A beautiful sunny day graced the workers, students and activists who rallied around the base of the Lincoln memorial on Sunday October 17 for the Million Worker March (MWM). The Washington Post estimated that between 10-15,000 people were present throughout the day for the rally. There was a wide spectrum of speakers who talked during the rally, representing many different groups ranging from labor organizers to members of the ANSWER Coalition to a Publisher from Harpers Magazine. The common themes of many speakers were: support of worker’s rights and demanding a living wage, providing universal health care, ending the war in Iraq and stopping U.S. imperialism, as well as getting rid of the current administration. Although, many speakers also voiced disdain for the current direction of the Democratic Party, and recognized that the Democrats do not support the majority of these issues as well.

For anybody unfamiliar with the MWM they have a 22 point platform of diverse issues that they are fighting for. A sample of the issues includes: a living wage, universal life long health care, cancellation of all corporate “free trade” agreements, funding for more teachers and ending illiteracy, and progressive taxation that places more burden on the wealthy and corporate America and removes it from poor and working class people.

The rally was followed by a short March to the Washington Hotel. The action was a show of solidarity with the workers at the hotel who are threatening to go on strike. According to the MWM website, “workers are currently on strike in Atlantic City, have been locked out in San Francisco and are preparing to go on strike in both Washington DC and Los Angeles.” Participation in the march was sparse because it started around 4:30 in the afternoon, and many of the groups that had traveled by bus were preparing to leave by that time. Despite the logistical issues approximately 500 people marched and rallied in front of the hotel. Several hotel staff showed support by leaning out of windows and encouraging the protestors, while guests could be seen in other windows observing the event.

See also "Voices from the Million Worker March" by Nicole Aschoff:
baltimore.indymedia.org/newswire/display/8361/index.php