Today, the bully boys from the SEIU (local 1877) held a protest in Century City over the laying off of 16 janitors. The protest was aimed at JP Morgan and Chase Bank, the owners of the building that laid off the janitors. Yet, what happened today (to be described) pales in comparison to what transpired yesterday in the City of Angels under the incompetent leadership of playboy Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
"Who me?"
Yeah, you.
Yesterday, our two talk-jocks, John and Ken (KFI 640 am, Los Angeles), were all over the planned march. Reason? LAPD had announced to the tenants and neighbors of the Century City building that the whole area was going to be closed off to accommodate thousands of marchers and that two major east-west throughfares (Pico and Olympic Blvds) would be closed from noon to six. That bit of news led numerous businesses to stay home today. In addition, doctors and patients were anxious over missed doctor appointments. John and Ken encouraged their listeners to contact their city representatives and ask that this march be cancelled.
Today, about 200 people showed up-possibly limited by the outcry of the previous day. The streets were blocked for about 40 minutes. When 13 demonstrators walked out onto the street and sat down to stop traffic, they were arrested.
"Janitors for Justice"
According to some reports, the protesters didn't even have a permit.
So I wonder how many businesses closed today as a result of LAPD's announcements.
3 comments:
Janitors for Justice is a great campaign. It is why janitors in Pittsburgh are now making the princely sum of $13 an hour, while in Cincinnati, not yet unionized, its still down around $7.25.
I will testify from experience that a single person with no dependents can live very comfortably on $13 an hour, although I don't know how a family with three children manages. $7.25? That's wage slavery.
Would you prefer the old SEIU leadership Gary? They used to be run by some old-style Italians, and I don't mean Rudolph Giuliani, I mean the types he earned his stripes prosecuting, before the current leadership cleaned things up. At least their books balance now, and they are out there winning benefits for their members instead of spending dues on limousines.
Siarlys,
Are you sure of what you are saying about the current leadership of the major unions?
Current leadership of the major unions?
Each union is a bit different. I thought we were talking about SEIU. Yes, I'm sure. SEIU was transformed by the infusion of 1199. How do I know? I'm kept informed by the student council president from my senior year in high school, who is now an elected union officer.
Now if you wanted to talk about the days when Pat McDonald ran the Steelworkers Union, where he came to power in a manner remarkably similar to the way Joseph V. Djugashvili took over the apparatus of the CPSU, we might find some points to agree on.
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