Union employees went on strike from the Congress Plaza Hotel after the hotel cut union wages by 7%. Workers were angry to learn that other hotels in the area had agreed to give their workers raises. The union feels that it is only fair that the hotel match the same benefits agreed to last year with 27 other Chicago hotels. The hotel maintains that the wage cuts were made necessary by the weak economy, and were the only way to prevent layoffs. They have replaced the striking workers, and make no promises that the strikers will get their jobs back.
See "Hotel employees strike over decrease in wages", Mindy Hagen, Chicago Tribune, June 15, 2003