Grocery workers in California launch fight for equal pay

Vol. 88/No. 13 - April 1, 2024
United Food and Commercial Workers union members at Food 4 Less grocery in Baldwin Park, California, and their supporters rally March 7 in fight for pay raise, safe working conditions

BALDWIN PARK, Calif. — “We’re here fighting for a better wage and for equity with our brothers and sisters at other groceries,” Irma Vega, who has worked for Food 4 Less grocery for 24 years, told the Militant  March 7.…


Calif. rally demands, ‘Reinstate fired health care workers’

Vol. 88/No. 8 - February 26, 2024
Rally at St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, California, Feb. 10 demands nine fired health care workers be reinstated. Hospital officials fired them for fighting for better staffing levels.

LYNWOOD, Calif. — Holding placards and wearing shirts demanding the reinstatement of nine fired workers, a spirited rally of 200 people was held across the street from St. Francis Medical Center here Feb. 10. Scott Byington, who has worked as…


UCLA march says ‘Free hostages held by Hamas!’

Vol. 87/No. 44 - November 27, 2023
UCLA march says ‘Free hostages held by Hamas!’

LOS ANGELES — “Free the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza” was the demand of some 400 students and others who joined a rally and march at the University of California at Los Angeles campus here Nov. 7. Tables…


Calif. Amazon truck drivers fight for safe conditions, higher pay

Vol. 87/No. 38 - October 16, 2023
Picket line at Kaiser Permanente hospital in Los Angeles Oct. 4. A coalition of unions representing over 75,000 health care workers at Kaiser facilities nationwide are on a three-day strike for a new contract, fighting to end short staffing that cripples patient care and workers’ lives.

TORRANCE, Calif. — “Amazon hides behind its subcontractors, tries to duck responsibility for providing safe working conditions and decent pay,” Jessie Moreno told the Militant. He was part of a picket of 40 organized by Teamsters Local 396 outside Amazon’s…


Writers Guild discusses new contract, actors continue strike

Vol. 87/No. 37 - October 9, 2023

LOS ANGELES — A tentative settlement in the nearly five-month-long Writers Guild of America strike against the bosses’ Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was announced Sept. 24 after several days of talks between the union negotiating committee and…


Class-action suit checks from Walmart donated to SWP

Vol. 87/No. 37 - October 9, 2023

LOS ANGELES — Former Walmart workers in California recently opened their mail to find checks from settlement of a class-action lawsuit that had charged the retail giant with inaccurately reporting workers’ wages between 2016 and 2021. “In August, I received…


SWP campaigns for a program to unite workers and farmers in struggle

Vol. 87/No. 32 - August 28, 2023
“I want nothing but the real facts. We have to understand the world today,” construction worker Lorenzo Rainwater told SWP candidates Henry Dennison, left, and Vincent Auger, right, in Seattle Aug. 9, as he bought the Militant and asked them to come back for further discussion.

FRESNO, Calif. — Laura Garza, Socialist Workers Party candidate for U.S. Senate from California, addressed a meeting of the African American Farmers of California at a local restaurant here Aug. 11. Thirteen people took part. In brief remarks, Garza noted…


Support grows as hotel workers carry out rolling strikes in LA

Vol. 87/No. 29 - August 7, 2023
Striking UNITE HERE Local 11 members march in Los Angeles July 21. “Strikes can happen anytime, anyplace,” Kurt Petersen, co-president of the Local, said of the union’s rolling walkouts.

LOS ANGELES — Chanting “On strike. Shut it down. L.A. is a union town,” hundreds of striking hotel workers, members of UNITE HERE Local 11, were joined by striking actors and writers at the W Hotel here near the Hollywood…


160,000 actors join Writers Guild in nationwide strike

Vol. 87/No. 28 - July 31, 2023
Some 160,000 members of Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike July 13, joining Writers Guild of America members who struck May 2.

LOS ANGELES — A spirited picket of 300 actors and writers carried signs and chanted outside Netflix’s office here July 17. Daily protests are being held outside major studios across Southern California, the heart of the movie industry. Actions are…


Teamsters ‘practice picketing’ as UPS contract expiration nears

Vol. 87/No. 27 - July 24, 2023
Teamsters at UPS warehouse in Riverside, California, join in July 6 “just practicing” picket and rally in preparation for potential strike when old contract for 340,000 workers expires July 31

RIVERSIDE, Calif. — With a July 31 contract expiration date looming, and after a breakdown in negotiations with the company, Teamster union members are stepping up “practice picketing” actions in preparation for a possible strike by over 340,000 UPS workers…