Strikers from the Congress Hotel were joined by hundreds of supporters from organized labor and community organizations and members of UNITE HERE Local 1, the hotel and food service workers union in Chicago, at a rally to commemorate the 5th Anniversary of the longest current running strike in the country.

Members of UNITE HERE Local 1 working at the Congress went out on strike on June 15, 2003 after the hotel froze wages until 2010, refused to pay healthcare premiums for its employees, and demanded the ability to subcontract out all bargaining unit work at the hotel. 

In 2002 most Chicago hotel workers made $8.83/hour. Today, most make $13.90/hour.  But at the Congress Plaza Hotel, the wage is still just $8.83.