OccupySTL
The OccupySTL (St. Louis) demonstration is a part of the Occupy Movement which began on Sept. 17, 2011 with the original Occupy Wall Street demonstration in New York City. OccupySTL forms a part of Occupy Missouri.
Support
Communications Workers of America
At an OccupySTL meeting held in the down-town Kiener Plaza to plan a protest on two local Bank of America offices, Bradley Harmon, president of CWA Missouri State Workers' Union stated, "Members of CWA Local 6355 are part of the 99 percent of the country that are getting completely hosed by the financiers that have taken over our democracy and have ruined our economy for working people."[1]
Labor
On Oct. 14, 2011, teachers, students, laborers, unemployed workers, senior citizens and retirees marched through downtown St. Louis, gathering at Kiener Plaza where they were addressed by OccupySTL and Labor leaders.[2]
Bob Soutier, President of the St. Louis Labor Council stated,
- “For a generation, our economy has been geared towards spending more and working more while making less. Working people have become staggeringly productive, but our wages fell through the floor. We’re here because “we are the 99 percent.” Since 1993, the majority of the income growth in our economy has gone to the other one percent.”
Gary Elliott, Business Manager of the Eastern Missouri Laborers (MOLECET).
- “Now it is time for Congress to act to create millions of jobs and put America back to work. We need solutions on scale with the problems our economy faces. Our elected leaders must put aside partisanship long enough to help our middle class and economy recover. This is the moment in history every elected leader will be judged on their actions taken to create good jobs. The American Jobs Act includes significant investments in infrastructure – modernizing roads, transit systems, schools, airports, and other key components of a modern economy – and public servants, offering money to prevent layoffs of teachers and first responders.”
Participants
External Links
References
- ↑ Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 People's World: "Occupy" demonstrations erupt in St. Louis, Oct. 7, 2011 (accessed on Oct. 26, 2011)
- ↑ Talking Union: Labor Joins Occupy Missouri, Oct. 14, 2011 (accessed on Dec. 19, 2011)