On May 31, the janitors’ union SEIU United Service Workers West Local 1877 held a march and rally at the corner of 3rd Street and Capitol Mall in downtown Sacramento. The rally became a march and then became civil disobedience.
The action was part of the janitors’ struggle for a contract . The crowd of some 200 people blocked the streets directly at the foot of the giant office buildings they clean. The on-ramp to I-5 was also blocked for about an hour.
The police were called in and eventually arrested seven people for refusing to leave the streets. Those arrested included the leader of Local 1877 in Sacramento, and the executive secretary of the Sacramento Central Labor Council.
Representatives from UNITE HERE Local 49, UAW Local 4123, Students for Quality Education, the Occupy Movement, and the Party for Socialism and Liberation were present in solidarity.
