After overwhelmingly rejecting their companies' "last, best and final" contract offer a day earlier, nearly 160 seond shift UE Local 1008 members in Laguna Nigel walked off the job on Thursday, staging a six hour strike. Just as their supervisors were starting to push them to begin work at 3pm, the L 1008 members gathered up their personal belongings and marched out of the California Service Center in one mass wave. Led by their second shift UE leaders, the members marched to Alicia Parkway where they were met by first shift UE leaders, who cheered their arrival.
After picketing until dark, the striking workers marched across the street in one mass wave back into the service center, vowing to continue their struggle until they win good first UE contracts.
"It was a glorious moment. We all braved the heat, marched and chanted until we got tired. We rested then marched and chanted again until the sun set," said Joel Faypon, a second shift UE leader. "All you see are strong members - all united and fighting for what they deserve. And I'm proud to be a part of it."
