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MoveOn.org protest in San Leandro puts a union spin on the Occupy Wall Street movement that has inspired demonstrations in more than 1,500 cities worldwide.
A Friday afternoon protest outside a Bank of America branch in San Leandro put the union label on the anti-corporate movement popularized by the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.
About five dozen protesters lined Hesperian Boulevard outside the BofA near BayFair Center, some wearing buttons arguing that 99 percent of Americans have come to be dominated by the wealthiest 1 percent.
That's the mantra of protests that have been held so far in more than 1,500 cities under the Occupy Together banner.
But Friday's event in San Leandro was a variant on those spontaneous Occupy protests, such as the rally held last week by students at San Leandro High.
Friday's event was organized by the American Dream Movement, a coalition of MoveOn.org and other groups with labor ties that came together before the Occupy movement began.
The protesters outside BofA Friday included San Leandro City Councilman Jim Prola, still active in union politics even in retirement.
Prola argued that union leaders were right when they fought so-called free trade agreements. He said those deals have caused a jobs exodus that has hurt the middle class and undermined the economy.
"They've taken $35 an hour jobs and replaced them with $10 an hour jobs and people just don't have the purchasing power," Prola said.
Protest organizer David Siegel, a leader of the Castro Valley Democratic Club, said his coalition had the same anti-corporate bent as the Occupy movement.
"These are a bunch of middle-class people who are sick and tired of the corporate domination of our government," he said.
READ MORE Labor Slant Marks 'Occupy' Protest At Bank of America - San Lorenzo, CA Patch
A Friday afternoon protest outside a Bank of America branch in San Leandro put the union label on the anti-corporate movement popularized by the Occupy Wall Street demonstrations.
About five dozen protesters lined Hesperian Boulevard outside the BofA near BayFair Center, some wearing buttons arguing that 99 percent of Americans have come to be dominated by the wealthiest 1 percent.
That's the mantra of protests that have been held so far in more than 1,500 cities under the Occupy Together banner.
But Friday's event in San Leandro was a variant on those spontaneous Occupy protests, such as the rally held last week by students at San Leandro High.
Friday's event was organized by the American Dream Movement, a coalition of MoveOn.org and other groups with labor ties that came together before the Occupy movement began.
The protesters outside BofA Friday included San Leandro City Councilman Jim Prola, still active in union politics even in retirement.
Prola argued that union leaders were right when they fought so-called free trade agreements. He said those deals have caused a jobs exodus that has hurt the middle class and undermined the economy.
"They've taken $35 an hour jobs and replaced them with $10 an hour jobs and people just don't have the purchasing power," Prola said.
Protest organizer David Siegel, a leader of the Castro Valley Democratic Club, said his coalition had the same anti-corporate bent as the Occupy movement.
"These are a bunch of middle-class people who are sick and tired of the corporate domination of our government," he said.
READ MORE Labor Slant Marks 'Occupy' Protest At Bank of America - San Lorenzo, CA Patch
