Thousands march in LA for May Day as unions push school walkouts, ‘economic blackout’

Thousands of workers, union members and activists are expected to flood downtown Los Angeles on Friday for May Day, with organizers urging supports to skip work, school and shopping as part of a broader “economic blackout.”

The main rally is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at MacArthur Park, followed by a march to Grand Park after a speaking program.

Labor and immigrant rights groups say the demonstrations are part of International Workers’ Day, with similar events planned across California calling for expanded worker protections and immigrations reforms.

“Our vision includes an economy that works for everyone with a living wage, strong labor protections and programs that keep families housed, fed, educated and healthy,” Francisco Moreno, executive director of the Council of Mexican Federations in North America, said at a news conference this week.

Organizers say the Los Angeles event will carry the theme “solo el pueblo shuts it down: no school, no work, no shopping,” reflecting calls for an economic boycott modeled after similar protests earlier this year.

Participants are expected to include janitors, security officers, airport workers and stadium employees affiliated SEIU-United Service Workers West, along with a broader coalition of labor unions, civil rights organizations, immigrant advocacy groups and faith leaders.

Speakers are expected to include SEIU-USWW President David Huerta, as well as workers who will address wages, working conditions and impact of corporate policies on low-income communities.

The roughly three0mile march will move through areas with longstanding ties to Los Angeles’ immigrant communities. Organizers say starting at MacArthur park is intentional, pointing to the neighborhood’s role as a hub for day laborers and street vendors, as well as recent immigration enforcement activity in the area.

“Starting there really sends a message that we’re here,” Kristal Romero, press secretary for the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, told LAist. “We’re standing with this community, and if you take on one of us, you take on all of us.”

Organizers say the demonstrations will also push for a pathway to citizenship, increased funding for education and health care, and an end to additional funding for federal immigration agencies.

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