LOS ANGELES COUNTY : Rally Planned Today to Protest Cuts, Layoffs
A coalition of labor, religious and community groups will march from Olvera Street to a rally at the Hall of Administration today to protest county budget cutbacks and layoffs.
Leading the protest, expected to attract thousands of demonstrators, will be the Rev. Jesse Jackson and John Sweeney, president of the Washington-based Service Employees International Union. Local 660 of the union represents about half of the county’s 80,000 workers.
After the rally, members of the local will vote on whether to strike when their contracts expire Sept. 30.
The County Board of Supervisors last month passed a $13.5-billion budget that calls for deep cuts in health and welfare programs, 2,000 layoffs and an 8.25% countywide pay cut.
The board’s regular Tuesday meeting was canceled this week because three of the five supervisors were scheduled to be absent.
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