Participants in a noon rally evoked the memory of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in their call for fair treatment of workers at the Minneapolis Grand Hotel and city-owned parking ramps.

About 75 people gathered at the Federal Building plaza across from City Hall Tuesday to call attention to an organizing campaign among 400 workers at 17 parking ramps and eight parking lots in downtown Minneapolis. The lots are owned by the city, but managed by Municipal Parking, Inc.

Sue Mauren, vice president of Minnesota Teamsters Joint Council 32, said the issue 'is the same thing Dr. Martin Luther King went to Memphis for - civil rights and human rights.' The demonstrators called on the City Council to pressure Municipal Parking to sign a neutrality agreement with Teamsters Local 120 that would allow workers to unionize without fear of intimidation.

Dean Zimmermann, council member from Ward 6, joined in the rally to show support. Citing current concerns about 'homeland security,' he said providing jobs that enable people to buy homes is one of the most important ways to achieve it.

From the plaza, participants marched to the Minneapolis Grand, where they rallied to support employees who are currently engaged in contract negotiations. Hotel Employees & Restaurant Employees Local 17 represents the workers.

Jaye Rykunyk, principal officer of Local 17, said bargaining is scheduled to continue Thursday and union representatives are hopeful. She said a good contract provides a measure of dignity.

'No job is really menial - only the wages are inadequate,' she said. Other speakers at the rally included Minnesota AFL-CIO President Ray Waldron, Twin Cities Religion Labor Network Co-Chair Doug Mork and Grand Hotel Steward Amee Cooper.

Local 120 Organizer Erik Skoog said it made sense to connect the two campaigns. 'It's not a Teamsters issue. It's not an HERE issue. It's a whole labor issue when any workers are being mistreated,' he noted.

For more information

Visit the Local 17 website, www.here17.org