Big Labor Gets Behind the Occupy Wall Street Campers

This may be the least surprising “news” development of the day.

Unions gave a high-profile boost to the long-running protest against Wall Street and economic inequality Wednesday, with their members joining thousands of protesters in a lower Manhattan march. Across the country, students at several colleges walked out of classes in solidarity.

People gathered at Foley Square, an area encircled by courthouses and named for “Big Tom” Foley, a former blacksmith’s helper who became a prominent state Democratic leader. From there they marched to Zuccotti Park, the protesters’ unofficial headquarters.

Sterling W. Roberson, vice president for the United Federation of Teachers, said union members shared the same ideals as activists who have been camped out in sleeping bags for more than two weeks.

What ideals are those? According to SEIU’s former leader, Andy Stern, they begin with “Workers of the world, unite!”

The Marx-quoting Stern left the SEIU to take up a position on President Obama’s debt commission.

But maybe it’s not fair to bring up the SEIU, since the union in the story isn’t one of its affiliates. The United Federation of Teachers is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, headed by Richard Trumka. Not to go all Glenn Beck, but yeah, Trumka is more than a bit red too.

So Big Labor is going to camp with the Occupiers who can’t hold down an occupation. And the Democrats are tripping over themselves to pitch a tent, too.

Am I wrong to find this whole revealing thing morbidly entertaining?