Author: Lilliane Ballesteros
Over 400 hotel workers and supporters marched down Century Boulevard, Thursday, October 25 to protest dangerous working conditions in hotels throughout the city. The crowd included union and non-union workers, community leaders such as co-founder of the United Farm Workers Dolores Huerta and several high school and college students.
The protest was organized by the Coalition for a New Century, which consists of local church groups, community members and unions. The organization’s website states, “The Coalition for a New Century was created to improve conditions for workers, communities and the hotel industry alike in this vital part [Century Boulevard] of L.A.”
Workers shared their stories on a “Quilt of Pain & Tears”, which they carried down Century Boulevard. Each square of fabric consisted of a worker’s name, the number of years they had worked in the industry and the injuries they had sustained while at work. Several of the pieces were dedicated to workers who died due to hazardous working conditions.
Noel Hollowell (sophomore) joined the protest, helping to organize the event. Hollowell explained that one quilt piece was dedicated to a mother of three children who died due to dangerous working conditions.
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