CCDS Mobilizer

WESTERN REGION

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA CHAPTER - REPORT

L A Labor Day March

By Paul Krehbiel

Los Angeles Labor Against the War (LALAW) had a contingent in the 32nd Annual Labor Day Parade in the Los Angeles Harbor Monday, September 5, 2011 demanding an end to the US wars in the Middle East and shifting money to social needs and jobs. The theme of this year's parade was "Stop the War on Workers!" LALAW signs, "End Wars = End Deficits" were seen by thousands at the march and at the huge labor-community picnic that took place in Banning Park after the march, and by millions on CBS channel 9 in LA on the evening news. LALAW explained that at the beginning of 2011, 42 states and the District of Columbia were running deficits in their budgets, totaling $105 billion. The budget for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan for 2011 is $159 billion. End the wars and bring the troops and money home and we could pay for the shortfall in every state budget and protect every social program and every job. Other signs seen throughout the Parade were "Tax the Rich and their Corporations," "Unions for Single-Payer Healthcare," and "Jobs."

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA REPORT