Washington, D.C.-- Service Employees International Union (SEIU) International President Mary Kay Henry released the following statement in support of Occupy Wall Street:

The brave students, unemployed Americans, families and others Occupying Wall Street and financial centers across America have sounded the alarm and forced our nation to confront the hard truth. There's an economic emergency in America, and it's time for dramatic action to get our leaders to stand with the 99% instead of the 1%.

"The 2.1 million members of SEIU continue to stand with the Occupy protesters and we agree that try as some might, you can't evict an idea whose time has come.

"That's why on November 17th, SEIU members will be marching arm in arm with unemployed workers, community members, allied groups and Occupy protesters in support of a great American idea: our nation and our economy should work for everyone, not just the richest 1%.

"These actions are part of a National Day of Action for the 99% protesting the failure of politicians in Congress to pass a jobs bill that would have put people back to work fixing thousands of bridges, roads and schools. These crumbling bridges and roads and decaying schools are symbols of our leaders' failure to fix the economy so that it works for everyone, not just the richest 1%.

"Three years after Wall Street wrecked our economy, 25 million people are still unable to find full-time work and the gap between the 1% and the 99% continues to grow. Big banks continue to punish regular Americans with their predatory business practices and destroy millions of jobs. Instead of creating jobs, right-wing politicians in Congress continue to ignore the concerns of the 99% and focus on job-killing budget cuts and more tax giveaways for the 1%.

"This movement of the 99% is only beginning. We will not rest until we win an America where everyone has access to a good job, we protect healthcare and other critical services, the 1% pay their fair share, and we level the playing field by ensuring that every immigrant has a path to citizenship."

With 2.1 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in the Americas. Focused on uniting workers in healthcare, public services and property services, SEIU members are winning better wages, healthcare and more secure jobs for our communities, while uniting their strength with their counterparts around the world to help ensure that workers--not just corporations and CEOs--benefit from today's global economy. www.seiu.org

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