Members of Hotel, Hospital, Restaurant and Tavern Employees (HERE) Union Local 21 working at the Albert Lea Medical Center held a labor solidarity rally Friday, marching through downtown Albert Lea and attracting the attention of ALMC workers, community members and local law enforcement officials.

Saturday, March 24, 2001

Members of Hotel, Hospital, Restaurant and Tavern Employees (HERE) Union Local 21 working at the Albert Lea Medical Center held a labor solidarity rally Friday, marching through downtown Albert Lea and attracting the attention of ALMC workers, community members and local law enforcement officials.

Over 100 employees, families, friends and representatives from other unions attended the rally, organizers estimate.

Local 21, representing ALMC nursing assistants and escorts as well as dietary, housekeeping, laundry, utility, and material management employees, has been negotiating contracts with ALMC since last September. The two groups have not been able to agree on a wage and benefit package.

HERE members pay substantially higher health insurance premiums than other ALMC employees and workers with similar jobs in other Mayo facilities, members say. ALMC representatives say the package is based on local survey information and is comparable with other local industries.

The rally was the culmination of Local 21’s month-long education campaign in hopes of averting a strike. Union members wanted to educate the public to their concerns and show ALMC that they were serious about their demands, said Local 21 business manager Dave Blanchard.

&uot;We’re certainly upping the ante and letting them know how serious this is,&uot; Blanchard said.

Community members are surprised to hear that some ALMC employees pay as much as $162 a month for single person health insurance coverage, while others pay as little as $47.75, members say.

&uot;People that hear it’s part of the Mayo Health System just assume that we have an affordable health-care plan,&uot; Blanchard said.

Eight-year-old Brenden Long attended the rally with his grandmother

Faith Kirsch, who has worked almost 23 years in the medical center’s material management department. Long and others of Kirsch’s grandchildren wore homemade T-shirts saying &uot;We are HERE for grandma.&uot;

Eight of Kirsch’s children and 13 grandchildren marched Friday to lend support to union members.

&uot;I had plenty of volunteers,&uot; Kirsch said. &uot;They’re loving it.&uot;

Freeborn County Commissioner Dan Springborg also attended to show his support.

&uot;I’m all for people getting decent benefits,&uot; Springborg said. &uot;That’s all they’re asking for.&uot;

Local labor leader Tony Samudio joined the group, carrying a sign reading: &uot;No justice, no peace.&uot;

The group marched two-by-two down Broadway, Clark and Fountain streets, carrying signs and chanting slogans like &uot;Ron Harmon, shame on you,&uot; but their plan to march into ALMC and present delegates with petitions was thwarted by Albert Lea Police Chief Tom Menning and several law enforcement officers.

Flashing his badge, Menning told the crowd they were on private property and would have to leave.

Menning attempted to knock a blow horn away from HERE Minnesota Chief Organizer Alan Kearney when he refused to stop leading the group in chanting.