The Third Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) was held in Seattle from November 30 to December 3, 1999. Trade ministers and other officials from the WTO’s 135 member nations met in an unsuccessful attempt to plan negotiations to further deregulate free trade. Tens of thousands of activists for many causes gathered to protest what they saw as the WTO’s favoring of corporate interests over social and environmental concerns.

The flier pictured here was printed by the King County Labor Council Education Committee to promote a march in downtown Seattle to protest "Globalization Without Representation."

Text on flier: The World Trade Organization Threatens Service Workers! Stand up proud! Let your voice be heard. Be there! Nov. 30 Seattle Center 10 A.M. Don't let global corporations screw you! WTO's Global Slavery means more sweatshops, child labor, unsafe work environments, sub-contracting our work overseas.

Caption information source: "WTO Meeting and Protests in Seattle (1999) — Part 1," by Kit Oldham, HistoryLink.org Essay 9183; and "WTO Meeting and Protests in Seattle (1999) — Part 2," by Kit Oldham, HistoryLink.org Essay 9213.