Occupy May Day protests could block roads, shut down ferry service

The Occupy Wall Street movement is organizing a nationwide strike on May 1st, the International Workers Day. Panelists on "Up With Chris Hayes" discuss the history of worker strikes in the United States, their subsequent decline, and how Occupy plans to revive labor protests.

May Day protests may disrupt the morning commute in major U.S. cities Tuesday as labor, immigration and Occupy activists rally support on the international workers' holiday.

Demonstrations, strikes and acts of civil disobedience are being planned around the country, including the most visible organizing effort by anti-Wall Street groups since Occupy encampments came down in the fall.

While protesters are backing away from a call to block San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, bridge district ferry workers said they'll strike Tuesday morning to shut down ferry service, which brings commuters from Marin County to the city. Ferry workers have been in contract negotiations for a year and have been working without a contract since July 2011 in a dispute over health care coverage, the Inlandboatmen's Union said.


A coalition of bridge and bus workers said they will honor the picket line, which may target an area near the bridge's toll plaza. Occupy activists from San Francisco and Oakland are expected to join the rally.

"We ask supporters to stand with us at strike picket lines on May Day and to keep the bridge open," said Alex Tonisson, an organizer and co-chair of the Golden Gate Bridge Labor Coalition.

Police say they are working with other area law enforcement agencies and have a plan in place for potential disruptions. They would not discuss specifics.

Across the bay in Oakland, where police and Occupy protesters have often clashed, officers are preparing for a long day as hundreds of "General Strike" signs have sprouted across town.

In New York City, where the first Occupy camp was set up and where large protests brought some of the earliest attention — and mass arrests — to the movement, leaders plan a variety of events, including picketing, a march through Manhattan and other "creative disruptions against the corporations who rule our city."

Organizers have called for protesters to block one or more bridges or tunnels connecting Manhattan, the city's economic engine, to New Jersey and other parts of the city.

The Occupy movement began in September with a small camp in a lower Manhattan plaza that quickly grew to include hundreds of protesters using the tent city as their home base. More than 700 people were arrested Oct. 1 as they tried to cross the Brooklyn Bridge.

The city broke the camp up in November, citing sanitary and other concerns, but the movement has held smaller events and protests periodically since then.

Elsewhere on the West Coast, Occupy Seattle has called for people to rally at a park near downtown Tuesday. Mayor Mike McGinn has warned residents there could be traffic delays and has said city officials have evidence — including graffiti and posters — that some groups plan to "commit violence, damage property and disrupt peaceful free speech activity."

In Los Angeles, demonstrators are planning to take to the streets to champion immigrant rights.

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The article said, "In Los Angeles, demonstrators are planning to take to the streets to champion immigrant rights". Legal immigrants have rights. Shouldn't the article have said, "illegal immigrant rights"?

  • 2 votes
Reply#28 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:37 PM EDT

MSNBC backs and applauds these thugs. What do you expext from the gay and lesbian network...

  • 5 votes
Reply#29 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:37 PM EDT

how did we get unions????y people marching together for a better life.

  • 3 votes
Reply#30 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:37 PM EDT

At the expense of every one that works for a living

  • 1 vote
#30.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:50 PM EDT

Back then it was companies paying more to workers. Now it is not that, now it is American Tax Payers that pay for their lavish benefits and wages. Unions today are parasites.

  • 2 votes
#30.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:54 PM EDT

No the CEO's of some of these large corporations and banks are the parasites.

    #30.3 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:32 PM EDT
    Reply

    Let's just get this over with and do the divorce, shall we? We obviously can't share the same space anymore.

      Reply#31 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:38 PM EDT

      The chances of these commenting 'workers' joining the unemployment line are fairly high. There by the grace of god go you to your place of employment, to your house that isn't in foreclosure, to your doctor because you have healthcare, to your college because you can afford to pay. One disaster, be it employment or health can knock you off your pedestal real quick. Narcissism with sociopathic tendencies make for disturbing commentors. Cowardice is what it amounts to.

      • 3 votes
      Reply#32 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:39 PM EDT

      AmericanAmerican, ahh alright then! Mr. advocate for civility. You should advocate for Americas prosperity not it's economic colapse. Wise up Liberal before 300 million are out of a job due to the up comming financial armagedon that your kind are responsible for.

      • 1 vote
      #32.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:57 PM EDT

      Nobody dislikes helping people, who have had a bad break, get through a rough time. We have had it with social services' never-ending handouts to baby mamas, people who fake injurys-you all know somebody who is doing it, fraud, illegal's education and medical care. Does anyone know what the amount of unpaid college tuitions is?- and it will never be paid. We have to pay taxes to fund the studies that determine what further social programs some people think they need. We have to pay for the incarceration of the people that we have been at least partially supporting for their whole life, put through school, and then they pay it back by committing all classes of crime. What a mess.

      • 1 vote
      #32.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:10 PM EDT
      Reply

      Wast of time. You can't solve the economic problems of the US by begging the same people that caused them to solve them. It's a contradiction that destroys the credibility of that movement. They should go home and quit pissing people of.

      • 2 votes
      Reply#33 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:39 PM EDT

      Love the faces in the pic. The great un-washed. They all look unemployable.

      • 4 votes
      Reply#34 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:39 PM EDT

      At first I was understanding of the Occupy concept. Now it's obvious they are cynical, digruntled bums that have a collasal chip on their collective shoulders and they want the productive people of the U.S. to pay for their right to bitch and moan. Personally, I've had enough of whiney, weak jerks that can't get off their butts and do something for the collective good of America. Everyone distrusts government but we recognize the need for a working system that can provide, and distribute what American citizen need to get through life. The occupy movement went from a potential "postive", to a very real aggravation for working people.

      • 3 votes
      Reply#35 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:41 PM EDT

      Cry all you want, but stay out of my way. I'm too busy doing something productive to be held up by the Lamprey class.

      • 4 votes
      Reply#36 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:42 PM EDT

      I come in early enough, I don't expect problems -- I know the wankers won't get up that early -- too lazy.

      Seriously though, workers disrupting the workers? Really, the best they can come up with? What a bunch of wally's.

      Tony the publec sector union "boss" better lookout though, I see his fat arse in the way and my brakes just might not work...

      • 4 votes
      Reply#37 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:42 PM EDT

      Remember these people are a direct subsitiary of the President, The Democratic Party and the Union Bosses..Not Hard working Union members ..They All want Something for Nothing..And complain that the top 10% Only pay 71% of the taxes and want them to pay..... more.... so they can get more freebies!!!!Do the math that means the other 90% of taxpayers only pay 30% ..So Who isn't paying their fair share???

      • 4 votes
      Reply#38 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:42 PM EDT

      speaking of subsidiaries - i'd love to line up all the right wing republikunt bastards in this world and blow their f-ing heads off and their offspring for the sake of mother earth and for all of us "humans". die already you selfish turds DIE !!

      • 1 vote
      #38.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:59 PM EDT

      Arthur Neelley,

      Don't be surprised if the FBI comes knocking.

      • 3 votes
      #38.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:08 PM EDT
      Reply

      A holes who will never represent the american worker! theyll never represent me those treasonous bastards

      • 4 votes
      Reply#39 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:43 PM EDT

      marxist, leftist, worthless, lazy, pathetic puke punks - the product of selfish regressive communist anti-freedom, anti-american values.

      all they do is beg and demand the govt force others to give them what they don't give back in return. they have no place in a society that cherishes freedom and liberty.

      • 4 votes
      Reply#40 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:43 PM EDT

      idiotic trash is what you sound like "ricardo..." get a life and some edumacation if that's possible for your type of nazi ilk ?

      • 3 votes
      #40.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:57 PM EDT

      worthless selfish marxist pukes. one and all. period.

      • 1 vote
      #40.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:23 PM EDT
      Reply

      I am a middle class person. I make 73,000.00 a year and that is with quit a bit of overtime. I am not a CEO making 20,000.00 per hour. I do have to buy the same 4.00 per gallon gas that the CEO has to buy. I do have to pay the same for groceries. I do pay a higher percentage of my earnings in taxes than the CEO. I also pay on 100% of my earnings to Social Security the CEO does not. So I guess what it looks like here is the playing field has been tilted in favor of the 20,000.00 per hour person over the middle class person. Money surely wouldn't have had anything to do with that would it? Our congress can't be bought, can they? OWS is doing a great service for the people I think. We need to let congress know we've had enough. Things are getting serious I'm afraid and I really don't want to see rebellion in our country but I'm certainly afraid we might if things don't change.

      • 5 votes
      Reply#41 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:46 PM EDT

      If you are making 73K a year, then you do not pay a higher percentage in income taxes than the CEOs of most companies.

      • 3 votes
      #41.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:51 PM EDT

      All OWS is doing is pissing people of. They dón't have a political agenda at all. All they are doing is crying because the very people that are riping us of don't solve the problems that they caused. Where are the solutions?

      • 1 vote
      #41.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:52 PM EDT

      Truth, you're full of crap. You don't pay more in taxes than your CEO. If you don't like the $73,000 become a CEO and shut up.

      • 2 votes
      #41.3 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:57 PM EDT
      Reply

      Those that believe Socialism - Communism is the way to Freedom, then they need to leave the U.S. and go live where ever else! Should you not be happy here, then leave, there are many countries ruled by such politics. China, North Korea, Mexico, Iran, Etc. Please go to one of those countries and be happy. Should you be a legal citizen with the right to get a passport to leave? Should that not be the case then go back across the border where you come from Illegally in the first place.
      I believe this is just a tactic so all the millions of illegals will be able to get citizenship and will be granted the right to vote and not having to pay for it like all the real immigrants had to.
      Should I be any of the other immigrants that went through the legal chanals, money wise Etc. to live here, You Should Be outraged! Too bad they did not have the money like O.B. did to keep his hid from public records.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#42 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:46 PM EDT

      what a stupid idiotic comment/rant to make "mike7". wow, you people really need to crawl back into the woodwork and dark dank caves you slithered out of and let the adult intelligent humans run this country. you all have done your best to bring it to it's knees and it's time to get the hell outta dodge bitches !!

      • 3 votes
      #42.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:56 PM EDT

      Authur,

      I guess you are one of those that say the tea baggers spew hatred. W.O.W. what are you smoking or snorting
      anyway.
      I guess allah must be your god?

      • 1 vote
      #42.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:15 PM EDT
      Reply

      wow...wonder how these OWS people can go 'on strike' if they not working?

      • 4 votes
      Reply#43 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:47 PM EDT

      wow..people don't like it? move out of the country.

      I have to go to work tomorrow. My transportation unfortunately is by ferry and train . So now others will make it difficult for the ones who have to and want to go to work. ? Hey can I sue someone?

      • 3 votes
      Reply#44 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:47 PM EDT

      Just go to work before 10am...they all sleep in...it's not like they have anything to get up for!

      • 3 votes
      #44.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:50 PM EDT
      Reply

      There was once a time where all American's stood up for each other , and there was also a time when we were a proud country , A shout out to all you Occupiers " Good Luck and Be Safe " try to keep the peace !!!!

      • 4 votes
      Reply#45 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:47 PM EDT

      thank you "large family" - a decent normal comment of encouragement to help EVERYONE for once on this website, instead of the usual right wing hate bull@!$%#.

      • 4 votes
      #45.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:54 PM EDT

      This from the guy who wants all Republicans dead! lol

      • 2 votes
      #45.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:12 PM EDT
      Reply

      Their not lazy , probably 3/4 of these people will be college students or college graduates who CAN"T find a good paying job because the republicans let all the GOOD paying jobs be shipped overseas . Don't believe me ,look up a little known piece of legislation called " THE FORIEGN INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT ACT " it states that if a corporation moves it's jobs overseas that the u.s. will give them a tax credit for doing so and then it states that if a corporation moves it's jobs overseas that they can take an additional tax credit for the tax that they pay to that foriegn goverment . LOOK IT UP . You people are so blind and ignorant to the fact that your republican buddies are taking YOUR tax dollars and giving it to these greedy corporations so they can take OUR jobs and give them to people making only a few dollars a day . LOOK THE BILL UP and read it for yourself ,don't ask any one about it ,read it yourself.

      • 4 votes
      Reply#46 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:48 PM EDT

      Good paying jobs? Like overseas customer service call centers in India and the Philippines?

      Like the 5 dollar/day jobs in factories in China?

      • 3 votes
      #46.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:54 PM EDT

      Hilarious..probably 3/4 of these people will be college students or college graduates who CAN"T find a good paying job because the republicans let all the GOOD paying jobs be shipped overseas..

      Hey stoneemall...mr. "hope and change" and the demoloons who contolled congress, the senate and PRESIDENCY didn't do shi* for the economy or these college students.So those students need to ask themselves, are they better off now than they were nearly 4yrs ago when they helped vote this LOSER OF A CLOWN OBOZO into office? LMAO

      • 3 votes
      #46.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:54 PM EDT

      Stonewall,

      Should my recollection serve me write, who was the President that passed the N.A.F.T.A.bILL? Billary.

      • 2 votes
      #46.3 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:00 PM EDT

      Why would you ignore all the destruction, dems had both house and senate first two years of obummer, and blame the republicans. 5 trillion in debt? 9% unemployment. Its clear your the blind one.

      • 4 votes
      #46.4 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:00 PM EDT
      Reply

      These are about the laziest bunch of whiners and dead beats I've ever seen. Instead of gathering like a mob seems to me they need to go to work and be a part of the solution instead of the problem.

      • 3 votes
      Reply#47 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:51 PM EDT

      What work? Flipping burgers ,minimum wage jobs that can barely pay the rent ,let alone pay for their outrages college debt . They are not lazy . Here's one for TEABAGGER PUKE . FIRST ADMENDMENT , it's funny how you idiots scream about the first admendment , but when some other people use it you call them names . LIVE WITH IT and grow up ,idiot.

      • 2 votes
      #47.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:55 PM EDT

      demopukes...1st amendment allows for "freedom of speach"...not freedom to occupy and disrupt, create chaos, defocate on police cars, destroy public and private property, rape women and use drugs. If any state, county, city of federal workers join the strike, they should all be FIRED like reagan did with the air traffic controllers.

      • 2 votes
      #47.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:00 PM EDT

      -------

      • 2 votes
      #47.3 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:04 PM EDT
      Reply

      Obama 2012 !!!

      • 3 votes
      Reply#48 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:52 PM EDT

      Yes Obama back to Chicago in January 2013

      • 3 votes
      #48.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:54 PM EDT
      Reply

      Police say they are working with other area law enforcement agencies and have a plan in place for potential disruptions. They would not discuss specifics.

      Water cannons are cool. I'd like to see these fools blasted across the pavement. LOL! Rubber bullets would be awesome too. What about that new invention the Navy's been working on that blasts a sound which makes people immediately puke? I would love to see these dummies hurling all over themselves! Occupy Puke Street! LMAO!

      • 3 votes
      Reply#49 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:52 PM EDT

      You oughta be ashamed of yourself, fascist. Police brutality isn't funny, and there's NOTHING wrong with people protesting being EXPLOITED. But I guess your apparent bloodlust would explain why you are so supportive of a system that hurts just about everyone it touches.

      • 1 vote
      #49.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:22 PM EDT

      Police brutality isn't funny...

      Neither is civil disobedience, commie. We are being exploited by the government and its employees every day. I don't see you fools in Washington, D.C.. The capital of exploitation.

      "Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is
      a merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussilini

      This is what OWS wants... you fascist.

        #49.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:59 PM EDT
        Reply

        I hope the Police have their Tasers charged up and the pepper spray loaded to full. Man the water cannons. Please do not hurt any Police, Police Dogs or Police Horses. The OWS are all collateral damage and do not count

        • 3 votes
        Reply#50 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:53 PM EDT

        they are most often armed we are not.

          #50.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:45 AM EDT
          Reply

          "99% of the protesters cannot give a clear, concise statement defining their goal,(no one knows) what they stand for, (again, no one knows), or what they hope to achieve."

          Not true ... over and over and over again, what the Occupy movement stands for has been clearly identified, but those who want to paint it in a different light refuse to "hear" so that they can pigeon-hole it as something "evil" and one has to wonder who these "painters" are and what their motivations are ... the protestors - who range in age from teenagers to retirees, from students to professionals, all creeds, all races (and are not "in need of soap" regardless of how you want to paint the picture) ... are actively giving voice to what the majority of us are "against":

          We are the 99%

          * We are not against the rich. We are against using wealth to gain an unfair advantage.

          * We are not against corporations. We are against corporations governing us.

          * We are not against capitalism. We are against corruption in capitalism.

          * We are not against banks. We are against fraudulent banking practices.

          * We are not against investment markets. We are against legalized fraud in the markets.

          * We are not against democracy. We are against the sale of influence by our elected representatives.

          • 4 votes
          Reply#51 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:53 PM EDT

          Are you against working for a living? Then, why not get a job? Instead of spending so much time in the park?

          • 1 vote
          #51.1 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:55 PM EDT

          Then go protest in front of the Whitehouse and Capital Hill you dipsticks..

          • 2 votes
          #51.2 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:56 PM EDT

          Have you ever heard these morons being interviewed? The average OWSer is a complete baffoon. They don't even realize they're being used by the ultra-rich leftists. They are the "useful idiots."

          "My people perish for lack of knowledge."

          • 4 votes
          #51.3 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:59 PM EDT

          NYCitizen,

          I think you better read about what happened in China and Russia before the communists took over their countries.
          Should this be what you want to happen here in the states then do let it happen.
          Please do some research in history and you will see that what happened in those countries before the communists came into power is what is happening now here!
          I Pray you will be truly happy when it happens here?

          • 3 votes
          #51.4 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 7:09 PM EDT
          Reply

          And what exactly is this suppose to accomplish???

          Sounds like another day for liberals to skip work and vandalize public property...

          • 5 votes
          Reply#52 - Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:54 PM EDT

          probably nothing sheep only feed

            #52.1 - Tue May 1, 2012 1:16 AM EDT
            Reply
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