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Rally One
What began as a simple May 12 labor press conference at Capitol Hill's 15th Avenue and East John Street Safeway--15,000 United Food and Commercial Workers are currently negotiating a new contract demanding better health care--wound up as a protest at the Seattle Police Department's East Precinct. It seems the noon press conference irked the cops, who ordered the labor folks to kill the mic and head home. But Washington State Labor Council member Robby Stern--the last scheduled speaker--kept going. "He was closing the rally with a chant," says labor organizer Verlene Wilder. "And they arrested him!"
Hoping to get their ally sprung from jail, 50 labor folks marched to the precinct at 12th Avenue and East Pine Street and yelled, "Free Robby Stern!" for an hour. State Rep. Steve Conway (D-Tacoma), on hand for the rally, was mystified at the SPD response. "I really believe the police have overreacted here," he said on the sidewalk, after police locked him out of the precinct. The police, who also shut down the street, finally let Stern go after negotiating with King County Labor Council member Steve Williamson. AMY JENNIGES
Stranger Personals
Still a Dubya in Weekly
George Bush fans at Fortune 500 securities firm Goldman Sachs seem undeterred by Bush's disastrous stint as commander in chief. Goldman Sachs, one of George Bush's top-ten all-time contributors (and noteworthy locally as part-owner of Seattle Weekly), keeps throwing cash at Bush. Last month we reported that Goldman Sachs had donated a whopping $301,225 to Bush's 2004 campaign. That number has already climbed 9.6 percent to nearly $330,000. NANCY DREW
Rally Two
Lawmakers in Virginia passed a remarkably stupid state law last month, banning contracts between same-sex couples. Nationwide, gays are now boycotting the state and companies headquartered there--like J. Crew, Capital One, AOL (check out www.virginiaisforhaters.com). On Friday, May 21, local gays--headed up by Michael McAfoose, who led the Mayday for Marriage counterprotest--will go to city hall and urge the city to approve a resolution boycotting dealings with Virginia His gang will also be chopping up their Capital One credit cards and AOL promo CDs on the sidewalk. AMY JENNIGES
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