Occupy Wall Street going mainstream?

Occupy Wall Street protests have garnered very little media attention, especially the television kind. Yes, there’s been the usual ’dirty fucking hippies’ smirking from the New York Times and the like, but nothing substantial. Most Americans, except those who work or live near Wall Street, have taken little notice. That’s about to change.

The New York Transit Workers Union has joined the grassroots ‘group’ of individuals protesting Wall Street. The sheer size of the group has now become too big to ignore. Expect more additions from labour groups as this movement gains traction.

A loose coalition of labor and community groups said Thursday that they would join the protest next week. They are organizing a solidarity march scheduled for Wednesday that is expected to start at City Hall and finish a few blocks south at Zuccotti Park.[…[ Some of the biggest players in organized labor are actively involved in planning for Wednesday’s demonstration, either directly or through coalitions that they are a part of. The United Federation of Teachers, 32BJ SEIU, 1199 SEIU, Workers United and Transport Workers Union Local 100 are all expected to participate. The Working Families Party is helping to organize the protest and MoveOn.org is expected to mobilize its extensive online regional networks to drum up support for the effort.

“We’re getting involved because the crisis was caused by the excesses of Wall Street and the consequences have fallen hardest on workers,” a spokesman for TWU Local 100 said.

Community groups like Make the Road New York, the Coalition for the Homeless, the Alliance for Quality Education and Community Voices Heard are also organizing for Wednesday’s action, and the labor/community coalitions United New York and Strong Economy For All are pitching in as well.

Crossposted at Let Freedom Rain