Giant Inflatable Rat on West Broadway in Southie

If you’re on a construction site, it’s never a good sign when a giant inflatable rat shows up. Well, this week, the rat and about a dozen protesters showed up to protest in front of 202 West Broadway

They are there to picket the non-union workers hired by the developers, Cedarwood Development.

The protest is happening right next to Olga’s Kafe – but they are not protesting the wildly popular Southie coffee shop – so you won’t be crossing the picket line.

The 12-foot tall rat, complete with pointy teeth and red eyes, is a symbol of a labor dispute and has been used for decades by labor unions. They serve as a sign of opposition against employers or nonunion contractors and are intended to call public attention to companies employing nonunion labor.

In addition to the Rat, we also notice a giant inflatable Fat Cat choking a union construction worker in one hand and a large bag of money in the other fist. It must be a new addition to the protest family.

A Little Union Trivia

Did you know that the giant, inflatable rat has a name? His name is Scabby the Rat.