Larry Weiss, head of the Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition for the past 11 years, takes his work to a new level this week, as he becomes executive director of the national Citizens Trade Campaign.

Citizens Trade is a coalition of more than two dozen state and national organizations. The organization, based in Washington, promotes a fair-trade alternative to the WTO, NAFTA, FTAA, CAFTA and the rest of the corporate free-trade agenda.

Weiss had been an executive committee member of Citizens Trade Campaign ? the only such representative from a state organization. He says the Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition is the strongest state organization in the nation, thanks to ?a very broad, strong, committed and capable? network of Minnesotans ?involved in the fight to make the economy work for working people, family farmers, our environment and our democracy.?

Weiss will remain in Minneapolis. A search committee has begun interviewing candidates for his position in the state coalition.

A ?farewell? celebration of Weiss? work will be held March 27, from 6-10 p.m., at the home of Kristi Anderson-Hermann, 5101 Elliot Ave. S., Minneapolis. If you plan to attend, call 612-824-4768 or email pamcostain@visi.com

Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org