California.

Position on the WTO: Believes that the WTO subverts the labor and environmental laws of this country.

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Group/Descriptio: American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). AFL-CIO is a federation of 68 unions-13 million members.

Position on the WTO: Persuade the WTO to incorporate rules to enforce worker rights and environmental and consumer protections.

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Group/Description: Direct Action Network Coalition of grass-roots and street theater groups from the Western U.S. and Canada.

Position on the WTO: Persuade public that WTO represents the next step in multinational corporate control.

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Group/Description: Global Exchange International human rights group based in San Francisco.

Position on the WTO: Charges that, among other things the WTO serves only the interests of multinational corporations, tramples over labor and human rights, and is destroying the environment.

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Group/Description: Humane Society of the United States Promotes the protection of all animals

Position on the WTO: Wants the WTO to become animal-friendly. Some members of these groups dressed as sea turtles in the protest to highlight the importance of turtle-exclusion devices.

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Group/Description: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy Research and advocacy group working for change in agriculture and natural resources.

Position on the WTO: Seeks to educate people about the implications of the WTO’s actions on issues of agriculture, food safety, food security, dumping, etc.

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Group/Description: International Forum on Globalization U.S. based think tank of intellectuals and activists from 20 countries.

Position on the WTO: Seeks to provide as much information as possible to the public and activists so they are aware of the issues that drive the WTO.

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Group/Description: People’s Assembly International group representing 13 nations; came together specifically to protest the WTO

Position on the WTO: Educate people about the impact of the WTO and expand the linkages among anti-imperialist groups.

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Group/Description: Rainforest Action Network Works to protect the Earth’s rainforests.

Position on the WTO: Contends the WTO is fundamentally flawed, because trade provisions come before the laws of nations and power is shifted away from local communities and governments and given to corporations.

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This was compiled from interviews, news releases and Web sites.