Published 15 Aug, 2011
Rep. John Mica (R-FL), Chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, received an unexpected, but sizzling,Texas reception at the Marriott Hotel in Houston on Aug. 11 while attending a fundraiser hosted by the I-69 Alliance Group. As a possible coincidence, just two doors down from Mica’s location, the Exxon/Mobil “big wigs” were meeting as well. Adjoining rooms perhaps?
Over 150 labor activists from the Communications Workers of America (CWA), Transport Workers Union (TWU), IBT, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and other labor organizations in Houston and other Texas cities descended on the hotel. Labor members and political activists carried old west style “WANTED” posters with Mica’s photo on it. Mica and other House Republicans are pushing for the repeal of the union representation election rules that allow airline and railroad workers to participate in fair democratic union organizing elections.
Union members and their families chanted loudly throughout the Marriott that morning, “What’s disgusting? – Union Busting!” Fired up activists protested in the lobby and on several floors of the hotel. Hotel security was caught off guard with the large crowd and scrambled, trying to deny access to elevators and stairwells that led to the Mica fundraiser. They formed a human barricade just outside the lower level to keep protesters away. But their efforts could not silence the protesters.
Groups of five activists trickled out of the CWA staging room, not wanting to draw too much attention. Some were assigned to different floors taking the elevators while others took to the stairwells. Hotel security told protesters that they could not display the Mica “wanted” posters, but to no avail. After 20 minutes of roaming the floors and trying to locate the Mica fundraiser room, they found it and started to chant loudly. Security would not allow protesters access to the meeting room and tried to turn them away. Protesters balked at the guards’ human chain and their protests grew louder and louder, until hotel security guards told them to leave the premises. They complied but kept chanting loudly.
Outside they went, continuing to chant and march along the hotel’s perimeter. As the protest wound down a Marriott employee told them that they were loud and caused a concern for hotel management and donors meeting with the congressman. As the protest concluded, the Houston Police Department arrived just in time to say goodbye.
The gathering comes on the heels of a two week partial shutdown of the FAA which caused many working families financial hardship. Construction workers and some government employees lost pay and most blame Mica for the financial brinksmanship that cost them their paychecks. Under intense pressure from the administration and the public, Congress, while on vacation, agreed to an extension to fund the FAA until mid September. All eyes are focused on September as Mica has promised to continue to push for the anti-labor policy perhaps holding up FAA funding again.