Hoosiers Rally to Take Back the Economy

Call on Congress To Act on Employee Free Choice, Health Care, Banking Reform

Thousands of Americans in 35 states took to the streets outside of major U.S. banks to demonstrate the growing public frustration with an economy weakened by years of corporate excess at the expense of broader prosperity.

In Indianapolis, working families, SEIU, Jobs with Justice and ACORN demonstrated at Chase Bank with signs that had a message aimed at the U.S. Congress: “It’s Time for an Economy that Works for Everyone.”

Chase’s CEO Jamie Dimon received $27.8 million in 2007—while the median wage for a teller at hovers around the federal poverty line.

Chase has announced 9,200 layoffs and is shutting down Washington Mutual branches in spite of taking a $25 billion taxpayer bailout.  Meanwhile the company is spending $66 million for naming rights to Chase Field in Phoenix.

The nationwide protests challenge Congress to take immediate steps to rebuild an economy that works for everyone by passing:

• The Employee Free Choice Act so workers have the freedom to form unions for a voice to share in the economic progress they help create.

• Affordable, quality health care for all where everyone, including big corporations, does their share and Americans no longer have to go without quality health care or face health costs that sink a family’s budget.

• Strong banking reform to make sure the financial services industry can never again bring our economy down by prioritizing huge profits and executive pay over responsible lending, or by preying on consumers, gambling with families’ hard-earned money, and hiding their dealings.