Pasadena City Hall will serve as the backdrop for a Labor Day rally focused on economic inequality, as organizers prepare to hold a “Workers Over Billionaires” event on Monday, September 1 from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
The rally is part of a broader national movement that launched on May 1, with hundreds of events organized nationwide by the May Day Strong Coalition, with organizers citing over 1,000 planned actions. Labor leaders say the movement seeks to address growing wealth disparity and corporate influence on policy.
“As a collective labor movement, fighting corporate power and fighting billionaires is what we do,” said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO.
“When we stand together, as a community of working people, we go up against incredibly powerful companies with massive amounts of money and influence all day long and we win.”
Organizers spotlight the scope of wealth concentration driving the protests. Saqib Bhattie, executive director of Action Center on Race & the Economy, said nearly 1,000 billionaires control $6 trillion yet continue pushing harmful policies.
“They are pushing elected officials to slash Medicaid, SNAP benefits, and special education funding for schools in order to fund their tax breaks,” Bhattie said.
The movement centers on demands for economic policies allowing workers to support families without multiple jobs.
“A roof over one’s head, food on the table, and power to keep the lights on, are basic needs,” said Sulma Arias, executive director of People’s Action Institute.
“We deserve to earn a living wage working one job instead of three. We deserve affordable childcare and education for our kids without mountains of debt.”
“Labor Day: Workers Over Billionaires” will run on Monday, September 1 at 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pasadena City Hall, 100 N. Garfield Ave., in Pasadena. For more call (626) 744-7311 or visit https://www.mobilize.us/nelaindivisible/event/825867/.
