....bitch:

Published on Monday, October 10, 2011 by Credit Union Times
‘Bank Transfer Day’ Causes Credit Union Buzz
by Jim Rubenstein

Even with most credit unions closed for Columbus Day there was plenty of
online buzz, and uncertainty, about what the credit union industry role
might be on “Bank Transfer Day,” the latest event surfacing from the
“Occupy Wall Street” protests.

Industry sources, speaking off the record, suggested any wholesale
switch from large banks to CUs on Nov. 5, the day designated by one
Californian and carried atwitter Monday, could conceivably put net worth
ratios out of whack.

The balance sheet problem was raised by several industry officials as a
potential hazard as online articles focused on what “Occupy” supporters
are calling now for a specific action to underscore their complaints
against big banks and corporate “greed.”

For the record, Mark Wolff, CUNA senior vice president-communications,
said only that the trade group welcomes the idea of “a viral 'Bank
Transfer Day'” since it shows “just how angry consumers are becoming
with their treatment by big banks” and will now look at CUs.

CUNA said its Facebook posts have already witnessed big jumps in traffic
on www.asmarterhoice.org. There also have been big gains on
www.findacreditunion.org.

Many consumers, said CUNA, are already “discovering” credit unions
online and “many more no doubt will as a result of this Bank Transfer
Day initiative.”

Wire service reports Monday identified the ringleader of “Bank Transfer
Day” as Kristen Christian, a 27-year-old Los Angeles art gallery owner
who said she is not affiliated with the Occupy Wall Street protest, but
that demonstration organizers had reached out to her to express support.

Christian reportedly chose Nov. 5 because of its association with 17th
century British folk hero Guy Fawkes, who tried to blow up the British
House of Lords but was captured on that day.

A Facebook page for the event states that “”together we can ensure that
these banking institutions will ALWAYS remember the 5th of November!! If
the 99% removes our funds from the major banking institutions on or by
this date, we will send a clear message and give the 1% a taste of the
fear that we experience every day when we aren't able to pay for our
rent, food, medication, utilities, student loans, etc."

The protests began in New York and have popped up around the country. A
few hundred protesters gathered in Las Vegas, for instance, on Thursday
night and were escorted by police for a march down the Strip. Among the
calls for action on the flyers being distributed was to move banking
accounts to credit unions.
© 2011 Credit Union Times