Protesters have been gathering in cities across the U.S. and around the globe to voice their displeasure at economic injustice, targeting Big Money: Wall Street, Big Banks, the Super Rich and now...Big Pharma? Last week a group of about a dozen protesters picketed outside a Pfizer plant in Groton, Connecticut. Are all those jokes about "economic Viagra" for the flaccid job market more literal than we thought? The protesters say that Pfizer moved into Groton, took advantage of local and state tax breaks, and now that the tax advantage has expired, they're moving thousands of jobs out of state or overseas. Pfizer's also been laying off thousands elsewhere, while the company last year claimed $8 billion in profits, and it's CEO claimed a sweet raise.
So far protesters have mostly focused on big financial institutions, but the general anti-corporate sentiment is growing, and with issues in healthcare inequity in this country, it seems inevitable that the movement will take aim at Big Pharma for taking big profits. Pfizer might want to get their PR people thinking about proactive ways to deflect some of the criticism. Maybe the 99% would appreciate some free samples of Viagra, to keep up their...spirits...during those long days and nights of fighting for the cause.
