Washington, DC--Today, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) released the statement of Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger on the anniversary of the Lehman Brothers collapse. Said Burger:

"When Lehman Brothers fell, they took not just the rest of Wall Street, but all of Main Street, down with them. Yet, one year later, the greedy CEOs who caused the collapse are unremorseful, unrepentant, and virtually unchanged.

"You'd think that the collapse of over 90 banks in one year alone would be a powerful 'lesson learned' for the titans at big financial houses, but on Wall Street, it's back to 'business as usual.'

"Taxpayers who bailed out banks to the tune of $4.7 trillion were then hit with the hidden costs of our bank-induced recession: foreclosures, unemployment and bankruptcies. Now the big banks are hitting us a third time, by lobbying against meaningful reforms that could prevent a repeat of the crisis in the future.

"To strengthen the economy over the long-term, we need fiscal reforms that provide real protections for consumers, whistleblower protections so front-line financial workers can speak up and stop predatory practices before they lead to large-scale economic crisis, and legislation like the Employee Free Choice Act to provide a much-needed check on corporate greed. The stakes are too high to keep the status quo."

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.