On May 12

Many of the groups that worked on the May 12 mobilizations took a little break from common actions during the summer and are now energized and getting back together to plan some new exciting and fun actions.  Community groups, unions and students are back on board for working together, and we hope you and your compañeros y compañeras can join us in this new phase!

August 30, 2011

Tax Me More, Europe’s Wealthy Say

By JULIA WERDIGIER

LONDON — Echoing a call by Warren E. Buffett, members of the European wealthy elite are urging their governments to raise their taxes or enact special levies to help reduce growing budget deficits.

http://action.cwa-union.org/c/1153/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2657  

45,000 Verizon workers are now on strike to stop the attack on the middle class.   The reason? Despite record profits, Verizon is refusing to bargain and is demanding that its workers add to those profits from their own pockets.  

New York State will give millionaires and billionaires a $5 billion tax cut at midnight on December 31, while cutting schools, seniors, child care and programs to prevent abuse, neglect and homelessness among our kids.  

Maybe next year a few more children of millionaires will be taking private jets to summer camp, while families face homelessness, seniors pay more for prescriptions, and our schools and colleges face huge cuts in funding and programs.  

"I was astounded by these numbers," said Research Service owner George Simpson. "It looks like the 28-year-old Wall Street guys are back hunting for $3 million houses."

Remind us again why we're giving $5 billion in State tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires while cutting schools, seniors and services for low-income kids at risk of abuse, neglect and homelessness?

Are you angry about the economy and the lack of good jobs? Pro-worker members of Congress are coming to the Bronx to hear from us about the need for good jobs in our communities. This is your chance to tell your story and make your voice heard by Congress! Invited Members of Congress include Charles Rangel, Yvette Clarke, Jerrold Nadler and other elected guests.  

THURSDAY JUNE 30 5:30PM-7:30PM

HOSTOS COMMUNITY COLLEGE 149TH & GRAND CONCOURSE BRONX NY

2/4/5 TRAINS TO 149TH ST/GRAND CONCOURSE  

We’re in the last hours of talks on this year’s City budget – it’s time for one last round of actions to demand a fair budget agreement that would restore Bloomberg’s cuts to essential programs and services and prevent mass layoffs that would make a bad economy even worse.   A few minutes of your time today between 2PM and 5PM can make a real difference in the fight for a fair budget.  

CONTACT THE COUNCIL TODAY/THURSDAY  

The Mayor's Budget makes cuts that will hurt nearly every New Yorker, except the Big Banks and Millionaires that caused the financial crisis. Before working families are asked to tighten our belts and accept these deep cuts to the social safety net, the big banks and millionaires who caused the crisis need to be held accountable. The Beyond May 12 Coalition came up with four alternative revenue streams that could generate $1 billion for the city.

What:             Real Revenue Options Briefing

Date:              Monday, June 13, 2011

Time:              11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Place:             NYC Coalition for Educational Justice (CEJ) Annenberg Institute for School Reform 233 Broadway, Suite 720 (Woolworth Building)

Who:               The May 12 Coalition, Human Services Council, New York Communities for Change, VOCAL-NY, Make the Road New York, Strong Economy For All Coalition, Community Voices Heard, Coalition for Educational Justice, and Coalition for the Homeless

By: Sally Goldenberg, New York Post

5/13/11

Hundreds of union members and their supporters marched from City Hall to Wall Street yesterday to protest Mayor Bloomberg's proposed budget cuts -- including 4,100 teacher layoffs.

They also targeted the financial industry for its role in the recession.

Live from Wall Street!

Chime in by tweeting to the #OnMay12 hashtag or leave a comment below.

 May 12: Meet-Up, Teach-In, Fight-

 ***For Planning Purposes Only***

Contact:  
Dan Levitan (646) 200-5315,
Eric Koch (646) 200-5309,
Peter Kadushin (UFT) (212) 510-6463
Ana Tinsly, (646) 331-4765

OVER 10,000 TO MARCH ON WALL STREET TO MAKE THE BANKS PAY

Unprecedented Labor-Community Coalition Calls on Mayor Bloomberg to Close Loopholes and Renegotiate Bad Deals that Cost City Taxpayers Billions

Liu, De Blasio, Sharpton to join Leaders and Activists at Over 100 Teach-Ins

 By: Sally Kohn, Mediaite

5/12/11

This week, thousands of Americans are descending on Wall Street to protest the fact that local and state governments (including New York) are cutting social services and firing teachers while failing to go after tax dodging by big banks and other corporations. This offers a perfect opportunity to educate the news media about how to appropriately cover such political actions and confrontations — not just abroad but right here, in our own backyards.

By: Liz Benjamin, Capital Tonight

5/12/11

Today is May 12, which means there will be a big crowd of protestors converging on Wall Street to decry corporate tax breaks and wealthy bankers who, as the left puts it, “do not pay their fair share” in taxes, while middle-class families are taking a hit in the budget proposed by NYC Mayor Bloomberg. As the WFP’s Bill Lipton wrote in an email to supporters last night:

By: William Cohen, New York Times Opinionator Blog

5/11/11

By Akito Yoshikane, In These Times

5/11/11

The beginning of May marked Teachers Appreciation Week. But that didn’t stop cities from announcing plans to give pink slips to its educators.

By: Dave Johnson, Campaign for America's Future

5/11/11

James Boyce, Daily Kos

5/6/11

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/05/06/973077/-On-May-12,-Where-Will-Y...

By: David Deyden, Fire Dog Lake

4/29/11

http://news.firedoglake.com/2011/04/29/anti-bank-activism-grows-with-ser...

By: Susan Lerner, Friday May 6, 2011

http://209.98.77.34/albanyproject/diary/9405/on-may-12-we-say-no-more-bull

If you're in downtown New York City next Thursday, come down to Wall Street and join our classroom-without-walls to support On May 12, a meet up, teach in and rally aimed at shining a light on those who really destroyed our economy and the solutions we can create together.  

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/new-york-teachers-union-vows-wisconsin-style-protest-over-teacher-cuts-20110507

FOX NEWS

Updated: Sunday, 08 May 2011, 12:51 AM EDT

NEW YORK - The head of the New York City teachers’ union declared war on Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to layoff 4,100 teachers Saturday -- and angrily vowed a massive Wisconsin-style protest this Thursday as an opening salvo.

By: Richard Brodsky

Decades ago, the Right decided to demonize poor folks, and coined phrases like "welfare mothers" and used them to anger middle-class taxpayers.  It worked, and in the American tradition of ideas ultimately mattering, it lead to a fundamental change in programs and attitudes toward the poor.