Second place trophy: ILWU Local 13 President Ray Familathe (left) with
ILWU pensioner Jerry Brady who accepted the second-place trophy for “Best Float”
in the parade.
Several thousand union members, families community supporters came out to celebrate the ruby anniversary of the Harbor Labor Coalition’s annual Labor Day Parade and Picnic. The event was the brain-child of ILWU Local 26 President Luisa Gratz. The Harbor Labor Coalition was formed by Gratz along with then newly elected Local 13 Executive Board member Dave Arian, David O’Day, Regional Coordinator for the Inlandboatmen’s Union and Diane Middleton. Their goal was to fight the Crowley Maritime from bringing a substandard contract from their tugboat operation in Florida to the Ports of LA and Long Beach.
In 1979 the Harbor Labor Coalition started the Labor Day Parade and Picnic as a demonstration of solidarity and labor unity. What started as a small parade and picnic with a few hundred union members 40 years ago, has grown to become the largest Labor Day event west of the Mississippi River.
The day began at 7:30 am with an egg, sausage, and pancake breakfast at the Longshoremen’s Memorial Hall sponsored by the Southern California Pensioners Club. The meal fed an estimated 1,500 people. During the breakfast, federal, state and local elected officials were given an opportunity to speak to the crowd before heading over the assembly point for the Labor Day Parade on Broad and E Streets.
The parade was kicked-off by a short press conference the included ILWU Local 13 President Ray Familathe, PCPA Pensioner President Greg Mitre, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, Congressman Alan Lowenthal, Congressman Gil Cisneros and LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis. Familathe addressed the issue of automation and technology that is affecting workers in virtually every sector of the economy, including longshore, maritime, and warehousing.
Recognizing Luisa Gratz:
ILWU Local 26 President Luisa Gratz, one of the co-founders the Wilmington Labor Day March and Picnic, spoke at the rally against automation, the need for solidarity and the importance of organizing. Gratz was thanked at the event for originating the idea of the march 40 years ago.
“We are here to send a message that workers are not going to be forgotten. We need to be included as we move forward,” Familathe said. “We need a just transition with new technology and automation. Robots don’t pay taxes and don’t shop in the local community.”
The parade was led by the ILWU Southern California Pensioners who followed behind the Color Guard. The pensioners rode on a flatbed truck and tossed candy to hundreds of children and families who lined Avalon Blvd to watch the parade. Thousands of union members marched with motorcycle clubs, marching bands, classic cars, and low-riders. The march ended in Wilmington’s Banning Park where firefighters cooked over 5,000 hot dogs. Sno-cones, cold sodas and popsicles awaited the marchers as they streamed into the park. Live music was provided by the Brian Young Blues Station and The Topics. A special section of the park was set aside for kids with games, face painting, and other activities.
The absence of former ILWU International President Dave Arian was felt throughout the parade and picnic. The 2014 Los Angeles Poet Laureate Luis Rodriguez recited a poem he wrote honoring Dave, who passed away earlier this year. The poem, Show Up, captured the spirit and passion embodied by Dave’s life-long commitment to fighting for social and economic justice.
Ray Familathe and Luisa Gratz were among the speakers at the picnic. Local 13 pensioner and PCPA Poet Laureate, Jerry Brady, recited one of his poems. Gratz spoke about the threat of automation and other attacks on labor. She urged everyone in attendance to take the energy present at the event and channel it into an on-going organizing effort.
“We cannot just get together one day a year. Let this be a beginning. Think about what you are going to do tomorrow make unions stronger and keep up the spirit of solidarity that we have here today,” Gratz said.
