Expanding their reach beyond the confines of Wall Street, a dozen activists from the ongoing Occupy Wall Street action disrupted an art auction at Sotheby’s last week.
The protest supported 43 union art handlers, members of Teamsters Local 814, who were locked out August 1 by the tony art seller.
Occupy Wall Street, organized mostly through social media, began protests in lower Manhattan 12 days ago, calling on “the 99%” to confront the “greed and corruption of the 1%.”
Disguised as potential bidders, the activists entered the building and interrupted the auctioneer one at a time as bidding on an item reached $130,000.
The protesters staggered their interruptions through a period of 75 minutes with shouts to “end the lockout” and “make Wall Street pay.”
They were escorted off the premises by security with no arrests.
“What’s being done to the art handlers is plain wrong,” said Will Russell, a Hunter College student. “Sotheby’s made $690 million in gross profit last year—but they can’t afford to pay their workers a fair wage?”
Actress Ashley Straw also participated. “The greed in this building is a direct example of the corporate greed that has ruined our economy,” she said.
5 comments:
So the CEO's think America does not support unions so they can do what they want?
God, I hate to admit it but maybe we do need unions.
These CEO's and their allies have convinced Americans that unrestriced and unregulated "capitalism" and the "free market" are good things. But what they don't want to mention is that unmitigated GREED is destroying the fabric of our society and our economic and political systems. Your company makes $670 million dolllars in profit, yet cries "wolf!" at the mere mention of paying the help more than minimum wage?! Capitalism is a great system. Just don't let them convince you that multimillionaires and BILLIONAIRES just can't afford to pay their employees without going into the poorhouse. Okay, everybody, on the count of three....USA! USA! USA!.....now get back to your part time job with no benefits....
And it has encouraged other cities to protest. Yay! Get off your complacent butts people.
Greedy corporate America punishing workers,let's stop the war on workers,big rally on fifth ave and 63rd st on monday oct 3 @530pm, let's take bAck america
Big rally mon oct 3 at 530pmon fifth ave at 63st ,where these rich people live
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