Speaking at the Bernie Sanders Rally. Supporting Bernie and the Committee for Better Banks

Spoke at the Bernie Sanders rally April 16th, 2016 in Providence. I'm posting the speech here to share. Let me know what you think, after all only together can we make change.

Thank you, my name is Tony Hempfer and I'm with the Committee for Better Banks. We are a national coalition of bank workers, community groups, and labor organizations coming together to improve conditions in the industry for frontline workers and the communities we serve. From unreasonably low pay to sales goals that lead to job insecurity and predatory practices, workers that I’ve met from across the country are organizing around the most pressing issues in the industry.

Personally, I work for Bank of America, but not in the way most people think of bank workers. I'm one of the little people, we are the tellers, the call center reps, the data entry people, those who work in the backroom doing the work that needs to be done.

Today I am here to show my support for Senator Bernie Sanders because he is the only candidate addressing issues that affect bank workers. Many people would be surprised that my coworkers and I need a raise. Almost three-quarters of bank tellers make less than $15 an hour and a quarter of frontline workers rely on food stamps or other public assistance to survive.

Bernie Sanders is leading the way to a better America, one that values working class Americans over corporate profits.

One of the main ways some banks bring in profit is by enforcing really high sales goals to pressure frontline workers to push products on consumers that may not be in their best interest. Us frontline workers want our customers and our communities to be financially successful, but it’s often difficult for us to meet your needs when the bank is threatening to write us up or fire us if we do not sell enough products that day or week.

On sales goals, we’ve already seen progress. For example, the city of Los Angeles is suing Wells Fargo for their aggressive tactics. Bank workers and the working families we serve deserve an end to unreasonable sales goals that transfer wealth from communities straight to the 1%. Bank workers need a voice in our workplaces so we can fight for better working conditions in the richest industry in the world.

Bernie gets it. He is for change and I can say that us lower paid bankers in the finance industry like change. Hell we make it for you everyday. But we do other things as well. Sure you know we make deposits and withdrawals into your accounts. We watch for elder abuse, monitor suspicious deposits, all the while constantly watching for fraud. We protect your accounts. Senator Sanders wants to protect your accounts too.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak here today. If there are any bank workers out there interested learning more about the Committee for Better Banks, please go to www.betterbanks.org or contact me. Once again my name is Tony Hempfer and the transcripts of my speech will be made available online because Senator Sanders and his supporters have nothing to hide.