Hundreds to Greet Marchers at LA City Hall, Demand Responsibility from Walmart;
LA County Fed’s Maria Elena Durazo, Dolores Huerta, Rep. Judy Chu to Join
LOS ANGELES – Hundreds of warehouse workers and their supporters will march their final steps through Downtown LA after walking 50 miles from the Inland Empire for safe jobs.
Hundreds of community members, clergy and elected officials will greet the weary marchers on the West Steps of City Hall where they will hold a rally and press conference.
“We are marching from Riverside to Los Angeles so that the world sees us and so that we can improve our jobs,” said Marta Medina, a warehouse worker who made the 50-mile trek.
The “WalMarch,” a 50-mile, 6-day pilgrimage of warehouse workers, is drawing national attention on deplorable working conditions inside Southern California warehouses that serve major retailers including Walmart. Workers are asking for basic yet critical improvements on the job: fans to combat the 100 degree heat, functioning equipment, clean water, regular breaks, and an end to inhumane work quotas and retaliation for speaking up about safety conditions.
“Walmart is the largest retailer in the world and it sets the standards for the logistics industry,” said Guadalupe Palma, a campaign director with warehouse workers united, a group committed to improving jobs in the warehousing industry. “All of the warehouse workers who marched 50 miles from the Inland Empire to the city center move Walmart merchandise. For that reason we are calling on Walmart to take responsibility for working conditions in the warehouses.”
Warehouse workers embarked on their 50-mile march on Sept. 13. During the pilgrimage they slept on church floors and relied on community organizations for support and meals. Many of the marching warehouse workers are currently on strike. Wednesday, the workers—who do not have a recognized union—walked off the job at a warehouse that is devoted to Walmart products to call for an end to retaliation and unfair labor practices committed by their employers, NFI and Warestaff.
More information at www.WarehouseWorkersUnited.org
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