Hundreds of Southland workers marched in the streets near Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday (October 2), calling on elected officials to support unionization and snarling traffic Wednesday.

Airport employees and rideshare drivers started the march around 11 a.m., supporting the "Unions for All" movement.

By Alex Cheney
Updated 32 minutes ago
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Hundreds of Southland workers marched in the streets near Los Angeles International Airport, calling on elected officials to support unionization and snarling traffic Wednesday.

Airport employees and rideshare drivers started the march around 11 a.m., supporting the "Unions for All" movement.

California Sen. Kamala Harris spoke to the crowd about the importance of labor unions and what it means for the citizens of Los Angeles.

"Unions represent mothers and fathers who are working a very long day at work, and they deserve to be able to have fair working conditions, a safe work place, livable wages, and it is the unions that have the power and ability to bargain for them, so they have dignity and that people recognize the dignity of work," Harris said.

L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn and former state Sen. Kevin de Leon were also expected to attend.

Los Angeles World Airports officials said the demonstration is not expected to affect any flight operations. LAX is advising travelers to allow extra time to reach the Central Terminal Area, and asks visitors to use the lower/arrivals level. Two lanes of westbound Century Boulevard were closed between Airport and Sepulveda boulevards. Motorists were advised to use alternate routes, such as Sepulveda Boulevard and Westchester Parkway.

Additional traffic officers and Airport Police officers were on hand, airport officials said. The march is expected to last until about 1 p.m.

Demonstrators are pushing elected officials to support unionization at companies such as S