Workers hold walkouts and protests in nationwide 'Strike For Black Lives'
Essential workers walked out of their workplaces to rally on the streets in 25 cities across the U.S. as part of the Strike for Black Lives on Monday.
Demanding racial and economic justice for Black workers, employees and supporters hit the streets in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and other cities across the country. Some walked, some drove, all came demanding vital systemic change in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Organized by 60 labor unions, activist groups, and nonprofits, the Strike for Black Lives demanded higher wages, better jobs, and unions to help Black workers build economic power. The organizers listed their demands, one of which requires "corporations take immediate action to dismantle racism, white supremacy, and economic exploitation wherever it exists, including in our workplaces," according to the website. "This includes corporations raising wages, allowing workers to form unions, providing healthcare, sick leave and expanded healthcare coverage to people who are uninsured or have lost coverage as the result of losing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, child care support and more, to disrupt the multigenerational cycle of poverty created by their anti-worker attacks."
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The organisers also called on elected officials and candidates to "use their executive, legislative, and regulatory authority to begin to rewrite the rules and reimagine our economy and democracy so that Black communities can thrive." This includes ensuring a fair and safe voting system, whether in-person or by mail, protecting the health and safety of workers during the COVID-19 pandemic with well-managed and designed workplaces and public spaces.
Other demands included centering communities of color in action on climate change, and for immigrant communities to stand in solidarity with Black workers to build power together.
Organisers also encouraged anyone unable to attend to hold a moment of silence, take a knee, or walk off the job for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the amount of time a police officer knelt on George Floyd's neck until he died.
Here are just a few glimpses of the protests across the U.S. from Monday.
Shannon Connellan is Mashable's UK Editor based in London, formerly Mashable's Australia Editor, but emotionally, she lives in the Creel House. A Tomatometer-approved critic, Shannon writes about entertainment, tech, social good, science, culture, and Australian horror.
