Several hundred members of the SEIU United Service Workers West (USWW) took to Ocean Boulevard at noon Thursday to stage the largest protest march Long Beach has seen since the “Occupy the Port” event last December.
Picking up on the 99%/1% rhetoric of the Occupy movement (“The Great Recession? Not for the 1%”), purple-clad protestors handed out blue flyers explaining the rationale behind their choice to take to the streets:
Last week, California janitors voted to authorize their bargaining committee to call for a STRIKE if contractors’ fail to live up to good business principles. As California’s corporations sit on unprecedented amounts of cash, most of us are working with no raise in sight, no chance of moving up, or even without work.
They’re sitting on $500 Billion that could put hard working families a much deserved raise, or lift up our state.
We’re California’s janitors and this year we’re fighting to ensure that these prospering corporations live up to the principles that should guide every business.
We’re not going to be held back anymore.
We’re demanding: Dignified wages, Affordable healthcare, Adequate staffing, Respect for Our Years of Service, Value Immigrant Communities.
The USWW could not immediately be reached for further comment.
The march lasted roughly two hours and appeared to occur without incident.
