Rally Kicks Off Picketing at the: Spot Bar in International Falls
2005Larry Sillanpa 2005-04The page as the paper published it (Wayback Machine) →
From the paper's own web edition, recovered from the Internet Archive: the text as the paper put it online, not machine-read. The printed issue of April 2005 is not held.
by Larry Sillanpa / April 20 2005 issue of Labor World
UNITE HERE Local 99 took their frustrations with Bill Fisher, new owner of the Spot Bar in International Falls, to the street last Friday. By 7:30 the community had gotten behind the workers and their union to the point that Fisher closed his restaurant because he had no business.
"Our rally in International Falls went better than I could have imagined," said Local 99 Business Rep. Todd Erickson. Fisher bought the restaurant last January and has refused to sign a union contract or have any discussion with the union. He has verbally abused his staff and stated that he may have to terminate all union employees if that is what it takes to get rid of the union.
Larry (Skinny) and Laura Hansen own the UNITE HERE-affiliated Outpost Saloon right across the street from the Spot. They allowed their parking lot to be used to stage the rally.
"We spoke about workers rights and the injustice of what happened to these workers since Fisher bought the facility and decided he could make the decision about whether or not it would be union," said Erickson. "People in International Falls weren't about to let someone come into their town (from Mora, where he owns a Ford dealership) and fire a worker for wearing a union pin."
That's what Fisher did to 4-year employee Heather Caple after he refused to sign a contract with the union. Caple spoke at the rally about how she now sees exactly what a union can do for a worker even though she was a union supporter before.
Fisher had called a meeting of his workers to try to get them to sign a document that they didn't want a union so he could run it in the local paper. His effort failed.
Bob Walls, Business Rep. for IAW W-33 spoke about unions staying strong and supporting each other. That's exactly what happened as 60 people, like Walls many of them from the nine unions at Boise Cascade's paper mill, showed up for the rally and picket.
"We started to walk the line when the restaurant opened at 5:00p.m.," said Erickson. "Two employees would not cross and go to work. All of the reservations canceled and Fisher closed the doors by 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night! It was awesome. Our biggest problem was we didn't have enough signs for the turnout."
Erickson said if Fisher doesn't sign a contract the union is going to put up a permanent picket line on Friday, May 13 to kick-off the fishing opener.
"This community is strong and behind us," he said. "I was never more proud as a union rep than I was on Friday. I know we have one of the strongest union towns in America. Other bar owners showed up to show their support and Dominos donated pizzas."