Anniversary Event

Architect of the groundbreaking Justice for Janitors campaign, Stephen Lerner has spent more than three decades successfully uniting hundreds of thousands of janitors, farm workers, garment workers, and other low-wage workers into unions and lifting entire communities out of poverty.

Lerner is a leading critic of Wall Street bankers and the increased financialization of the US economy. He argues the growing power and influence of investments banks and other institutional financial entities have led to record income inequality and served as the primary driving force behind the creation of overwhelming debt obligations seen at the state and local level.

The result, Lerner says, is a consolidation of economic and political power in the hands of a small number of banking and finance executives—a power dynamic he believes is detrimental to average Americans and the long-term health of the nation’s economy. Lerner advocates for the use of non-violent civil disobedience as a tactic to challenge the influence of Wall Street and corporations.

Lerner currently directs SEIU’s banking and finance campaign, mobilizing SEIU members and other community groups across the country into action to break the decades-long stranglehold Wall Street and big banks have had on our economy and democracy. Through this campaign SEIU is also partnering with unions and groups in Europe, South America, and elsewhere to build a campaign to hold financial institutions accountable in a global economy.

In his previous role as director of the union’s private equity project, Lerner launched a multi-year campaign to expose the overleveraged, unregulated and unsustainable feeding frenzy of private equity firms during the boom years and the economic disaster that would follow once the bubble burst.

Lerner is a frequent contributor on national television and radio programs and has published numerous articles charting a path for a 21st century labor movement focused on growth and meeting the challenges of a global economy.

We Enthusiastically Invite YOU to–
People Before Profit$

Saturday, October 15, 2011 5:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. 
Reception – 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Dinner and Program beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Hermitage Hall; Truman Hotel & Conference Center
1510 Jefferson Street, Jefferson City, Missouri

Join us as we celebrate another wonderful year of GRO.  This is shaping up to be an excellent evening with wonderful speakers, fabulous entertainment and, of course, lots of GRO-style celebrating!

Ticket Cost: $90 for individual ticket or $600 for a table of 8
Those with annual GRO household memberships that are paid in-full ($60) by Friday, September 23
will get to come to Anniversary event at NO COST!