Baltimore Activists Plan Rally Saturday For Fair Development at Horseshoe Casino

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)"There's nothing very mysterious about it," said Unite Here Local 7 president Roxie Herbekian at last week’s planning session for a “Rally for Fair Development” to be held April 20 in Baltimore a block from the future site of Caesars’s new Horseshoe casino in South Baltimore. "It seems obvious that if there is going to be real economic development, then people have to get paychecks that allow them to spend money in the community." Herbekian cited numerous examples of developers taking tax subsidies to build and renovate facilities in Baltimore and then failing to create good jobs, as she spoke to the roughly 35 activists from various grassroots groups. Activists then broke out into small group discussions, where many told personal stories of struggle brought on by the loss of good jobs throughout the city. Richie Armstrong of Community Churches United, who helps train workers for construction jobs in partnership with the Laborers Union, said that in two and a half years, "We've trained 1,500 men and women. Only three have been employed. It's a major problem." Groups represented at the planning session included Unite Here Local 7, Teamsters Locals 355 and 311, United Workers, the Maryland NAACP, Community Churches United, Housing Our Neighbors, and others. Organizers say the April 20 rally, to be held at 11am at the 1405 Russell Street parking lot, will highlight the need for good jobs at the planned Horseshoe Casino, which will likely employ 800 workers for table games, food service and janitorial services. - report by Mariya Strauss