Beach Cities To Pay $420K Over Grocery Labor Protests
EL SEGUNDO (CBS) — Police from the cities of Hermosa and Manhattan Beach made a very expensive mistake when they got involved in that supermarket strike six years ago.
The beach cities will fork over $420,000 to 14 supermarket workers to settle a federal civil rights
lawsuit over the workers' treatment by seaside police in the 2004 lockout, according to lawyers for the plaintiffs named in the lawsuit.
Podcast
Attorney Says Police Violated 1st Amendment Rights:KNX 1070's John Brooks Reports
The lawsuit, filed in December 2004 in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, stems from the contentious labor dispute between Ralphs, Vons, Safeway and Albertsons and members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union during the 2004 grocery strike and lockout.
The plaintiffs alleged that during their picketing at the grocery stores, police prevented the striking workers from protesting.
The settlement, which was approved a week ago by U.S. District Judge Andrew J. Guilford in Santa Ana, ends five years of litigation, which included an unsuccessful appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals by the cities, said plaintiffs' attorney Dan Stormer.
"The cities of Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach now know that violating the First Amendment rights of citizens will cost them dearly," Stormer said.
Attorneys for the cities could not be reached for comment.
The settlement was expected to be announced Tuesday morning during a news conference at the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1442 in El Segundo.
"The result of this lawsuit will prevent future harassment of lawful picketers," said Olu Orange, one of the attorneys for the workers.
(Copyright CBS 2010)
