Workers Walk Off The Job Monday In Strike For Black Lives
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Workers walked off their jobs Monday in a nationwide strike for Black lives.
"It's a new movement and a new wave that's happening right now, and I think it's really important to keep the conversation going," Sierra Herrera, a demonstrator, said.
The 25-year-old joined her grandfather at a gathering outside of a McDonald's in the Crenshaw District to push for higher wages for fast food workers and to continue the momentum of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Several groups and workers unions – including the Service Employees International Union, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, American Federation of Teachers, United Farm Workers, the Fight for $15, and the Movement for Black Lives – are part of the nationwide strike.
With most of the protesters in cars — in an effort to adhere to public health guidelines — Los Angeles police were on hand to direct traffic.
Newlyweds Sierra and Jordan Shimomura found themselves in the middle of the caravan during their visit to Hollywood from Washington state.
"We've never been a part of anything like this, but we're here for the movement," Jordan said. "We love it."
The caravan also made its way to a skilled nursing facility, where demonstrators called for more personal protective equipment for workers, and to the gate of the University of Southern California, where groups called for the school to abolish its campus police.
In total, more than 25 demonstrations took part across the country Monday with organizers seeking to highlight the ways in which the pandemic has worsened economic inequality and the dangers essential workers are subjected to.