11/19/2001

Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union, Local 26 Members and Supporters packed the Arlington Street Church in Boston to consider whether or not to authorize a strike.

Many of the Rank and File Members represent the hard working immigrants from across the world who have traditionally provided the back breaking, dangerous and underpaid work that has built America. From the enslaved Black Africans who established America's agricultural power, to the Irishmen whos stone fences delineate New England pastures, to the Chinese Immigrants who built our rail infrastructure, to the various ethnic groups who fought for recognition in the boxing ring, the vast majority of Americans trace their ancestry to hard working immigrants who sacrificed to provide food, housing and education for the next generation, many of whom have aspired to great achievement.

Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner spoke briefly. Turner drew attention by singlehandedly opposing yet another blank-check pro war bill, this one in particular was sponsored by one of Boston's most rabidly intolerant old school back-room boys. (More on Councilor Turner and this legislation in this FZ Photo Report)

 

An Introduction: Dirty Massachusetts Politics (skip to pics) <rant> The current state of Massachusetts Politics has called citizens to respond. Our "Clean Elections" bill, passed in a nonbinding referendum by a clear margin, (around 65/45, as I recall) has been consistently manipulated in the State House. My attempts to report from the State House have been foiled by State Police who forced me to leave, while others, performing precisely the same activities, were allowed to remain. Credentials are not an issue, and ACLU has a file on my complaint. Like Resident Bush, who uses any available excuse to push his agenda, Speaker Tom Finneran and his crowd have used the 9/11 killings and current "state of war" as an excuse to attempt to undermine the reforms we, the Voters of Massachusetts,  have demanded through a referendum. The  State House Bullies are pulling every trick they can imagine to prevent the bill from reaching the floor, though almost every individual Politician dares not go on record against it. Speaker Finneran's use of voice, rather than roll call voting makes it easy for the Politicians to vote anonymously, and impossible for Citizens to hold them accountable. Countless Grass Roots Organizations are working feverishly to bring some semblance of democracy back to the State House which has become the focus of national pro-democracy groups. Two years ago, at the tender age of 90, Granny D walked across the continent from California to Washington D.C. in a pilgrimage to promote campaign finance reform. The politicians say nobody cares, but they are wrong, we just don't know how. ...But we're learning.   (FZ's Granny D pics | Granny D's Website) In the face of the Anti-Democracy Bush Agenda, shrouded by his inner circle's latest war on poor people around the world, Americans are carefully producing a rich cultural renaissance and retaking the political realm. Critical to this rebirth of democracy is an alternative to Corporate Media, who hold a priviledged position in the inner circle in exchange for providing effective mass mind control. This is not radical theory. this is how the media business works. There is a continuous migration away from the limits and rules that could guarantee integrity, and towards the quick rating and cash fix. It's simply unrealistic to expect honesty and integrity from centralized monopolist media, just one of the faces of the anti-competitive monopolization threatening the American nation, and now, through Corporate control of International Free Trade Talks, the entire world. So your task is to involve yourself in every possible way, in the bodies and activities of American Democracy and Governmental Processes, through grass roots groups... We will soon live in a true democracy where, rather than asking "What are they doing about it", we shall consider what we shall do about it. Rock On, America!  -Freeman Z. </rant> Now, back to regularly scheduled programming...

Rev. Jesse Jackson

The Reverend Jesse Jackson first addressed the 9/11 killings, paying respect to the victims, then and proceeded to discuss inequities between government bailouts of corporations and their ultrarich captains, while working folk are put out in the cold. In an economy where CEO's 'earn' thousands of times the workers' wages, Jackson spoke of new ways to bail out industries "from the bottom up, rather than top-down"

Turning to the immediate subject at hand, Jackson offered a prayer and noted that contrary to popular myth, "Most poor people are white" he reminded us, "...and they work hard every day." He asked participants to repeat these words over and again: "Negotiate when you can, strike if you must." The voices rose together to reverberate between the walls of the old church.

Rank and File Motion to Authorize Strike

Members filed out of the church, depositing their carefully folded ballots, repeating the phrase "No Contract, No Peace", and proceeding across the street to the Park Plaza Hotel where they made noise for about ten minutes then blocked the street briefly as horns blared both in support and annoyance. a Union leader spoke to several news crews, backed up by workers bearing signs reading ""...", "Justice" and Justicia."

Several News Crews interview Union Official

though the ballots were uncounted, it was clear that the Boston hotel and Restaurant Workers Union will strike unless a contract is successfully negotiated.

Workers Briefly Blocked Traffic

For more information on this strike and related issues, go to the index by clicking the green page below, and proceed to the Harvard Living Wage Events.

Values of the Arlington St. Church

More Pictures

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