Labor Day in the Southern California harbor area has always meant one thing—a Labor Day march through downtown Wilmington followed by a picnic at Banning Park.
But this year there were no early-morning breakfast burritos at the Longshoremen’s Memorial Hall sponsored by the Southern California Pensioners. The school marching bands, union banners, floats, classic cars and the thousands of proud union members walking side-by-side with their fellow workers were nowhere to be seen on the streets of Wilmington. There were no hamburgers or hot dogs served at Banning Park and no Brian Young Blues Station to entertain the crowd.
For the first time in 41 years, the annual event was canceled.
Instead, the unions of the LA/Long Beach Harbor Labor Coalition, including the ILWU, the Labor Community Services, and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, suited up and went to work to put on a food drive to help area families impacted by the COVID-19. The pandemic continues to spread through communities, because the federal government response has failed to meet the challenge posed by the virus. US Representatives Maxine Waters and Nanette Barragan, State Senator Maria Elena Durazo, Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis and Los Angeles Councilmember Joe Buscaino were among the elected officials at the event.
Local 13 President Ramon Ponce de Leon spoke briefly at the event.
“On a day that the nation celebrates Labor, Labor is giving back to the community,” he said. “The Good Lord said ‘It is more blessed to give than receive.’ God bless you, brothers and sisters.”
The union-hosted food distribution helped more than 4,500 families, or 18,000 individuals, impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.
“The workers in the harbor decided to turn this into a day of helping,” said Supervisor Hahn. “These workers who deserve a day off decided to work today because many people have been hurt by this pandemic. It speaks to the generosity and hospitality of unions and workers in the harbor area.”