New Yorkers to Protest Bailed Out Wisconsin Bank

Bank Moved Shareholders' Meeting to NYC to Avoid Wisconsin Workers

NEW YORK, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wisconsin firefighters and public employees will be joined by service and construction workers, community supporters and members of Sheet Metal Workers' International Association, AFL-CIO in a demonstration in front of the Marshall and Ilsley (M&I) shareholders' meeting on Tuesday, May 17th at 12:00 p.m.  Demonstrators will be seeking accountability from executives at M&I Bank who played a part not only in the economic collapse but also in the attack on collective bargaining rights by Governors like Wisconsin's Scott Walker.

Executives at M&I Bank were the leading non-party donors behind Governor Walker and his anti-worker agenda, even after receiving a $1.75 billion bailout from the Troubled Asset Relief Program of which $1.3 billion still has not been returned to taxpayers.

Governor Walker was launched into national prominence through his measures which stripped collective bargaining from public employees.  This winter, hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites protested his measures.  At the same time, executives at M&I Bank negotiated a compensation package of their own with the Bank of Montreal (BMO) which will reward them a total of $71 million once M&I is acquired by BMO later this year.  

M&I executives donated at least $46,361 to Scott Walker during the 2010 election and have donated $347,148 since 2000 to the Wisconsin GOP politicians who helped Walker push his anti-worker measures through.  

M&I Bank moved its shareholders' meeting from Milwaukee to New York City to avoid the Wisconsin citizens that are protesting against the anti-workers measures initiated by the politicians M&I executives lavished with donations.

Event Location:
Demonstration at M&I Bank Shareholders' Meeting,
New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway (Times Square), New York City, 12 p.m. (Noon)

Contact:
Paul Pimentel
Sheet Metal Workers' International Association, AFL-CIO
Mobile:  202 812-8159

SOURCE Sheet Metal Workers' International Association, AFL-CIO