Pa. Working Families and Bain workers hold protest at Sesame Place

The Bain Worker Bus Tour rolled into Sesame Place in Langhorne to join Pa. Working Families and an “unfamiliar big yellow bird” to protest Governor Mitt Romney’s proposed economic policies Wednesday evening.

The tour brought workers and former workers from Bain owned companies like Dunkin’ Donuts and Staples from around the country to speak out against labor practices like low wages, no employee benefits and job outsourcing.  The workers joined Bucks County residents in sharing personal stories and concerns about a “Romney Economy.”

Many spoke of their concerns for a country with Romney at the helm.  Kristen Egan of Levittown spoke of the benefits of watching Sesame Street.

“The future of this economy is dependent upon the education of our children today,” said the High School teacher and mother.  Egan also called for an end for budget cuts to education.

Don Griffiths, a summer employee of Sesame Place, also spoke on behalf of Big Bird. He criticized Romney for “prioritizing the wealthy over our children’s education.”  Griffiths cited the comparatively small amount of funding that the Public Broadcasting System received compared to military spending and tax cuts for big oil companies.

Libya Wilson, a Dunkin’ Donuts employee from Pittsburgh, Pa., brought her 3-year-old daughter Kenyall to the rally.  She spoke out against the low wages of Bain owned companies with a knot in her throat, “there’s no benefits for us.”

Darrin Little whose children were also with him, has worked at a Carrabbaas restaurant in Detroit for ten years and makes 3 dollars more then when he started.

“Do I want to get a gallon of gas or a gallon of milk? It’s real hard for me. This is not the American dream I’ve been promised,” said Little.

After being asked by police officers to move off of Sesame Place property, the group moved to the front of a nearby Chick-Fil-A. One protestor pointed out that they were “killing two birds with one stone,” which prompted one man to reply, “no, we’re trying to save a bird here!”

Protestors, including the “unfamiliar big yellow bird,” waved signs and received honks and cheers from drivers on Oxford Valley Road.  While from the passenger seat of a car at the drive-thru of the restaurant, another young man yelled, “Your time’s over, Big Bird!”

The Bain Bus Worker Tour will make its way up to the Hudson Valley in New York on Friday.