1245 Boosts Attendance at 15 Rallies

More than 200 Local 1245 members swelled attendance at “We Are One” rallies at 14 locations across California and one in Nevada in a vivid demonstration that workers are fighting back against political attacks on their rights and their livelihoods.

Local 1245 members–unmistakable in their fluorescent lime green t-shirts emblazoned with the IBEW 1245 logo–stood out at rallies and marches in Oakland, San Francisco, Redwood City, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Salinas, Sacramento, Stockton, Merced, Fresno, Modesto, Eureka, Bakersfield, the Zampa Bridge, and in Carson City, NV.

“We had a great time and I loved every minute of it!” reported Local 1245 Recording Secretary Chris Habecker, who participated along with approximately 400 in the Fresno action. “I live to walk the line for Labor!”

Local 1245 Office Manager Tonya Alston joined a large contingent from Solano County in the march across the Zampa Bridge. “It was awesome! The weather was beautiful,” she reported.

Local 1245 Administrative Associate Angela Jacobson tweeted the Zamp Bridge rally live. Her tweets were picked up by several labor organizations, including the AFL-CIO, SEIU, and AFTRA. Also marching for Local 1245 across the bridge were Linda Fernandez, Gerome Fernandez, Debbie Rose, Senior Business Rep Joe Osterlund, Business Rep JV Macor.

Solidarity Action Network

The rallies were the first major activation of Local 1245’s Solidarity Action Network, which was organized in the wake of political attacks on public employees and their unions in Wisconsin, Ohio and elsewhere.

“Our members showed they are ready to take action when needed, and other unions really appreciated our energy at these rallies,” said Local 1245 Organizer Eileen Purcell.

In Oakland, about 50 Local 1245 members and supporters responded to the call, joining hundreds at the Frank Ogawa Plaza in the heart of Oakland. “Thirty young pre-apprentices stood behind the speakers’ podium, wearing bright yellow hard hats and holding the IBEW 1245 Solidarity Action Network banner,” Purcell said.

Twenty IBEW Local 1245 members joined the throng at the Federal Building in downtown Sacramento, while in San Francisco another 20 joined thousands of trade unionists and their families in a march  from the Bank of America to the Federal Reserve Bank, holding signs that declared, “We Stand with Wisconsin.”

In San Jose, 30  members marched two blocks from Cesar Chavez Park to Civic Center carrying home-made signs, the IBEW Solidarity Action Network  banner and chanting “We are the union, the mighty mighty union!”

In the Central Valley, 14 members and staff joined the rally in Stockton and 12 members joined the rally in Modesto. In Merced, 10 Local 1245 members formed a sizeable chunk of the 100 or so who participated in the rally. “It was impressive,” said Local 1245 Assistant Business Manager Ray Thomas.

In Carson City, 28 active and retired members  provided a strong IBEW presence. (Link to more photos of the Carson rally in the NV Energy section of the home page.)

At each rally, labor, civic and religious leaders recalled that labor’s blood, sweat and tears built this country and  fought for basic human rights, including the 40-hour week, child labor laws, health and job security, safety standards and a voice at work.  They noted that the current economic crisis was caused by irresponsible and egregious  corporate behavior. Corporate  greed, deregulation, and an imbalanced tax policy–not public service employees–produced the Great Recession that has wreaked havoc with federal and state budgets.

In Bakersfield, IBEW 1245 Senior Business Rep Bob Dean addressed the crowd, recalling that IBEW 1245 originally organized to fight against the needless deaths of workers. After years of struggle the union won safety standards and better training in addition to decent wages and benefits.

Redwood City was glowing lime green, with participation by IBEW Local 1245 members Marcelino Gomez, Jose Beltran, Alejandro Diaz, Mike Brazil, Jose Luis Sanchez, Alfredo Barragan, Gerardo Magana, Juan Cruz, and Business Reps Landis Martilla and Junior Ornelas.

The April 4 marches and rallies were the first wave of more than 1,200 events planned nationwide for this week under labor’s “We Are One” banner. The events coincide with the 43rd anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in Memphis, where he was helping sanitation workers fight for justice.