San Francisco--In the heart of San Francisco's wealthy financial district, seven people were arrested yesterday while blocking traffic at the intersection of Pine and Montgomery Streets in a security officers protest over Bay Area income inequality. "I'm a fourth-generation San Franciscan," says security officer Matt Roberts. "The middle class built this city and made it thrive. But in recent years I've seen the middle class destroyed here. It's time we restore San Francisco to its former glory."

The protest took place as more than 5000 Bay Area security officers, members of Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, negotiate a new contract with their employers, the security companies contracted by many of the Bay Area's wealthiest corporations. While many hardworking security officers are unable to put food on the table, buy a home, visit the doctor, save for college, and retire with dignity, just seven corporations with a significant presence in the financial district--including JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Wells Fargo, Apple, Google, and Bank of America--quite literally have more money than they know what to do with. According to financial reports, rather than investing in our economy, these corporations are simply sitting on a mountain of cash valued in the trillions. For example, according to financial reports, JP Morgan Chase is sitting on $824 billion in cash, Citigroup $753 billion, and Morgan Stanley $653 billion. Last November the more than 5,000 security officers in San Francisco, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties began negotiating with their employers for a new union contract. Six months later the negotiations have yet to be completed and the officers, members of Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West, are growing increasingly frustrated. As the officers return to the bargaining table again on May 20, May 21, and May 22 they hope to win access to quality healthcare and decent housing in negotiations with their employers. However there are no negotiations scheduled beyond May 22. When faced with similar obstacles during the 2007 negotiations, security officers at several high profile San Francisco office towers were forced to go on strike.