The struggle of the Street Vendors Popular Union came to life as the workers of the union decided to finally rebel against the wrongful police harassment, victimization and criminalization. Tired of unjustly losing their hard earned wages to the confiscation and seizure of their merchandise, of being wrongfully sent to jail and unfairly burdened with unnecessary fines and penalties, the street vendors decided to organize themselves into a union to confront the violence perpetrated by the authorities.
In the first months of 2014, a call was made to all of the street vendors to organize and carry out a protest march ending at the Rampart Police Station, to demand a stop to the harassment and criminalization. At that rally of the workers we launched our first organized struggle against the police, who could see then that the street vendors were not the main focus since we were considered only to be criminals. We were also successful in reaching an agreement to stop the unjust fines and penalties perpetrated upon the street vendors, as well as carrying out a moratorium against further persecutions while the on-going process of legalizing street vending works itself out in the City of Los Angeles.
With the experience of our first triumph neatly tucked away in or hearts and souls, which helped us to mightily fight against the most recent attempt by the Sheriffs to evict us at the Metro Alvarado Station, we whole heartledly and decidedly called for a meeting so that Supervisor Hilda Solis could listen to a list of our most pressing demands that so dearly affect our lives and families. On that fateful day, we marched an organized contingent of street vendors to Supervisor Hilda Solis’ office where, for the first time, not only are our grievances paid attention to, but the unjust fines, penalties and evictions perpetrated by the Sheriffs upon the street vendors, are halted.
During the second week of November, the Street Vendors Union successfully conducts its first meeting, not only with Supervisor Hilda Solis, but also with Councilman Gilbert Cedillo, the Sherriff’s Office, the MTA and the lawyers of the National Lawyer Guild. At that meeting we are able to successfully define the possibility of opening up the metro station for the establishment of a Community Market.
Finally, we have filed a lawsuit against the security guards of the fashion district and the LAPD in order for the courts to prohibit the police from confiscating and seizing the street vendors’ merchandise.
We must consider that in order to successfully legalize street vending by the workers as street vendors, we have to organize ourselves to achieve political and economic power and independence. Our struggle is deeply rooted in and can only be realized within the process of mobilizing masses of people, by simultaneously providing them with the appropriate education and resources in order to successfully achieve our goals and objectives.
