Hundreds of people around the Central Coast gathered for Labor Day in Watsonville, a federal holiday established in 1894 to stand up for labor and working families and to honor the nation’s workforce.
The free gathering began at 11am with live music, information tables, food and speeches in Romo Park on Main Street.
Put on by the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, the event showcased “the essence of Labor Day—to pay tribute to the efforts and achievements of American workers,” MBCLC staff said.
“Today, we are here to honor and respect labor,” Deborah Natvaez of SEIU 521 told the crowd. “A number one priority in Santa Cruz County: we cannot cut services; when the county is looking to contract out a public X-ray and laboratory center that serves the most vulnerable population here in Watsonville, this is a travesty to our community. And we are asking the board to protect these vital services. We’re here to say it is time to put families over profits.”
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Felipe Hernandez, Luis Alejo, Monterey County Supervisor Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, Faris Sabbah, County Superintendent of Schools and the County Office of Education, various unions, and others teamed up to push the labor movement forward. While the event began in Romo Park, it swelled in a second gathering staged by the group Indivisible Pajaro Valley and others across the street in Watsonville Plaza at 2pm.
There, hundreds more people showed up with signs protesting President Trump, as well as stating pro-labor and union messages. They lined Main Street to wave their signs at passing motorists, “No Kings,” “No Tyrants,” “No ICE Concentration Camps” and one huge sign, ”Take Out the Trash— DumpTrump.”
At one point, the crowd marched along both sides of Union Street, through the neighborhood, past Watsonville High School and back to the plaza.
“We’re standing up for working families, we’re standing up for immigrant rights…we want to honor all our ancestors — everybody that came before us,” said Daniel Dodge. “Our community was built on labor.”Sabbah told the crowd, “We stand together for care, for dignity and for justice. From Watsonville to Washington, we will not be silent and never stop fighting for families, workers and our most vulnerable community: Give it up for our workers.”
This story has been edited. The group Indivisible Pajaro Valley was the co-organizer.
Hello! The second part of this event was staged by Indivisible Pajaro Valley, not Indivisible Santa Cruz County. Lots of effort goes into these events so just want to give them credit where credit is due. They are two separate organizations although they do cooperate on events as I understand the relationship.
Yes, the event in the square was organized by Indivisible Pajaro Valley. I stopped by their table and they were the ones making signs for the protest. I’ve been to several of their events now and feel we need to support them whenever we can.
Thank you, Janice. I made the correction.
— Todd