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NEWS & LETTERS,
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2003
Congress Hotel strike
[caption: Congress Hotel Workers show support for Gelmart
Factory workers in the Phillipines, who have done the same for the hotel union.
Both the factory and the hotel are operated by Albert Nasser.] * * * Chicago--We learned a lot of things during the strike
against the Congress Hotel. We learned that Nasser is cheap. Also if he cared
about the employees, he wouldn’t have made us go on strike. He hasn’t
negotiated with us since the strike began June 15. We also learned that we could stay strong. Some thought we
would go back before now without getting what we need--the same wage as the rest
of the hotel workers in Chicago, $10 an hour. Some people out here got jobs somewhere else during the
strike, but I haven’t been able to find one. I worked at Congress Hotel for
nine years. Some are so mad that they say they might not come back to the
Congress Hotel even with a new contract. People are wondering why we don’t see members of our
union from other hotels on the line. We need their help, but HERE Local 1
stopped getting them here after a few weeks. Why? We know people haven’t
forgotten us because other unions show solidarity by coming out here, like SEIU. I feel sorry for the guests during the strike. The kitchen
is nasty. There are lots of flies on the prep line. The kitchen is supposed to
be cleaned between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., but the chef says he doesn’t have the
time to get it done. Just this morning, we turned back eight people. A wedding
party canceled because of all the noise we make. A wedding party moved to the
Palmer House Hotel. Congress Hotel lost thirty thousand dollars. So we know
there are people who care and that Congress Hotel is losing money. --Striker |
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