ADVISORY/Congress Hotel Workers Set to Strike.

Business Editors

ADVISORY...for Friday (June 13)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

WHAT:    Chicago Hotel Workers March on the Congress Hotel

WHERE:   The Congress Plaza Hotel, 520 S. Michigan Ave.
         (at Congress Pkwy)

DATE:    Friday, June 13

TIME:    10:30 a.m., 3:30 and 6:00 p.m.

Workers at the Congress Hotel, members of the Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Union (HERE) Local 1, will walk out on strike sometime before Monday June 16th. Faced with wage and benefit cuts, the Congress workers voted overwhelmingly to strike on May 29.

On Friday, June 13, HERE Local 1 will hold general membership meetings at the Hilton Chicago, which is a block away from the Congress Hotel. The focus of the meetings will be on supporting the imminent Congress strike. After each one-hour long meeting, which begin at 9:30, 2:30 and 5:00, members will rally at the Congress Hotel.

Until last September, the historic Congress Hotel had always paid wages and benefits in line with other prominent Chicago hotels. As of May 14, the Congress cut workers' wages by 7%. Healthcare coverage has also been eliminated, as management refused to pay premiums at the level required by the provider. A housekeeper at the Congress now makes only $8.21 an hour, while most unionized housekeepers in Chicago earn $10.00.

Visit the website: www.congresshotelstrike.info