Labour cuts a cheque for Occupy protestors
Posted Nov 4, 2011 02:30:45 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Organized labour is showing its support for a less-organized protest movement.
Local CAW president Karl Risser presented Occupy Nova Scotia with a cheque for $5231 at the foot of the cenotaph in Grand Parade.
“This is old-school,” said Risser. “This is passing a hat around a convention hall. That’s what we did for these guys. And then the Nova Scotia Federation (of Labour) matched that dollar value. And then our affiliate unions kicked in a little more for a grand total of $5231.”
Local Labour Council president Kyle Buott says the occupy movement is an inspiration.
“It actually has already accomplished a huge amount,” said Buott. “And that is that there’s been a shift in consciousness around these issues. Suddenly it’s not a radical idea to talk about increasing taxes on the rich and making sure the corporations and banks pay their fair share. So that culture shift is actually the biggest victory of the Occupation movement, and that’s not going to go away after a physical occupation ends.”
The unions are also soliciting winter goods for the protestors at halifaxlabour.ca.
