February 27, 2011 05:33 AM UTC

Hundreds of Thousands Protest in Solidarity Across America

by: nancycronk

Rallies were held at state capitols in all fifty states this past week, bringing out hundreds of thousands of Americans to stand in solidarity with workers in Wisconsin. The rallies were a joint effort of MoveOn.org, labor unions, and progressive organizations. The protests, which were called “the largest rallies since the VietNam war” on facebook and twitter, were held in support of collective bargaining rights for all people.

Saturday’s protests involved more than 100,000 people. In Denver, 3000 people showed up Saturday, to voice their support, carrying signs that read things like “Cairo-Madison-Denver” and “Unions are the bedrock of the middle class”. Immediately following the Denver pro-union rally, a coalition of pro-choice groups held a rally against the Congressional attacks on women’s rights. Several hundred people stayed to attend that rally, which became a march along neighboring streets, and back to the capitol.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was that only five self-identified tea-party activists were in attendance at the Denver rally.

Several union organizers commented that the crowd in Denver was not the typical rally crowd. Many individuals who turned out did so after hearing reports about the rally this past Tuesday, which was estimated at 1000-1200 people. Several people I asked told me they did not belong to a union, but they believe in them philosophically. As Robert (last name withheld) told me, “If it weren’t for unions, there would be no middle class.”

I asked a number of people in the crowd their occupations, and how they heard about today’s rally in Denver. Several were teachers who said they heard about the rally through MoveOn.org. One of them said she did not hear about it through her union, the Colorado Education Association (CEA), and was angry that they didn’t encourage members to participate. Another teacher, a member of the Denver Classroom Teacher’s Association (DCTA), said he heard about the rally through MoveOn.org, and called to confirm the details with his union. “They had to put me on hold and look it up. I don’t think they knew anything about it before I called.”

Several other teachers said they heard about the event through their union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). Others heard union organizer Russel Bannan speak about it on the radio.

Union members in attendance also represented firefighters, truck drivers, grocery workers, communication workers, air traffic controllers, and plumbers. One man wore his fire fighter gear combined with a Wisconsin “cheesehead”.

Humans were joined with dozens of canine “protesters”, including a few service animals. Several people arrived in wheelchairs and a number of children arrived in strollers.

In Madison, Wisconsin, the crowd was estimated to be between 100,000-150,000, depending on the source.