Alex Darocy Photography

International Workers Day was honored on May 1 in Santa Cruz with a march in support of two food justice issues of particular concern locally: the international boycott of Driscoll's, which is headquartered in Watsonville, and the fight to preserve the Beach Flats Community Garden. Marching down Pacific Avenue The march began at Santa Cruz City Hall and made its way to the downtown New Leaf Market, where a large group of demonstrators entered the popular natural foods store. Inside the market, a letter signed by community members was delivered to the business asking them to honor the Driscoll's boycott and to stop selling the brand's berries. From New Leaf, community members marched to the Beach Flats Community, and then on to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, where gardeners and community members delivered a letter to the Seaside Company asking that the business work with the city to preserve the entire Beach Flats Garden for the gardeners. On April 26, the Santa C...

While reflecting on a long year of labor struggles at UC Santa Cruz, students looking to the future continued to call for the resignation of UC president Janet Napolitano at the 'No 2 Napolitano' May Day rally held at the university on Thursday. The opposition of Napolitano is central to their fight for justice for workers, especially those who are undocumented. "Janet Napolitano comes from the federal government as the head of the Department of Homeland Security. She has not only deported two million people but she has also separated many families and brought fear into undocumented communities," an event announcement for the rally read. In addition to calling for Napolitano's resignation, students also called for the university to settle a fair contract with UAW 2865, the labor union that represents Graduate Student Workers, and for all charges against the UCSC 22 to be dropped. May Day is International Workers Rights Day. Since 2006, the workers holiday an...

This year on May Day, the Santa Cruz community rallied at the Town Clock in support of immigration reform. Workers and community members joined individuals from the Monterey Bay Central Labor Council and other AFL-CIO affiliated organizations for the rally, which included a strong turnrout by Unite Here local 483, the labor union that represents hotel, restaurant, and other hospitality workers in Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay Area. After rallying at the Town Clock, many in the group marched down Pacific Avenue to the Del Mar Theatre to view "Harvest of Empire" at the Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival. Individuals held signs with messages such as "Citizenship Now," "I Work hard and Pay Taxes," "Keep Families Together," and "Citizenship, Because No Person is Second Class." The Santa Cruz County Community Coalition to Overcome Racism was also represented and food was provided in front of the Del Mar by Food Not Bombs Santa Cruz...