The "Minnesota is Watching" campaign, Service Employees Local 113, and St. Paul teacher Roy Magnuson will be honored at Progressive Minnesota?s annual ?Winning Big? dinner Sept. 5.

The Minnesota AFL-CIO and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits created the "Minnesota is Watching" campaign to highlight the dangers of service cuts as the primary way of solving the state?s budget deficit. The campaign assembled an unprecedented coalition of more than 80 labor unions, nonprofits, faith groups and other advocacy organizations to suggest alternatives Gov. Tim Pawlenty?s ?no new taxes? budget.

SEIU Local 113 is being honored for its successful campaign to increase wages and reduce health-care costs for 5,900 health-care workers at 14 Twin Cities hospital facilities. Workers achieved a new three-year contract after a series of rolling pickets and one-day strikes.

Magnuson, a history teacher at Como Senior High School, is being honored for more than 20 years of activism in his union; for mentoring young activists; and for his role in the campaigns of such elected officials as Congresswoman Betty McCollum, state Sen. Mee Moua, and state Rep. John Lesch. Magnuson is a member of St. Paul Federation of Teachers Local 28 and a trustee of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly.

The awards dinner begins at 6 p.m at the union hall of UFCW Local 789, 266 Hardmann Ave., South St. Paul. Tickets are $40. For reservations or information, call 651-641-6199.

Adapted from The Union Advocate, the official newspaper of the St. Paul Trades and Labor Assembly. E-mail The Advocate at: advocate@mtn.org