Seattle May Day Protest & Demonstrations

Seattle May Day: Police & Protesters Clash
Courtesy: Toby Scott

The turnout for this year’s May Day immigration reform march in Seattle was lighter than in year’s past.

City officials estimated only about 500 people joined the demonstration that ended at Westlake Center without incident.

By evening, however, several hundred different protesters representing a variety of causes began making their way from Capitol Hill to downtown in a chaotic, sometimes tumultuous, scene that has become standard fare for May Day in Seattle.

Seattle police report 9 people were arrested during yesterday’s demonstrations on charges including property damage and assault. Toby Scott has more.

Income Inequality

According to a recent report from the National Employment Law Project, low-wage jobs are the fastest-growing sector of the economy. This makes the good-jobs deficit even deeper than it was at the start of the 21st century. The report says the unbalanced recession and recovery mean the long-term inequality in the U.S. continues to rise.

Tomorrow is May Day. A march is planned in downtown Seattle and on Thursday, May 2nd Working Washington hosts a Poverty-wage Story Slam. We have some of those participating in Thursday’s event here to share their story:

Spencer is an airport worker who loads and unloads baggage for Alaska Airlines passengers at Sea-Tac Airport. He makes around $12.25/hour.

Arturo is an immigrant from Mexico who has worked 5 years at a fast-food chain in North Seattle and is paid less than $10/hour.

Sarah Laslett, Director of Washington State Labor and Education Research Center at South Seattle Community College.

Listen to the interview: KBCS_M+I_2013043_LowWageWork

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