WGA Members March at Los Angeles May Day Demonstration

As Hollywood writers decide whether to go on strike, the Writers Guild of America was among more than 100 groups represented at the May Day march Monday in Los Angeles. Groups representing a wide swath of labor issues marched from MacArthur Park to Grand Park at Los Angeles City Hall.

Organizers were hoping up to 100,000 marchers would march, but police reports are saying that about 15,000 were present. The first of May is known as International Worker’s Day (Labour Day in some countries) and is a celebration of laborers and the working classes throughout the world. In Los Angeles, a strong union town, organized labor and immigration groups have come out to voice their criticism of the current administration and President Donald Trump.

The WGA delegation numbered approximately 50 people, according to some members there.

“We are here to support all the unions,” says WGA member Ken Kristiansen. “Also the idea of unions, the fact that they’ve been busted over the last 25 years. We’re marching in solidarity of our fellow unions and showing the studios that we are happy to be out marching and are willing to do that for a long time.”

When asked whether he was worried about losing work if the strike were to last a long time, Kristiansen answered, “I’m worried about losing healthcare if we don’t strike.”

The member said they were under a media lockdown and couldn’t speak to reporters, but a few were happy to speak, saying it was only the negotiating committee that wasn’t allowed to speaks to reporters.

One young man who didn’t want to be named held a sign that said: “Today is my first day as a WGA member and I’m still here.”

According to a May Day March representative, the WGA endorsement came later than hoped, on April 26. This prevented them from being able to speak at the rally.

“At the end of the day it’s all about fairness,” added member Bruce Marshall Romans.

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