Thousands of AFSME members from across the country rallied on Wednesday at Roberto Clemente High School to support workers at Resurrection Health Care's efforts to form a union.  They were joined by national labor leaders, including AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Vice President Linda Chavez Thompson, AFSCME President Gerald McEntee and Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy, Chicago Federation of Labor President Dennis Gannon and Secretary-Treasurer Jorge Ramirez, as well as Congressman Jan Schakowsky. 

The rally, held at the Roberto Clemente High School plaza across from one of Resurrection's facilities, intended to send the company a message that enough is enough. 

Henry Bayer, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 31 and Chicago Federation of Labor Executive Board member served as the emcee of the event, introducing speakers including Ald. Manny Flores, whose ward includes the area where the event took place, Resurrection employees and a number of labor and political leaders.

Sweeney told the crowd, clad in AFSCME-green, "We are here and we are not going away until all workers at Resurrection have the right to form a union."  Sweeney reflected on his own views as a Catholic, and invoked the words of late Pope John Paul II who was in strong favor of labor unions in order to raise up workers' wages, affordable health care and worker compensation.  "It is time for Resurrection to return to the teachings of the church," he added.

Rep. Schakowsky has been supportive of the workers' struggle to form a union for some time now.  She joined Resurrection employees in an attempt to deliver a letter signed by a dozen of her collegues, including Senators Obama and Durbin, to their CEO only to be turned away at the door by security guards. 

William Lucy gave an inspiring speech to the crowd, which remained energized throughout the rally.  "You cannot intimidate AFSCME," he said.  "We do not go away.  We cannot be bought off."

"You will have a union at Resurrection and your name will be AFSCME," added Lucy.

President McEntee closed the event, citing a number of reasons why Resurrection should pay more attention to patients and workers and less about profits, including exceptionally high patient mortality rates and the fact that seven of its hospitals are under investigation by the state for unsafe conditions. "We are here today to tell these health care tycoons that it is wrong to put profits before patients," said McEntee.

"Sisters and brothers," he added, "you are not alone.  You state with 1.4 million men and women of AFSCME who are just like you."