They had called an emergency protest to voice opposition to the Bush administration\'s proposal for a blank-check bailout for Wall Street. Union leaders and members demanded Congress include more accountability, oversight, regulation, plus equity for taxpayers and help for the average homeowner in a legislative response to the financial crisis.
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Union members took their views straight to Wall Street\'s doorstep. Photo by Dave Sanders |
"We can\'t afford any more mistakes from this administration," AFL-CIO President John Sweeney told the crowd. "We must put working families first in line." He also called for consequences for "the perpetrators of this disaster." Many other union leaders joined Sweeney at the rally, as did Jesse Jackson.
Pat Duff, a member of Plumbers Local 1, agreed with Sweeney\'s call for consequences. "It\'s all about accountability-- they need to be held accountable. Somebody else is going to be accountable for their decisions and their mistakes."
"If I gamble away my money, no one bails me out!" said Vanessa Smith, a CWA Local 1180 member. "If I go to Atlantic City and lose all my money – no one helps me buy groceries!"
"Let them bail us out first," said SEIU 32BJ member Sammy Abouricheh. "Let them bail out the little guys who put our life savings into our homes. Let them start with us."
Duff, the plumber, added that he knew the financial crisis was going to hit working families like his hard. "I\'m trying to save for a house, and now they\'re gonna make it impossible for someone like me to get a house.
CWA Local 1180 member Hillary Bloomfield explained why she came to rally: "I\'m tired of Wall Street being paid for doing the wrong thing," she said, adding, "And we don\'t want our pension money going down, either."
Retirement savings are a real concern as the financial crisis continues. "This is my first year in retirement, and I lost ten thousand dollars," said Marie Garcia, who retired from the New York Police Department last year. An AFSCME DC37 member, she added, "I thought my money was safe. So I had to be here."
Union members brought their own analysis of the crisis – and it differed from the Bush administration\'s. Tyrone Wilson, an IAM member from Minneapolis, said that he and about 50 Northwest coworkers flew in for the rally and a protest at the Northwest Airlines stockholders\' meeting.
The bailout "is going to make the rich richer and the poor and middle classes poorer. You\'ve got people dying, or homes hurt, by a hurricane.
How come there\'s no money for that?" he asked.
Barbara Bowen, president of AFT Local 2334, the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY President, drew parallels between the administration\'s rush to demand authority over $700 billion and their rush, five years ago, for authority to invade Iraq. "Yes they should solve the problem, but not our backs!"
The rally was organized by the New York City Central Labor Council. The CLC executive board put City labor leaders\' "seven conditions for the $700 Billion Bailout Plan on their website. The AFL-CIO and Change to Win and their affiliates have been circulating statements and petitions against the proposed legislation.
"It was excellent turnout on short notice," said Gibb Surette, chair of the Legal Services Staff Association, a part of United Auto Workers Local 2320. "It\'s great to see the labor movement take on Wall Street."
This article includes reporting by Peter Hogness. Dania Rajendra, a former editor of the Minneapolis Labor Review, is associate editor of the Clarion, publication of PSC/CUNY in New York City.
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They had called an emergency protest to voice opposition to the Bush administration\’s proposal for a blank-check bailout for Wall Street. Union leaders and members demanded Congress include more accountability, oversight, regulation, plus equity for taxpayers and help for the average homeowner in a legislative response to the financial crisis.
|
|
Union members took their views straight to Wall Street\’s doorstep. Photo by Dave Sanders |
"We can\’t afford any more mistakes from this administration," AFL-CIO President John Sweeney told the crowd. "We must put working families first in line." He also called for consequences for "the perpetrators of this disaster." Many other union leaders joined Sweeney at the rally, as did Jesse Jackson.
Pat Duff, a member of Plumbers Local 1, agreed with Sweeney\’s call for consequences. "It\’s all about accountability– they need to be held accountable. Somebody else is going to be accountable for their decisions and their mistakes."
"If I gamble away my money, no one bails me out!" said Vanessa Smith, a CWA Local 1180 member. "If I go to Atlantic City and lose all my money – no one helps me buy groceries!"
"Let them bail us out first," said SEIU 32BJ member Sammy Abouricheh. "Let them bail out the little guys who put our life savings into our homes. Let them start with us."
Duff, the plumber, added that he knew the financial crisis was going to hit working families like his hard. "I\’m trying to save for a house, and now they\’re gonna make it impossible for someone like me to get a house.
CWA Local 1180 member Hillary Bloomfield explained why she came to rally: "I\’m tired of Wall Street being paid for doing the wrong thing," she said, adding, "And we don\’t want our pension money going down, either."
Retirement savings are a real concern as the financial crisis continues. "This is my first year in retirement, and I lost ten thousand dollars," said Marie Garcia, who retired from the New York Police Department last year. An AFSCME DC37 member, she added, "I thought my money was safe. So I had to be here."
Union members brought their own analysis of the crisis – and it differed from the Bush administration\’s. Tyrone Wilson, an IAM member from Minneapolis, said that he and about 50 Northwest coworkers flew in for the rally and a protest at the Northwest Airlines stockholders\’ meeting.
The bailout "is going to make the rich richer and the poor and middle classes poorer. You\’ve got people dying, or homes hurt, by a hurricane.
How come there\’s no money for that?" he asked.
Barbara Bowen, president of AFT Local 2334, the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY President, drew parallels between the administration\’s rush to demand authority over $700 billion and their rush, five years ago, for authority to invade Iraq. "Yes they should solve the problem, but not our backs!"
The rally was organized by the New York City Central Labor Council. The CLC executive board put City labor leaders\’ "seven conditions for the $700 Billion Bailout Plan on their website. The AFL-CIO and Change to Win and their affiliates have been circulating statements and petitions against the proposed legislation.
"It was excellent turnout on short notice," said Gibb Surette, chair of the Legal Services Staff Association, a part of United Auto Workers Local 2320. "It\’s great to see the labor movement take on Wall Street."
This article includes reporting by Peter Hogness. Dania Rajendra, a former editor of the Minneapolis Labor Review, is associate editor of the Clarion, publication of PSC/CUNY in New York City.