Days before the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art’s grand opening, demonstrators gathered outside to voice their concerns. The protest, organized by the Fair Games Coalition, included participants dressed in Jedi robes and Jar Jar Binks masks, wielding lightsabers. The rally aimed to highlight worker protection issues during major sporting events.
Protesters from the coalition, advocating for improved labor rights, showcased their unity by blowing horns, beating drums, and chanting “Sí se puede” in front of Exposition Park’s newest addition. Their presence at the museum’s private opening party was a protest against Mellody Hobson’s departure from the LA28 Olympics organizing committee.
“We launched the campaign with some real, reasonable demands,” stated Jessica Durrum, director of the Fair Games Coalition for the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy. “If the Olympics are coming to town, we want to ensure there are lasting benefits for our communities.”
The coalition comprises over 80 groups, including United Teachers Los Angeles, National Union of Healthcare Workers, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 770, United Farm Workers, and diverse community organizations. These groups advocate for better labor agreements during prominent events like the Super Bowl and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Their requests include union and living wage jobs, funding for 50,000 housing units for working families, restrictions on short-term rentals, and protections for immigrant workers.
Gladys Avyla, a cleaner at the W Hotel in Hollywood, expressed concerns about the rising cost of living. After moving to Victorville due to high rent, Avyla worries that the influx of major sporting events will only exacerbate the issue. “Rent is very high, and everything is expensive. It’s hard living here. We need a wage increase for the Olympics because everything costs so much,” Avyla commented in Spanish. “We need help for all workers. We’re human beings, but, honestly, we aren’t treated like human beings.”
Mellody Hobson, who co-founded the billion-dollar museum with her husband, George Lucas, recently resigned from LA28, reportedly to focus on the museum. However, the Fair Games Coalition claims she resigned in response to their requests to meet and discuss concerns. The 35-member board, chaired by Casey Wasserman, is tasked with planning the upcoming Olympic Games.
“That’s how you hide your head in the sand. But we’re not giving up. She still has clout and still has a lot of power in the city of Los Angeles with the Olympic Committee,” stated Rev. Gary Bernard Williams from St. Mark United Methodist Church, a coalition member. “There’s going to be a lot of money flowing at the top. Very little money will be trickling down to the workers who need it the most.”
The Lucas Museum and LA28 did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
During the recent World Cup games in L.A., Unite Here Local 11 reached a tentative agreement with SoFi Stadium’s food-service operator, Legends Global, days before the event’s kickoff. Pastor Bridie Roberts, community organizing director at Unite Here Local 11, emphasized the importance of collective bargaining.
“Our members face serious, critical decisions every single day about how to make ends meet and they work with some of the biggest tourism companies in the world that will profit in the billions from these games,” said Roberts. “We believe these games have the potential to bring real outcomes for working people, but only if we fight for them.”