Pro-union demonstrators rally at Los Angeles City Hall

A boisterous crowd of pro-union demonstrators gathered on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday, loudly voicing support for unionized workers in Wisconsin and expressing concern that the perennially forceful labor movement in California could one day face a similar crisis.

“If it can happen in Wisconsin, it can happen anywhere,” said Pasquale Gazillo, a merchant marine and member of the Marine Firemen’s Union, referring to Wisconsin’s long history as a union stronghold. “States like that, they’re the ones that started the eight-hour work day and made sure workers got paid if they got sick. The Republicans are pushing and if that state falls, the rest of the country is going to be in trouble. This could set workers in this country back 100 years, even more.”

For roughly two weeks, Wisconsin protesters and politicians have been in a standoff over the governor's proposal to strip most public employees of their collective bargaining rights. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker says the state is broke and must make drastic spending cuts. Unions say Republican leaders are trying to wipe them out.

The pro-union demonstration in Los Angeles was one of many held throughout the nation Saturday.

Among those in attendance was retired Teamster Larry McKinney, who spoke of how thankful he was to have had a long career laying pipe and helping build public infrastructure in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Describing himself as “working class,” he said that because he was a union member, he and his wife were able to raise two children and enjoy retirement without too much worry.

McKinney said unions in Wisconsin had compromised enough, and he faulted the governor for refusing to negotiate over collective bargaining rights. “This governor is trying to take away rights that people fought for 60 years ago, and in one swift move,” he said. “He’s just going to trash rights that people bled for? Come on, that’s not right.”

McKinney scanned the crowd, which appeared to be about 2,000 people, and predicted that the battle in Wisconsin could end up being positive for labor. “I think this is going to help the union cause,” he said. “It’s firing people up. If politicians can treat people in a union this way, imagine how they would treat other people without the protection of a union.”

Such hope was a commonly heard theme. Many expressed confidence that the public would end up siding with labor despite concerns that union benefits weigh on government coffers.

“If you want to solve the budget problems, you don’t do it on the backs of working people. You start with taxing the rich,” said Irene Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County probation officer. She said she had just returned from two days of protests at the Wisconsin state house, an experience that filled her with pride. The local labor movement should worry, she said, because California’s massive budget deficit could mean that union rights will eventually be attacked.

“It is going to come to us,” she said. “People need to wake up. If they don’t wake up, by the time they do it is going to be too late. So that is why we are here.” 

-- Kurt Streeter

Comments

[jbogue]

I wonder who will be re-elected in WI come 2012?

[Think123]

Sounds like the usual suspects. Totally insensitive to the unemployed taxpayers who pay for their outrageous benefits package. And, of course, union thugs have no shame!!!!

[jimsr]

the unions own the dems since the dems number one priority is getting re-elected. Union workers have to only fear the fact that most people are beginning to realize unions have nothing to lose in public employee collective bargaining. i.e. the process does not work

[smoon]

There is a high unemployment rate in California.
The taxpayers in California are paying one of the highest rates in the United States.
Cost of living is high here.
Teachers are way over paid - high salary; guaranteed life time pension; etc.
And each election, the hard working citizen is asked to pay more for these teachers, who get 3 months vacation each year; 2 weeks at Christmas, winter Week, Easter Week, and so forth.
Its one of the easiest jobs there is - go to work at 9:00 and get off at 3:00 (and perhaps sip a Latte at Starbucks grading a few papers - or simply do a scan on the computer.).
In short, Brown MUST break the teacher union - as it is destroying the rest of the families in California who are not part of this union. The teachers are whiners - and must do it again for the love of teaching - not for lording it over the rest of their neighbors who work at different professions.
Shame on the teachers - with guaranteed retirement plans..,
and what does the Unions want - They want teachers guaranteed retirement at age 50 while supporting very low paying social security for everyone else and increasing the age the rest of the population can retire to 70.

can we afford these "whiny" teachers any longer? 95 per cent of Californians have a lower living standard than teachers due to their life long security - its time to break the unions.

[Bill Caloia]

Union officials:
The time has come to move on. You are as outdated as the Tin Lizzie.
You are nothing more than an albatross around the neck of the economy.
All you want is more money for less work, no chance of ever being fired and benefits fit for a Potentate.
We the people cannot afford this. We pay your salaries, not the State. The state is merely an organization that oversees our money. Never forget that it is OUR money, NOT yours or the state's and the supply is not unlimited.

There was a time when you were needed, but there was a time when the buggy whip was needed too. Both are obsolete.

If you would have stopped years ago when you achieved modest goals, it would have been fine, but you got greedy. Also, your joined-at-the-butt buddies, the Democrats , fed you more and more, as long as you voted those scum into office. The people have spoken. You are done. The sooner you leave, the better for everyone.

[Anonymous]

“If you want to solve the budget problems, you don’t do it on the backs of working people. You start with taxing the rich,” said Irene Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County probation officer. She said she had just returned from two days of protests at the Wisconsin state house, an experience that filled her with pride. Nice. A California resident being paid by California taxpayers protesting in WI. She came clean with her "tax the rich" comment. She wants the government to take money from others to pay her more than she is worth. That's what unions do. The problem is they take from ALL taxpayers, INCLUDING working people. And long as she keeps making more money she'll use the excuse that she's a "working" person, when in fact, 13% of her fellow "working" people are unemployed. Only cares about herself.

[Jason K. Kirby]

I perchase American made prodects to keep american workers emplyed!

[dhwj]

Politicians (mostly but not all Democratic) have colluded to exchange taxpayer funds for union support in elections. Now we cannot afford to maintain our infrastructure, our roads, our parks, etc. because all the money is gone, and, it is only going to get worse since the pensions payable to union members cannot be paid without huge increases in taxation which the taxpayers won't authorize.

Crunch time has come.

[gk]

Without the unions, the middle class is virtually annihilated!

[Joediaz 1970]

The Public Sector unions, Barack Hussein Obama, Nancy Pelosi & the rest of the Democrat liberals are driving businesses offshore & taking our jobs with them. Think about it. The cost of property & corporate taxes; along with the trial lawyers being able to sue every business; are not helpful. These anti-corporate policies are killing jobs in the U.S. If u are a private sector employee; like most of are, and you’re supporting the Public Sector unions and other parasites calling for higher taxes, you really need to re-think your position.

[Paul]

Do these people REALLY think that unions will EVER be targeted here? This state has been destroyed by democrats ever since they took control in 1970, and NOTHING will ever change that! The people of this state are too stupid to EVER make any real, meaningful changes to the legislature, and there's no indication that will EVER change either!
So long as the democrats remain in control (which they have for 41 years), the unions can continue along buying up legislators, thus securing their own pitiful existence!

[Paul]

Do these people REALLY think that unions will EVER be targeted here? This state has been destroyed by democrats ever since they took control in 1970, and NOTHING will ever change that! The people of this state are too stupid to EVER make any real, meaningful changes to the legislature, and there's no indication that will EVER change either!
So long as the democrats remain in control (which they have for 41 years), the unions can continue along buying up legislators, thus securing their own pitiful existence!

[headjazz]

“If it can happen in Wisconsin, it can happen anywhere,” said Pasquale Gazillo, well let's all hope that is the case! Public unions have become nothing more than hogs at the trough.

[Cesar]

Unions are vital to preserving a shrinking middle class that use to be the pride of America and an example to the world. Union did not create the economic crisis we are in. Wall Street did. It's good to see workers fighting back, united and saying enough is enough to those who in power who just want to grab more power at the expense of workers. But now we are seeing public and private unions speaking with one voice. Long live unions!

[alamodefender]

unioners do believe they are the chosen ones.they seem to think they represent the average american.they don't.they seem somehow to be under the illusion that workers everywhere enjoy the same benefits that they are"entitled to" and that the whole labor system will implode without them.the american dream they refer to is one of working up the old ladder,not seniority,as they believe.a solid 8th grade education does not usually mean $80,000 a year plus benefits and retirement.

[Stephen J. Smith]

Public unions - democrats.

Financial recipe for fiscal disaster.

[Jason K. Kirby]

Support USA products!

[Hope]

As a taxpayer, I'm appalled that we have to pay retired union members salary increases when their working counterparts get one! No other non-union worker gets that....and honestly..no worker should get that. Raises are for those who are actually working.

These unions are breaking our financial backs and their members become complacent in their positions and we as the taxpayer have to take what they serve. The unions are nothing more than strong arm bullies. If they don't get what they want...they strike. They are not needed to insure humane working conditions as in previous generations. These unions are purely out for themselves and their members.

Unions can protest in mass...but the fed up taxpayer (hostage) can protest too.

[Hope]

As a taxpayer, I'm appalled that we have to pay retired union members salary increases when their working counterparts get one! No other non-union worker gets that....and honestly..no worker should get that. Raises are for those who are actually working.

These unions are breaking our financial backs and their members become complacent in their positions and we as the taxpayer have to take what they serve. The unions are nothing more than strong arm bullies. If they don't get what they want...they strike. They are not needed to insure humane working conditions as in previous generations. These unions are purely out for themselves and their members.

Unions can protest in mass...but the fed up taxpayer (hostage) can protest too.

[fedpvoter]

The people that belong to unions, are the middle class and the back bone of our nation. Some make us, union members, as if we are some aliens. Come on, let's put everything in perspective. I will not receive social security, which, is also subsidized by the government a taxpayers like me. The blue collar worker like me did not cause the economy to break. It was the banks, and other greedy folks. So, please don't blame folks like me. I did not hate when you, in the private industry were make six figures and getting all the perks. So, stop hating and let's all fix the nation's economy.

[shadowpark]

The unions did not get us into this mess it was wall st and the banks !! The same ones that got bailed out with our tax dollars!
This is class war plain and simple the nations wealthy are taxed at the lowest rates since the 1920s and they have more then doubled there wealth in the past decade !
I was at the rally I support the middle class I am a business owner for 10 years now and I realize that working people need the right to collective bargaining !
Go get your facts straight.

[TY]

“If you want to solve the budget problems, you don’t do it on the backs of working people. You start with taxing the rich,” said Irene Gonzalez, a Los Angeles County probation officer

The assumption that the so called "rich" were borne into it is completely idiotic. The American Dream is about working hard throughout one's life and one day attain the status of relative "rich.." ness.
I am about helping the poor and for the people who were never afforded those opportunity to succeed in life.
The problem with the broad and general statement of taxing the rich is in the inherent fairness of the whole thing.
I have no sympathy for the slackers who put themselves in the hapless position that they are in 20 years later with a mid life crisis and 10 kids that they can't support. These are the people that I dont' care for who hide behind the veil of the "working" people argument. The self righteousness of these people who latch on to the truly deprived and underpriveledged, hard working group is truly disgraceful. There is no accountability for their actions.
Meanwhile, the people who paid their dues to get to where they are today and somewhat "punished" and made to look truly evil is perplexing to me. How is that fair?

[George]

According to an article in The New York Times of Feb. 26, 2011:
1) After adjusting for cost-of-living differences in the different states, corrections officers in California are among the highest paid in the country, with median wages of at least 60 percent more than those at the bottom end
2) California workers without college degrees have median wages that exceed the private sector’s by 35 percent
3) California stands out for having among the most generous pension plans
4) Corrections officers in California can retire at 50 with pensions worth 90 percent of their salaries
5) California public employees are among the most heavily unionized in the country.

Given the above, should anyone be surprised that
a) California is confronting a $26.6 billion “budget hole”?
b) Democratic Governor Brown, whose election was heavily supported by government unions, when discussing budget cuts totally ignores the impact of government-employee unionization?

There is a HUGE difference between private-sector and public-sector unions: In the case of public-sector unions, the politicians who agree to union demands are spending other people’s (the taxpayers’) money in return for votes, most of which go to Democrats.

Politicians are buying votes with the taxpayers' money. In most countries that is called graft and corruption.

Because our elected representatives are constitutionally in control of the taxpayers’ money, the only way to end this corrupt process is to outlaw public-employee unions, just as FDR stated many decades ago.

PRIVATE-sector unions, YES!

PUBLIC-sector unions, NO!

[Luis Alvarado]

How dare unions claim that they represent the working people! They want us to think that just because they represent 16% of the working forse they speal for all of us. All they have always cared is for $$$$ people fail to realize that Unions are "FOR PROFIT" business. And we are the suckers that pay for their outlandish pentions.

The gig is up. NO MAS.

[Hal]

Maybe a better place for these folks to demonstrate would be at the L A Community College District's next board meeting. They could protest the wasteful spending that will cost their union brother at the LA district their jobs.