Doors Chained To Keep Protesters Out Of Pittsburgh Mayor's Office
200 Service Union Protesters Descend On Grant Street
PITTSBURGH -- A group of about 200 protesters descended on the office of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl on Friday morning.
[SEIU Western Pennsylvania director Gabe Morgan addresses hundreds of protesters gathered at the Pittsburgh mayor's office.]
SEIU Western Pennsylvania director Gabe Morgan addresses hundreds of protesters gathered at the Pittsburgh mayor's office.
It was originally reported the protesters chained Ravenstahl out of his office. However Channel 4 Action News' Bob Mayo reports that it was a city employee who chained the door from the inside for a time to keep the protesters out.
"They felt like that they had to chain the doors to protect the mayor. We obviously are not physically threatening the mayor in any way, shape or form. All we want him to do is change his policy to start building middle-class jobs in this city," said SEIU Western Pennsylvania director Gabe Morgan while addressing the assembled protestors.
A Channel 4 News crew at the scene reported the group of "very rowdy" protesters showed up at the City-County building on Grant Street around 8 a.m.
Employees from the National Union of Operating Engineers, Workers United, United Food and Commercial Workers and the Service Employees International Union participated in the protest.
According to a news release from the SEIU, the sit-in aimed to get the mayor to "address the shortcomings in job creation in the current economic development policy."
"If the Mayor were truly committed to job creation and economic development for Pittsburgh, he would ensure the jobs at new developments provided the wages and benefits workers need to support their families," said Morgan said in a news release.
The group wants Ravenstahl to attach wage standards to development subsidies. They said many newly created jobs pay so poorly that workers can't support their families.
The protesters left the office around 9 a.m. but told Mayo they are planning to return at 2 p.m. on Friday.
Joanna Doven, a spokeswoman for the mayor's office, said the mayor is not in today.
Mayo reported the mayor's chief of staff, Yarone Zober, is expected to address the media on Friday.
PITTSBURGH -- A group of about 200 protesters descended on the office of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl on Friday morning.
[SEIU Western Pennsylvania director Gabe Morgan addresses hundreds of protesters gathered at the Pittsburgh mayor's office.]
SEIU Western Pennsylvania director Gabe Morgan addresses hundreds of protesters gathered at the Pittsburgh mayor's office.
It was originally reported the protesters chained Ravenstahl out of his office. However Channel 4 Action News' Bob Mayo reports that it was a city employee who chained the door from the inside for a time to keep the protesters out.
"They felt like that they had to chain the doors to protect the mayor. We obviously are not physically threatening the mayor in any way, shape or form. All we want him to do is change his policy to start building middle-class jobs in this city," said SEIU Western Pennsylvania director Gabe Morgan while addressing the assembled protestors.
A Channel 4 News crew at the scene reported the group of "very rowdy" protesters showed up at the City-County building on Grant Street around 8 a.m.
Employees from the National Union of Operating Engineers, Workers United, United Food and Commercial Workers and the Service Employees International Union participated in the protest.
According to a news release from the SEIU, the sit-in aimed to get the mayor to "address the shortcomings in job creation in the current economic development policy."
"If the Mayor were truly committed to job creation and economic development for Pittsburgh, he would ensure the jobs at new developments provided the wages and benefits workers need to support their families," said Morgan said in a news release.
The group wants Ravenstahl to attach wage standards to development subsidies. They said many newly created jobs pay so poorly that workers can't support their families.
The protesters left the office around 9 a.m. but told Mayo they are planning to return at 2 p.m. on Friday.
Joanna Doven, a spokeswoman for the mayor's office, said the mayor is not in today.
Mayo reported the mayor's chief of staff, Yarone Zober, is expected to address the media on Friday.