New York City - Heeding a call to put New Yorkers back to work, hundreds of unemployed people and their supporters rallied at the Federal Hall Building across from the New York Stock Exchange in lower Manhattan on September 1st to demand that city, state and federal government representatives make getting people back to work their number one priority.
The rally was sponsored by New Yorkers who have joined the One Nation Working Together movement, a coalition of more than 170 human and civil rights organizations, environmental, ethnic, labor, peace, youth, student and faith-based organizations that are bringing hundreds of thousands to Washington, D.C. on October 2nd to demand the same.
"New York City’s official unemployment rate is nearly 10 percent, but we know that it’s higher than that," said Hazel Dukes, president of the NAACP New York State Conference. "We need to go to Washington on October 2, 2010 and demand as One Nation Working Together that our officials help put everyone back to work now."
A mother of four, unemployed 45-year-old Sabrina Greenwood shared her story with the crowd. She said that she was laid off as a NYTA transit station agent right before she was to be vested. "For five years and sometimes five - six days a week, I gave up my weekends and holidays with my children. I worked all hours of the day and night, summer, winter, spring and fall. While the city slept, I worked. While the city went to sleep, I still worked. And what did I get for my dedication? No service package, no gold watch, not even a goodbye, just a pink slip." When she finished sharing her story, with her daughter by her side, the crowd chanted, "Jobs, jobs, jobs. 10/2/10, 10/2/10."
Rev. Terry Melvin (Secretary-Treasurer, New York State AFL-CIO) presided over the rally while Michael Mulgrew (President of the United Federation of Teachers), Leslie Cagan (co-chair of United for Peace & Justice), Reverend Bruce Southworth (Community Church of New York), Dan Cantor (Executive Director of the Working Families Party) and others shared thoughts on education reform, immigration reform and full civil rights. All speakers called for participation in the October 2nd rally in Washington, D.C.
"Washington has to make putting Americans back to work the first priority," said Rep. Charles Rangel, the Dean of New York’s Congressional delegation. "We need jobs. And we need them now."
One Nation Working Together has invited all New Yorkers to text "MARCH" to 30644 and join the 10.2.10 rally in Washington, D.C. and demand jobs, justice and education reform.
