The 600 members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 who work in Gary and Merrillville walked off the job June 1.

The workers won modest wage increases of 40 cents upon ratification of the contract, plus four smaller wage raises over the next three years, lower than the union was demanding, but higher than in the original company proposals.

The new contract includes some modification of the use of temporary workers and of the hospital's three-tier wage scale which has divided workers on the basis of when they were hired.

As reflected in the high number of workers voting no on the contract, many workers wanted to continue the fight.

The striking workers included food service workers, maintenance and instrument technicians, nurses aides, and others.

This was the first strike at The Methodist Hospitals that workers could remember. Workers organized strong picket lines throughout and weekly rallies to draw support from the community and other unions.

A march and rally on July 5 drew 300 striking workers. The rally featured the Rev. Jesse Jackson, strikers, local religious leaders, a representative of the United Steelworkers of America (USWA), a Gary city councilman, a representative of the Central Labor Council of Northwest Indiana, representatives of the Gary and East Chicago Teachers Unions, and a representative of the Gary Firefighters Union.

The rally was marked by the workers' determination to stay out until they win the strike. The biggest banner at the front of the rally read, "Patients Before Profits--SEIU Local 73." One homemade sign read, "[Hospital] President Betjemann every year makes more than $250,000. How much do you make?"

The USWA had an organized presence at the rally, with 30 members participating. USWA members carried signs including, "USWA demands justice for SEIU" and "Stop stalling! Settle now!" Another sign read, "Steelworkers refuse to use Methodist 'til they settle."

Jim Robertson, who represented USWA District 7, addressed the rally and reaffirmed that pledge in his comments. He explained that The Methodist Hospitals are the product of fights by the USWA for medical benefits. He also led the crowd in chanting, "I won't give up, I won't give in, We'll keep fighting 'til we win."

During Jackson's comments he expressed his solidarity with the strike. He told the rally participants, "When we march together, we win together."

Jackson also stated that he would be going to Kokomo, Mississippi, to participate in a march from there to Columbus, Mississippi July 8-9 to protest the recent hanging death of Raynard Johnson, a 17-year-old Black youth.

Nathan Harper, who has worked for nine years in the hospital's X-ray department, said, "The pension plan is a joke." Another striker, Patricia Wilson, who has worked in the Radiology department for three years, said that an important issue for her is the hospital's use of temporary workers, who receive extremely low wages and no benefits. She also thinks the hospital should eliminate the three-tier wage.

As the crowd marched to the hospital's administrative building, they chanted "Hey hey, ho ho, union busting has got to go!" and "No contract, no peace!"

The union organized a "prayer" rally on July 3, featuring several local ministers who support the strike. Workers organize regular picket lines in front of the hospital.

At a June 22 rally, off-duty Gary police officers acting as hospital security arrested two demonstrators. They claimed that the participants were trespassing on hospital property.

According to union representative Lorenzo Cromwell Jr., the pickets were gathered at the park while he was beginning to inflate a 20-foot balloon labeled a "corporate rat" when the cops began harassing the unionists. Bill Silver was speaking at the rally representing the SEIU when the cops arrested him. Also picked up was striker Evangelist Jones who was charged with criminal trespassing and resisting arrest.

Betsey Stone, a member of the International Association of Machinists, contributed to this article.