Members and supporters of Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees (HERE) Local 17 picketed in front of the Minneapolis Downtown Regal Hotel June 9, then marched to the Hilton hotel.

The contract for Local 17 expired April 30. The workers who are employed by nine major Minneapolis area hotels soundly rejected a five-year contract proposal by a 94 percent margin, a vote that also approved strike action.

Otis Reeves, a worker at the Hilton, said, "We are fighting for fair wages and health care for our families. It's a shame you work 80 hours a week. After paying for food and rent and bills, you can hardly get by. We are the backbone, the foundation of these hotels."

"We are going to win," said José Gómez, who has worked at the Hilton for 8 months. A group of housekeepers who were working at the hotel came out to join the picket during their break.

Union members from other current struggles in the Twin Cities area attended the march and rally to show their support and to get out the word about their fights. Four strikers against Overnight Express, a trucking company in Blaine were there. Greg Cagle, one of the leaders of that strike, said their strike was seven months strong and the workers remain on the picket line. Twenty five of them have been fired and Teamster Local 120 is fighting to get their jobs back. "Everybody's got to get together," he said explaining why they were at the rally.

Workers at Dakota Premium Beef in South St. Paul, who are currently in a union organizing drive, were represented by United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) organizers from Local 789. A group of AFSCME Local 3800 members attended who have recently been through a contract fight at the university of Minnesota. "We had to be here," said Gladys McKenzie. "This fight is important for every worker in the Twin Cities. I want to see a labor movement that's not afraid to stand up to the employers and these workers are showing the way."

Buses organized to bring workers in for the march came from throughout the Twin Cities. Members of Local 17 who work in St. Paul whose contract is up in November participated, as did the Free Mumia Coalition, ACORN, church groups, and students. Jesse Jackson and Minnesota senator Paul Wellstone spoke at the rally.

HERE represents bell stand workers, cleaners, banquet workers, cooks, bartenders, and waiters and waitresses. "We represent women, immigrants, and minorities," said Jaye Rykunyk, Local 17's principle officer. "These people are at the bottom of the heap. They know what struggle is all about."

The union is seeking pay increases of 21 to 46 percent, with the largest increases going to the lower paid workers, who have a starting pay of $8.50 an hour. The union also wants greater employer contributions to health and retirement benefits.  
 
 
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