APWU Rallies Against Big Banks, For Good Jobs

Protesting corporate greed and big-bank financiers, APWU officers and staff joined hundreds of union activists at a rally in Washington DC on May 17 to literally shut down K Street and to shed light on the mess big banks have made of the economy.

Members of many unions and community organizations gathered for the rally and march on K Street, the headquarters of many corporate lobbyists who represent big banks and who have spent millions of dollars to kill financial reform that would protect working families and strengthen the economy.

“K Street and Wall Street have been ripping off Main Street,” AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler told participants. “Unemployment rates are at a generational high, while Wall Street gets richer.”

Chanting “Bust Up Big Banks, Bail Out — No Thanks!” rally participants marched down K Street to demand an end to corporate bailouts, and to spread the message, “It’s time to take back our democracy from big bank lobbyists!” They briefly stopped traffic at the intersection of K and 14th streets, NW during the busy lunch hour.

In addition to demanding Wall Street Reform, the “K Street Showdown” called for “Good Jobs Now.” Shuler told the crowd that 11 million jobs were not lost, but stolen from hard-working Americans.

“We’re not going to stand for that,” she told the cheering crowd. “We need good jobs now!”

Labor activists called on Congress to pass financial reform that “really fixes the broken system.” The rally in the nation’s capital is part of a campaign to support financial reform and took place three weeks after union activists marched on Wall Street to call for new regulations that would hold investment bankers accountable for the damage done to the nation’s economy.

“Together we can hold Wall Street accountable, restore jobs, strengthen the rules and make sure everyone plays by them,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, who led the New York rally.

Chanting “they got bailed out, the public got sold out,” and “Main Street yes, Wall Street no,” APWU members also picketed in Missoula, MT on the same day as the New York City demonstration.

Participants included members from locals in the Northwest region, the Missoula Area Central Labor Council, and the AFL-CIO. The rally took place in front of a Wells Fargo bank branch on the last day of the APWU Northwest Regional Convention.