Teamsters join LA Labor Day march for workers

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiYzsAkCQyvAN94PkWF2YjvBLPfIrPV1pHXTCFTfI6msI1V5UsBJ4vH1mymMje1rCHC2g2mhjdx-5KOe10yOQyBIW15_XkY_Ebz5D8Lvon8_OdAOvjPhNW7UehPNVQ2xsp_3KhpRl_vC7/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNiYzsAkCQyvAN94PkWF2YjvBLPfIrPV1pHXTCFTfI6msI1V5UsBJ4vH1mymMje1rCHC2g2mhjdx-5KOe10yOQyBIW15_XkY_Ebz5D8Lvon8_OdAOvjPhNW7UehPNVQ2xsp_3KhpRl_vC7/s400/050.JPG" title="Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti met with Teamsters Horsemen during Los Angeles Labor Day festivities." width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (center) met with Teamsters during picnic.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>We're catching up with our Labor Day coverage. Here is a dispatch from California: </i></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 250 Southern California Teamsters joined more than 2,000 of their union brothers and sisters Monday in Los Angeles to march for workers’ rights. </span><a href="http://www.lalbharborlabor.org/" rel="nofollow"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Labor Day parade</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> and rally took place near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where </span><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/08/la-port-strike-ends-with-return-to-work.html" rel="nofollow">port truck drivers have been fighting</a></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for fair treatment and the right to organize.<o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Led by three 18-wheelers in front and about 100 motorcycles and classic cars in back, Teamsters from several different locals across the region chanted, cheered and revved their engines while traversing the mile-long parade route. They also delighted the hundreds of spectators taking in the event with their call-and-response cheers:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Rolling, rolling, rolling with the Teamsters! Who are we? Teamsters!</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anthony Balbastro, a <a href="http://www.teamsters63.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 63</a> member and a shop steward at United Stationers, said the Labor Day event filled him with pride:</span></div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Only in America can you stand next to other brothers and sisters and march.</span></blockquote></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Patrick Kelly, secretary-treasurer of <a href="http://www.teamsters952.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 952</a>, said the parade sends an important message to all workers:<o:p></o:p></span><br /><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It is an example of collective direct action where we can show the community who we are. It is important to reaffirm solidarity among working people.</span></blockquote></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And a group of retired Teamsters said they are concerned about the next generation of workers. Dan Salazar, a retired member of Teamsters Local 63, said:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are here out of respect for the lifestyle we enjoy for our families. We want other people to enjoy what we had. The laws have changed, peoples’ culture has changed. They are starting to get left behind.<o:p></o:p></span></blockquote></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuQtLagdCg9rtRmy2IPFnvVAySsF3Q6RTjpB_UnSXS9jGMV-gBthO8Ai_UiOJQVhS5kBl9EWlojhEEuUcXUWYtf5KqSQljNCjWO231adkzRy2fH4UQLCj_E4LTpoNZSw4dmi4xdReV3Gp/s1600/038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhuQtLagdCg9rtRmy2IPFnvVAySsF3Q6RTjpB_UnSXS9jGMV-gBthO8Ai_UiOJQVhS5kBl9EWlojhEEuUcXUWYtf5KqSQljNCjWO231adkzRy2fH4UQLCj_E4LTpoNZSw4dmi4xdReV3Gp/s320/038.JPG" title="Teamsters marching during the parade want better jobs, schools and health care." width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teamsters marched for a better life for the middle class.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Salazar said he was encouraged by recent actions by low-wage workers. Last week, </span><a href="http://www.teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/08/la-port-strike-ends-with-return-to-work.html"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">L.A. port truck drivers returned to work after a historic 24-hour strike</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> ended against trucking company Green Fleet Systems. The drivers struck to protest unfair labor practices by Green Fleet’s management, including unlawful anti-union retaliation, harassment and intimidation.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The short, sudden port truck driver strike was followed by more job actions by low-wage workers around the country. Fast-food workers in more than 50 U.S. cities walked off the job on Thursday. <a href="http://www.thenation.com/blog/175995/protesting-activists-firings-walmart-workers-plan-biggest-mobilization-black-friday#axzz2dwMbJVgt" rel="nofollow">Walmart workers are planning to strike</a> in 15 cities tomorrow, their largest mobilization since Black Friday. <o:p></o:p></span><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After the parade, people thronged a local park for a barbecue and entertainment. Joining them were federal, state and local elected officials who pledged to work on behalf of workers for fairer wages. <o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Newly elected <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Garcetti" rel="nofollow">Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti</a> said now is the time to stand up for workers:</span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;"><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We will fight for a living wage. And better schools. And a greater Los Angeles.</span></blockquote></div>

California Labor Day Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti Teamsters Teamsters join LA Labor Day march for workers

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (center) met with Teamsters during picnic. We're catching up with our Labor Day coverage. Here is a disp...

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