by James Parks, Mar 24, 2011
On Saturday, March 26, tens of thousands of working people, students, community activists and religious and political leaders will join in a massive march and rally in Los Angeles to protect workers’ rights and protect the middle class.
The “Our Communities, Our Good Jobs” rally will focus on a series of attacks against LA-area workers, from school teachers to grocery store employees. Teachers are facing massive layoffs, attacks on seniority, evaluations based on student test scores and schools that are being dissolved. At the same time, across southern California, 60,000 grocery workers at Ralph’s supermarket are working under an expired contract. The marchers will send a message to Ralph’s management that workers will not let the giant corporations force another strike and lockout like they did in 2003 and 2004.
Charles Cooper, a member of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 9588, says he decided to march at home after protesting with workers in Wisconsin:
They were all out there together. They educated each other and were so active. In LA and across the country, government and corporations are cutting everything under the auspices of ‘we’re broke.’ I am marching on March 26 not because I’m a union member. I am marching because in LA we need to have our voices heard right now more than ever.
