The Minnesota State Capitol was built to impress. And maybe intimidate. Large murals and portraits of past governors gaze upon visitors. Grand marble staircases lead upward toward the House and Senate chambers. In the hallways, politicians, lobbyists and political activists of all stripes meet, greet and pace as they conduct business on their mobile phones.

On March 29, in another hall of power just down the street, close to 200 members of Service Employees International Union gathered at the Lakes and Plains Regional Council of Carpenters, preparing for some business of their own ? an all-day blitz of those same state legislators.

It was SEIU's Lobby Day, a chance for members to meet firsthand with the elected officials where they work or live, and tell them, face to face, the issues that concern them ? and why.

During training at the Carpenters' hall, nursing-home workers sipped coffee with bus drivers. Janitors broke croissants with security guards. Organizers role-played upcoming legislative meetings, focusing on fighting rollbacks in public school pension benefits and on raising the minimum wage.

Energized and confident, they piled into buses for a short drive to the Capitol ? a sea of purple, SEIU's trademark color.

A year of firsts
Among them were Danny Ballard and David Gudvangen, members of SEIU Local 26. It was Ballard's first Lobby Day, but just another learning experience in what has been a year of firsts for him. The ink is barely dry on the new contract between Local 26 and American Security Corp., where Ballard works as a security officer for Macalester College.

Ballard was involved in both the organizing drive to secure union recognition for security officers, and in negotiations for the first union contract. During the 2004 presidential campaign, he was among a panel of workers who met with candidate John Kerry, asking him to protect workers' rights through stronger labor legislation and a National Labor Relations Board that is more accountable.

"It?s very important politicians become aware of the needs of the worker," Ballard said while waiting to meet Rep. Cy Thao, DFL-St. Paul. "And in order for politicians to effectively assist workers, they have to know the issues that affect you."

Ballard, 42, cited raising the minimum wage to $7 an hour as the issue closest to his heart. Throughout the day ? during meetings with Thao and St. Paul Senators Richard Cohen and Sandra Pappas ? Ballard spoke of the importance of raising the floor under wages.

Danny Ballard (right) in his first experience meeting with legislators, talks with Rep. Cy Thao, DFL-St. Paul (left) and fellow SEIU member David Gudvangen. Photo by Mike Heffron

Children learn importance of politics
"Through our union negotiation, we have enough money now to sustain our family," he said. "But I've been in a position of not being able to make ends meet. The cost of everything is going up. Everything is going up except the minimum wage."

As a father of six, Ballard is particularly concerned about younger workers trying to make a living on $5.15 an hour, the rate at which the minimum wage has remained since 1997.

During the last presidential campaign, Ballard talked to his children about the importance of politics in a way he had never done before.

"Since getting involved in the union, my kids are very receptive to politics," Ballard said. "They study the issues and decide what individuals they want in office based on what they can do for them."

'People need health care'
Gudvangen, an executive board member of Local 26, has been to the Capitol on Lobby Day before. He's A 30-year veteran of the movement, a window cleaner for Managed Services Inc., comfortable speaking to politicians about wages and health care.

"They're issues for all working people," Gudvangen said. "When the minimum wage goes up, it pushes everybody's wages up."

Health care, he said, is "getting to a point where there are people who can't afford to cover their own kids. People aren't getting preventative care. They are just waiting until they have to go to the doctor."

Gudvangen, 60, said the Pawlenty administration's plan to cancel Minnesota Care coverage for 45,000 working adults "rubs him the wrong way."

"The people who need it most of all can't get coverage anymore," he said. "It's good they are keeping it for kids, but people without kids need health care, too. Personally, I'd like to see national health coverage."

Gudvangen said meeting with friendly politicians reminds them how they got there. "Politicians pass laws that affect us," he said. "They need to know where they get their support from."

No longer abstract
Javier Morillo Alicea, the newly elected president of Local 26, said he wished he could get his entire membership up to the Capitol.

"Every time we have a lobby day, the reaction I hear most from people is 'They're just normal people,'" Morillo Alicea said. "They're just people like you and me ? in decision-making positions."

Getting members speaking up has an impact on their representatives, too, he said.

"Legislators are dealing with issues that affect us all ? but in abstract. It's everyday people who own the government, and to have them go up to Capitol and express that is invaluable."

Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL-Grand Rapids, talks with members of SEIU Local 113, including Brenda Red (center), of McGregor, and Connie Leonard, of Crosby. Photo by Mike Heffron