A coalition of labor, environmental, civil rights groups and other progressive organizations with millions of members around the country united on Wednesday for a national call-in day to Congress to stop a potential lame-duck vote on the unpopular Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal.

"Despite widespread public opposition to the TPP, the big business interests that helped write the TPP are now pushing extremely hard to have a vote on it during the 'lame duck' session of Congress after the election," said (pdf) the Communications Workers of America.

"That's why it's critical that our Members of Congress hear from us loud and clear—that they must oppose TPP during the lame duck session," the union added.

"We must not make it easier for corporate America to ship jobs to countries where desperate workers make pennies an hour," said Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) at a Tuesday news conference regarding the national day of action. "We feel confident that we speak for a strong majority of the people in this country who are urging Congress to say 'no' to the Trans-Pacific Partnership."

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Reps. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.), Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) joined Sanders Tuesday for the news conference against the notorious trade deal.

"Make no mistake: the TPP is not dead," wrote the privacy watchdog Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF). "On Friday, August 5, the Obama administration sent Congress the last official document required before TPP implementing legislation can go for a vote. This means we need to unite with others nationwide to act now to Stop the TPP. We must force every member of Congress to state his or her position on the TPP before the election."

And Dave Johnson of Campaign for America's Future noted: "We want to fill the call logs that congressional offices maintain with a stream of demands that members publicly oppose the TPP. Your voice will be united with the biggest, most diverse coalition ever assembled to fight corporate-rigged 'trade' deals. This coalition includes labor, environmental, consumer, faith, health, family farm, civil rights, senior citizen, youth, LGBT and other organizations and activists."

"Keep jamming the phone lines," tweeted the Teamsters. "Tell your representatives in Congress to oppose the job-killing TPP."