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Hundreds of CWA members and their supporters clogged downtown L.A. traffic as they marched from Union Station, where they had attended a Town Hall Meeting with Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, to the AT&T facility on S. Olive St.
LAPD shut down traffic and escorted the marchers on bicycles, in cars, and on motorcycles, stopping traffic as we passed.
Marchers followed a 25' flat bed truck, with a monster sound system, through the streets of L.A., with bystanders and motorists waving and honking their support.
In front of the S. Olive facility, the huge crowd filled the street in front of the truck, draped with huge banners reading, "CWA @ AT&T: Fighting for Middle Class Jobs," where they listened to remarks from workers, union leaders, and elected officials. And they gave an earful to AT&T manager with chants and catcalls.
Several AT&T second- and third-level managers were lurking at the back of the huge crowd, along with a rather stressed-out-looking Asset Protection guy. The crowd chanted their greetings to them: "Shame on AT&T! Shame on AT&T."
Speakers included CWA District 9 Vice President Jim Weitkamp, Assemblywoman Judy Chu, Maria Elena Durazo, Exec Sec Treas of the LA Labor Federation, and John Wilhelm, Pres. of UNITE-HERE, as well as CWA members and supporters. All stressed the need for the very profitable AT&T to come to terms with the union and stop its cynical attempt to use the country's current economic woes as a weapon against its workers.
This gigantic and very impressive mobilization was orchestrated by the Southern California Council Mobilizing Committee. Great job!