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The most liberal House Democrats are breaking with President Obama over trade deals, using a coalition that includes unions, teachers, environmentalists and possibly tea party members to try to kill trade legislation that is one of the few areas of agreement between the White House and the Republican-run Congress.

Members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and labor leaders, including AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, rallied Thursday on Capitol Hill to denounce the White House push for authority to fast-track trade deals through Congress.

They said it would hide details of the deals behind a veil of secrecy and prevent lawmakers from protecting their constituents from lopsided agreements.

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The AFL-CIO doesnt just oppose fast track. Were going to fight actively to kill it, and were going to win, declared Mr. Trumka, who has expressed dissatisfaction with the president his union troops helped twice elect.

The fast-track or trade promotion authority would empower the president to unilaterally negotiate deals and then give lawmakers only an up-or-down vote on it, which would boost Mr. Obamas chances of completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation deal with Pacific Rim countries that is centerpiece of his Asia policy.

Talks on the TPP are nearly finished and the White House is expected to seek fast track soon. He first asked for it two years ago but the effort stalled. This time he has the benefit of pro-free trade Republicans running both chambers.

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The rally, however, exposed a rift in the Democratic Caucus, similar to the split over the $1.1 trillion spending package last month that forced Mr. Obama to personally lobby his partys lawmakers to get the bill passed and avoid a government shutdown.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, blamed bad trade deals, pointing to the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement as an example, for compromising the quality of food, increasing the cost of medicine, undermining environmental regulations, sending jobs abroad and suppressing U.S. wages.

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Progressives push back on fast-track trade deals