Community, Faith, Labor Organizations Unite in Largest Ever Anti-Walmart Rally to Stop “Walmartization” of L.A. Jobs
Posted on June 25, 2012 by jway
MEDIA ADVISORY FOR
Saturday, June 30, 2012
CONTACT: Marc Goumbri (202) 257-8771
Ten thousand marchers in L.A.’s Chinatown to tell Walmart
“L.A.’s future won’t be bought off”
Los Angeles – On Saturday, ten thousand Southland residents concerned about the growth of L.A.’s low wage economy and the influence of the nation’s largest retailer will march through L.A.’s Chinatown to call for an end to the “Walmartization” of L.A. jobs. Saturday’s march and rally will be the largest anti-Walmart demonstration in history.
Demonstrators will include Walmart associates from stores in Crenshaw and other neighborhoods, workers at Walmart warehouses in the Inland Empire, Chinatown residents, community organizations, faith leaders and union members who have united in a growing campaign to keep Walmart out of Chinatown and make the retailer change the way it treats workers and communities.
Saturday’s event will begin with a rally in Los Angeles State Historic Park (the Cornfield) north of Chinatown at 11:00am with musical act The Billionaires and will proceed along Broadway to the intersection of Broadway and Cesar Chavez Blvd. There, under Chinatown’s historic dragon gate, speakers will call on Walmart to stop its cycle of impoverishing communities by paying its associates low wages that often put them below the poverty line, and on city officials to reject Walmart’s proposal to build its store in the middle of the Chinatown historic district. Speakers and performers will include Dolores Huerta, Congresswoman Judy Chu, Tom Morello, United Food and Commercial Workers International President Joe Hansen, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the L.A. County Federation of Labor Maria Elena Durazo, Chinatown residents and workers from Walmart and Walmart supply chain warehouses.
This effort to hold Walmart accountable to the concerns of workers and communities has gained new energy in recent months as the bribery scandal and purported coverup, allegations of new labor violations at warehouses and the company’s aggressive efforts to open a Chinatown store against the wishes of local residents have raised new and deeper concerns about Walmart and its practices.
Who: 10,000 people comprising working families, Chinatown residents, faith leaders, and community groups
What: March and rally through Chinatown to stop Walmart
When: Gathering in Los Angeles State Historic Park: 10:30am
Program in the Park: 11:00am
Chinatown March: 11:15am – 12:00pm
Rally at Cesar Chavez Blvd. & Broadway: 12:00 Noon
Where: Los Angeles State Historic Park: 1245 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Marching route: http://lalabor.tumblr.com/map#.T-JQXEfQqSo
Rally: Cesar Chavez Blvd. and Broadway
Visuals: 10,000 marchers, including Chinatown lion dancers, Korean drummers, motorcycles, families and children, through the streets of Chinatown holding giant banners and thousands of signs.
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Making Change at Walmart is a campaign challenging Walmart to help rebuild our economy and strengthen working families. Anchored by UFCW, we are a coalition of Walmart associates, union members, small business owners, religious leaders, women advocacy groups, multi-ethnic coalitions, elected officials, and ordinary citizens who believe that changing Walmart is vital for the future of our country.
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