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For Immediate Release
March 15, 2005
Julius de Vera, 831-229-2449
831-375-2246

International Protest at Monterey Bay Travelodge
Union Leaders from Across North America to Demonstrate Against Elimination of Health Insurance

Monterey. Union officers from across North America will lead a 100-person rally tomorrow at the Monterey Bay Travelodge. Led by UNITE HERE International Presidents, Bruce Raynor and John Wilhelm, the demonstration will protest the actions of the hotel owner, Kilsoo Seo, who has eliminated the health insurance and pension plans of his 13 Latino employees, while freezing their hourly wages at $8.84.

The rally will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. in front of the Travelodge at 2030 North Fremont Street in Monterey. Speakers, including Raynor and Wilhelm, will address the rally at 5:45 p.m.

This rally marks the 30th such event—drawing over 1,200 participants in total-- at the hotel since July 29, 2004. Without a contract for 15 months now, the employees were hit especially hard last fall when Mr. Seo implemented his demands to eliminate employee and family health insurance entirely, leaving the workers and their 19 children without health care coverage. Hotel employees at the Monterey Bay Travelodge have been members of UNITE HERE Local 483 for over 20 years and, until Seo’s actions, had health insurance and pension plans.

UNITE HERE President of the Hotels Division, John Wilhelm, explained the purpose of this showing of international solidarity, “Eliminating health insurance is not right in Boston, not in Toronto, not in Chicago, not in San Francisco, and not in Monterey—it’s not right anywhere. And we will oppose it everywhere.”

Juana Enriquez, Travelodge housekeeper and recent recipient of the 27th Assembly District Woman of the Year award, added, “We have made so many new friends from the Monterey Bay on the picket line in these past eight months. Now, we are joined by people from all over the country and Canada! I think the message to Mr. Seo is: The Whole World is Watching you!”

For more written information please see the websites www.BoycottMontereyBayTravelodge.info and www.unitehere.org.

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