(The AFL-CIO issued the following news release on January 29.)
LOS ANGELES — In the largest action of the Southern California grocery strike and lock out, on Saturday, January 31, 2004 at noon, national labor, community, and religious leaders will join more than 10,000 grocery workers in a massive march and rally beginning at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood and ending at a Vons store nearby.
Since October 11, 2003, over 70,000 grocery workers have been on strike against Safeway/Vons and locked out by Albertsons and Kroger/Ralphs. The companies are demanding a dramatic, permanent cut in healthcare benefits and two-tiered pay scale in the latest contract, even though they reaped great profits in recent years and can afford the benefits their workers need. The workers are fighting for health care not only for themselves and their families – – but for all of America’s working people whose employers are making them shoulder the burden of rising health care costs.
The march and rally follows 10 days after an AFL-CIO announcement that the labor movement will extend nationwide its efforts to hold the line for affordable healthcare in its fight with grocery chains in Southern California. The workers are asking supporters not to shop at Safeway stores nationwide.
Who: More than 10,000 striking and locked out grocery workers and their children
National labor, community, and religious leaders
Local labor, community, and religious leaders, thousands of working families
What: Holding the Line for America’s Health Care * Massive March and Rally
When: 12 Noon to 2:30 PM, Saturday, January 31, 2004 (PST)
Where: Great Western Forum, 3900 West Manchester Blvd. (at Prairie Ave.), Inglewood