“LA is a union town.”
That’s the phrase hundreds of union members chanted as the marched down Avalon Street in Wilmington on Monday morning, Sept. 1.
Thousands pf people representing more than 25 unions across Los Angeles and Orange counties marched and paraded in floats on Monday to celebrate the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Labor Coalition’s 46th annual Labor Day Parade and Rally — and to demonstrate the strength and unity among workers.
Teachers, actors, steelworkers, plumbers, gig drivers, fishermen, marine firemen and carpenters were among some of the professions that participated in the parade.
The parade also included performances from several local schools’ marching bands, including San Pedro High School and Banning High School.
Local officials join the 46th Annual Labor Day Parade as it makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) Local officials join the 46th Annual Labor Day Parade as it makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) Giovanni Oswald, 2, and his dad Ryan march in the 46th Annual Labor Day Parade to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) Gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra, left, and Assembly Member Al Muratsuchi participate in the 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The Banning High School ROTC marches in he 46th Annual Labor Day Parade as it makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The Banning High School ROTC marches in he 46th Annual Labor Day Parade as it makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) Local officials join the 46th Annual Labor Day Parade as it makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The Banning High School marching band performs during he 46th Annual Labor Day Parade as it makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) The 46th Annual Labor Day Parade makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) Show Caption1 of 19Local officials join the 46th Annual Labor Day Parade as it makes its way to a rally and union picnic at Banning Park in Wilmington on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025. (Photo by Axel Koester, Contributing Photographer) ExpandAttendees were joined by a handful of local officials, including LA County Supervisors Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis, LA Councilmember Tim McOsker and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
The parade began on E and Broad streets with speeches from union leaders and local organizers. The then parade went down Avalon Street and concluded at Banning Park with a picnic, rally and kid-friendly activities. This year, trophies were awarded to the “best decorated” floats.
The parade started with a few local unions in 1979 — the same year the coalition was founded. Since then, the parade has grown to include nearly 30 labor organizations affiliated with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
The event, said coalition Chair Larry Barragan, was sparked by oil workers going on strike and shutting down major refineries locally and across the nation. Now, the annual event honors Los Angeles workers and their contributions to the country.
But the Labor Day celebrations have taken on new meaning under the second Trump administration. This year, unions in Southern California have bared the brunt of cuts to Medicaid and other benefits, automation and artificial intelligence — which was a major point of this year’s parade.
“Working people across America are facing many challenges in the workplace, specifically artificial intelligence,” the coalition’s website said. “The question is how will AI affect working class people and their unions? We are now facing the reality of AI at the bargaining table, most recently the Writers Guild strike and SAG-AFTRA faced this threat.”
And then there are the federal immigration raids. Last week, President Donald Trump’s border advisor told reporters that federal immigration efforts will ramp up activity in Los Angeles and other sanctuary cities.
“We’re here in Southern California, and I wanted to be here today because the Trump administration has made this ground zero for their attacks on working people,” said Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the country, “and we’re not going to stand for it.”
The Trump administration, for its part, have repeatedly said the increase in deportations is intended to make cities — and the country at large — safer, though those efforts have drawn the ire of immigration advocates, who have criticized the methods and broad scope of the raids.
During Monday’s parade and rally, union leaders and local community organizers discussed a farmworker who fell from the top of a greenhouse to his death during an immigration raid in Camarillo.
But they also mentioned other labor issues, such as WNBA players negotiating for fair pay and Hollywood workers seeking to benefit from the state’s newly expanded Film and Television Tax Program.
But while Barragan said he’s never seen unions face more resistance in this administration, they’ve also never seen them more unified in the time he’s been involved with the labor movement.
LA County Federation of Labor President Yvonee Wheeler agreed.
“Workers in Los Angeles are not afraid,” Wheeler said. “Workers in Los Angeles are organized. Workers in Los Angeles are rising.”
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