Inglewood, CA - Twenty thousand people demonstrated here, Jan. 31 in a powerful display of solidarity with the striking, locked-out United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) grocery workers. Trade unionists - including strikers and their families, longshoremen, public workers and Teamsters - along with community supporters marched on Safeway-owned Vons market.

Among those joining the march were students from Los Angeles's Roosevelt High School. "It was great to see so many people march together to support the strikers and I did not know there were so many different unions!" said Roosevelt High senior Martha Aguilar, Student Organizer for Centro CSO.

Since Oct. 11, 70,000 southern California grocery workers have been on strike against Safeway owned stores, or locked out by Albertson's and Kroger-owned stores. Employers want to impose a takeaway contract that cuts health care benefits.

Health care benefits have emerged as a key issue in strikes and contract talks across the country. California grocery workers are on the front lines of this battle. Their fight deserves the support of all trade unionists and other progressive people.