Hundreds Hold Capitol Labor Rally

By Mike Kaszuba

Hundreds of chanting unemployed workers held a rally Wednesday at the State Capitol, calling on Gov. Tim Pawlenty and state legislators to adopt a $1 billion bonding bill and take other measures to create jobs.

Wearing hard hats and carrying signs -- include many that read, "Put Us To Work" -- the workers cheered and whistled at the early afternoon rally and listened as legislators promised to help. One man, standing near the front, repeatedly called out: "We Want The Vikings Stadium Too!", a reference to the push for a new, publicly-subsidized stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.

At one point, Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, a gubernatorial candidate and union member who drew loud applause, led the chant:

"What do you want?" he yelled.

"Paycheck" they yelled back.

One unidentified speaker, wearing a black cowboy hat, received loud cheers when he criticized politicians for ignoring working Minnesotans. "It's not about us. It's never been about us [to them]. . .it's about corporate America, and huge companies," he said.

"He always seems to be gone when we have a rally for jobs," Jim Mackey, 49, an unemployed union laborer, said as he stood outside the governor's office. Mackey, who lives in Hastings, said he left a note for Pawlenty, asking him to "finish his job" as governor before considering his political future.