Wal Mart Protest

Ellen West, Area Director and Cherie Brokaw, Staff Representative 

Our Walmart members, some of whom were part of the first Walmart strike in October 2012, staged a historic sit-in at the Walmart store in Crenshaw Thursday. The group of striking workers, from stores throughout California, placed tape over their mouths signifying the company’s illegal efforts to silence workers who are calling for better jobs. Even as the mega-retailer brings in $16 billion in annual profits and Walmart’s owners build on their $150 billion in wealth, the majority of Walmart workers are paid less than $25,000 a year.

"I'm sitting down on strike today to protest Walmart's illegal fear tactics and to send a message to management and the Waltons that they can't continue to silence us and dismiss the growing calls for $15 an hour and full-time work that workers are raising across the country," said Kiana Howard, a mother and Walmart striker.

Hundreds of community supporters later joined striking workers outside the Walmart store located at in Pico Rivera, where the first protests against Walmart's illegal retaliation were held in 2012.

For updates on Walmart Strikers, go to www.BlackFridayProtests.org

California's labor unions stood with veterans this November to commemorate Veterans Day 2014 with service projects and a free community celebration sponsored by the Orange County Employees Association that was attended by 9,000 people in Orange County. Attendance nearly tripled this year as Southern California residents came to the OC Fair & Event Center to honor our nation's heroes and enjoy free food, music and activities for the family.

Donations for veterans in need were collected during the community celebration in OC. Dubbed "Thanks a ton," the food drive aimed to collect one ton (or 2,000 pounds) of donations for veterans in need. Thousands helped to more than quadruple that goal, raising the haul to 8,957 lbs. of food and supplies.

This year's efforts to support veterans are part of the Veterans and Labor -- Partners in Service program aimed at boosting vets through community service, job opportunities and special events like the one in Orange County. For more info, go towww.veteransandlabor.org.