Dennis at Seatac on Saturday

[pnorman]

(I just had the below forwarded to me. Maddeningly, the date wasn't specified so I'll have to assume that it refers to THIS Saturday)

From: Allan Paulson
Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2003 9:10 PM
To: [e-mail]
Subject: Walk with Hotel and Restaurant Workers

Please Come Walk with Hotel and Restaurant Workers
And Presidential Candidate Rep Dennis Kucinich

Saturday, 3 PM at the Doubletree Hotel
SeaTac (corner of S. 188th Street and International Blvd.)

Let's Show our Support for Workers in the face of an
Unfair Contract and Union Busting Tactics

Sally Kinney and I have been acting as community observers in
negotiations between HERE Local 8 and the Doubletree and Hilton Hotels (both
owned by Hilton). The workers have rejected the Doubletree's 'best and final
offer' and authorized a strike. Hilton's offer is similar and will probably
be rejected as well. Rather than begin a work stoppage, the workers are
choosing to 'walk and work,' informational picketing in front of the
Doubletree from 8-10 AM and 4-6 PM every day this week, and probably next,
too. In retaliation, Doubletree's management is intimidating employees in an
effort to get them to resign from the Union in order to keep their jobs in
the event of a strike.

Visible community support is very meaningful at this moment. The
hotels are dependent on community business and good will. They will notice
our presence! So please come out and join the line any day, but particularly
on Saturday when Rep Dennis Kucinich has volunteered to join the workers at
3:30 PM.

The Issues:

Health Care: for the first time, the hotels are insisting that
employees pay a portion of their health insurance premium. This wipes out
about 1/3 of the wage increase that they are being offered. While the amount
of co-pay is fixed contractually for the first 3 years of the contract, it
is being left open in the fourth year, so employees do not have control over
what they might be asked to pay. While many us are used to paying a portion
of our health insurance premium, we do not make less than $9 an hour, as
most of these workers do.

Parking: For the first time employees would have to pay for their
own offsite parking. This means if they cannot park at the hotel because the
spaces designated for employees are full, they will have to find and pay for
their own offsite parking, an expense of up to $15 a day. There is no
guarantee that the hotel will allow any employee onsite parking in the
future, making the potential cost to workers unknown and astronomical. It
could easy wipe out any wage increase and much more. The hotels are telling
workers to catch rides or leave their cars at park and rides and bus
in--advice which is absurd in light of the complex child care arrangements
and off-hour shifts that many of these workers have.

Come Show our Community Support for Hotel and Restaurant Workers!

[govegan]

1. Yes, must be this weekend -- from DK's web site

Friday, July 18

7:30 p.m. PST start, 8:00 p.m. dinner
Seattle, Washington
Fundraising Dinner
Café Ambrosia
2501 Fairview Avenue East, Seattle
At the corner of Fairview and Roanoke
On the shore of Lake Union
$100.00/plate dinner, seating is limited.
Contact Judith Shattuck at: [e-mail] if you would like to attend.

11:00 p.m. PST
Seattle, Washington
KIRO Radio Mike Webb Show
http://kiro710.com

Saturday, July 19

7:30 a.m. PST
Seattle, Washington
KEXP Radio Mike McCormick Show
Listen live online! http://www.kexp.org/

9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. PST
Seattle, Washington
Volunteer and Supporter meeting
University Temple United Methodist Church
1415 NE 43rd Street
Seattle’s University District
All are invited to this event!

7:00 p.m. PST
Seattle, Washington
Bainbridge High School LGI Room
public invited
details to follow