By Lisa A. Fraser
November 16, 2011
On Thursday, November 10, a group of nearly three-dozen protesters with the Alliance for a Greater New York (ALIGN), Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE) and the Occupy Wall Street movement gathered in front of JP Morgan Chase at MetroTech Center to demand “good jobs, not giveaways.”
The protesters aimed to call attention to almost $238 million in tax breaks and corporate subsidies, which were awarded to Chase Bank in 1988 by the New York City Industrial Development Agency (IDA) to build at MetroTech and move 5,000 employees there, retaining their jobs through 2013...
“We need to remind Chase that it’s been a long time and we’ve only seen layoffs from it, so it’s only fair that the people ask for public good in return,” said Nathalie Allegre of ALIGN.
The protest falls in line with a recent report released by the Coalition for Economic Justice in conjunction with ALIGN, called "Regional Review: Job Creation and New York’s Industrial Development Agencies," which shows consistent problems with New York’s IDAs. ...
“What is alarming is the amount of public subsidies these highly profitable companies receive – and continue to receive – even after they break their promises,” Allegre said.
The protesters demanded that Chase give back to the community by delivering on the jobs they promised, or returning the public subsidies they received.
Chanting slogans, the protesters marched up to the JP Morgan Chase glass doors, which were blocked by security, in an effort to hand over signed “past due notice bills” demanding that JP Morgan either create new jobs or give the public their money back.
The “past due bills” were accepted by a mid-level security manager and protesters hope it will make it to the hands of decision-makers.
A spokesman for JP Morgan Chase said that the bank is in compliance with the city and remains in good standing with the IDA. But protesters failed to accept that statement...
To read the full story visit: Brooklyn Downtown Star