Minneapolis - Security officers and community supporters intensified their call today on U.S. Bancorp and Ameriprise as leaders in the Twin Cities to protect our community by standing up for affordable health care for Minnesota's working families.

17 community supporters urged the companies to take action to protect working families’ health care by engaging in an act of non-violent civil disobedience in the lobby of U.S. Bancorp Center. They refused to leave until U.S. Bancorp agreed to publicly support affordable health care for Twin Cities security officers by calling on their contractors to provide it; the 17 were then arrested by Minneapolis police and cited for trespassing.

Today's action comes after security officers rejected their companies demand that they pay more for health care coverage  - not less - by an overwhelming margin of 278-26 in a vote on Tuesday.

“People all over this city are facing tough choices because they don’t have health care,” said James Matias, a member of the security officers’ bargaining committee who has six children without health insurance. “That’s why officers rejected this deal – a family shouldn’t have to worry about going broke if your child gets hurt or sick.”

On Wednesday, U.S. Congressman Keith Ellison, Minneapolis City Council Member Ralph Remington, and other Council Members called on U.S. Bancorp and Ameriprise to do everything they can to encourage security companies to settle a fair contract that includes affordable health care.

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