Unions Launch TakeBackTheEconomy.org, Linking Bailout Protests to Employee Free Choice

[babylonsister]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/03/unions-launch-takebacktheeconomyorg-linking-bailout-protests-to-employee-free-choice.php

Unions Launch TakeBackTheEconomy.org, Linking Bailout Protests to Employee Free Choice
By Elana Schor - March 16, 2009, 2:08PM


The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Change to Win labor federation are wasting no time in seizing the political moment as anger flares over AIG's commitment to its own executives' bonus payments.

The unions, along with several other partners, are launching takebacktheeconomy.org and planning protests on Thursday at the regional offices of bailed-out banks in more than 100 cities. The goal of the day: pressuring Wall Street into substantively changing its bonus-happy culture.

But there is a bigger goal for the day, one that goes beyond expressing anger at corporate abuse of power. The labor movement sees an opportunity to link the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), the union organizing bill that is its No. 1 priority this year, to the growing tide of post-bailout populism.

Two of the banks to be closely targeted on Thursday are Citigroup and Bank of America, both of which have lobbied hard against EFCA while taking taxpayer money.

One labor official said that unions are "hoping this is going to be a real outlet, hoping we can seize this moment in time to advance EFCA" as voters connect the corporate influence that helped bring about the bailout with the influence that's keeping EFCA from achieving the necessary level of support in the Senate.

[county worker]

1. I'm a proud SEIU member, live better join a union.

[tomreedtoon]

2. Well, that's only...about SIX YEARS too late.

What was keeping the unions - who have been under fire for longer than that six years I mentioned - from doing this before? Didn't union leadership care that much about their members?

It HAS been a long time since River Rouge, hasn't it?

[Fire1]

3. Better late than never.