Make Wall St Pay to Fix the Job Crisis They Created

Workers protest Bank of America in Raleigh

Yesterday, the Triangle Labor Council (TLC) organized a protest outside a Bank of America (B of A) branch in Raleigh, NC. The event drew about two dozen protestors. Folks held signs and chanted for about an hour at the busy intersection where the bank is located to raise awareness of B of A's failure to do more to fix the jobs crisis it and other Wall St banks helped create in 2008.

While Americans have lost nearly 9 million jobs in this recession, as well as homes, retirement savings, and hope, Wall Street banks took billions in taxpayer bailouts - and returned to business as usual. B of A alone received $45 billion in rescue funds, and it still owes more than the loans it has repaid, said TLC President, Michael Gravinese:

"This company wouldn't be in business without the American taxpayer bailing them out, and it's not right they aren't doing more to help rebuild this economy."

Click here to see photos from the Raleigh protest outside Bank of America.

Info picket held in Asheville

Western NC CLC President, Mark Case, also organized an information picket in the heart of downtown Asheville. Mark reported afterward that they apparently had touched a nerve with Bank of America executives:

"Ernie [of Just Economics of Western NC] was handing out leaflets when three of these executives came out of an office. They replied, 'It's our money. We can do with it what we want.' A quote for the ages!

For more information about our campaign to Make Wall St Pay:

• Unions Make Strides as They Attack Banks (NY Times Mar 24, 2010)
• AFL-CIO Good Jobs Now campaign
• Bank of America, Wells Fargo probably won't pay income tax for 2009 (Charlotte Observer Mar 26, 2010)