[June 27, 00] On June 30, contracts expire covering thousands of hospital workers and city workers. At this time, it looks likely that strikes will be necessary to get decent contracts with the city and with several Philadelphia hospitals. The major issue is management's refusal to fund adequate health care benefits. With health care costs soaring, this issue is one the unions cannot give up on.

The three major unions involved in these contract battles held a coordinated rally today to let management know that they are prepared to fight. They are 1199c- the Hospital and Health Care Workers Union (of which the Kensington Welfare Rights Union is an affiliate), as well as AFSCME District Councils 47 and 33.

Cheri Honkala, director of the KWRU, spoke at the rally. In a concrete expression of the unity of the employed and unemployed, Honkala pledged that the KWRU would stop any unemployed people from crossing the picket lines during the strike. She then invited the crowd of thousands to join the March for Economic Human Rights on July 31st. The crowd roared in approval.

[Thanks to Philadelphia Jobs with Justice for background information.]