Americans are fighting back against the greedy banks by doing more that just moving their checking accounts. They are standing shoulder to shoulder with families about to be tossed out of their homes. It is happening in Atlantaand it is happening in San Francisco.
OWS and Unions: How to Defend People About to Lose Their Homes
Inspired by the Occupy movement over 100 people showed up Friday outside the homes of two African American families in the Bay View, one of the traditional black neighborhoods of San Francisco. A year ago or even two months ago this home defense led by ACCE would have scraped to enlist 1-20 people to be present. Now buoyed by the effervescence of the Occupy moment, unionists, community leaders and politicians all swarmed Quesada Avenue in San Francisco. A high point was when a jubilant and visibly moved black homeowner came out her door and called the assembled group “her angels of mercy”. Then the banners of Occupy San Francisco arrived to cheers of all present: “They got bailed out, we got thrown out!” rang through the streets as we marched to two of the fourteen houses on the same street being foreclosed
Occupy groups are moving quickly to get behind the movement to resist evictions. That is an important issue in and of it self. This particular article really caught my attention because it is a vivid demonstration of the barriers that have separated groups like middle class progressives, union labor and minority communities from working closely together being broken down.
This article is by Peter Olney, Director of Organizing for the International Longshore & Warehouse Union. He goes on to discuss ideas of how unions can build an ongoing role in housing defense.
Home defense should become part of the daily routine of the hiring hall. Many of our members have been ashamed to admit they are struggling to keep their homes The 99% frame is giving them space to come forward. The hiring hall to home defense nexus is a way to spread concrete working class participation in the Occupy movement and to the benefit of all. Unions with hiring halls can hook up with ACCE and other groups fighting foreclosures to make a graphic emotional statement about the crisis and actually do something about it
I'd say that the bankers are going to be spending their bonus money on Tylenol and indigestion pills.