Strength through Solidarity — A Salute to Frontier Workers

John Wilhelm, general president of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International (HERE), led the Convention in a rousing tribute to the men and women of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226/HERE, Teamsters, Operating Engineers and Carpenters who staged a successful six-year, four-month and 10-day strike against the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. Approximately 550 Frontier workers went on strike in 1991 and NOT ONE ever crossed the picket line despite the strike's extraordinary length.

When Wilhelm asked delegates and guests to stand if they had individually helped the Frontier strikers, a great majority of the crowd stood. Noting also the union's financial support and its 6,000-member rally during the 1992 AFSCME International Convention in Las Vegas, Wilhelm stated, "Without the steadfast support of AFSCME, there is no way these strikers could have won."

Wilhelm promised to "repay" AFSCME. "We will be shoulder to shoulder with you" as you organize, Wilhelm said. He told the Convention that 42 percent of HERE's budget is now directed toward organizing. "We have to admit this Labor movement is on the ropes," he said, noting the flat or diminishing number of union members. "We've got to fight. We've got to grow."