Kurt Petersen Ken Genser
Ken Genser was a warrior for working people. When powerful hotel owners threatened his career, he never wavered in his support of workers. When some thought the living wage was not realistic, he stood his ground. And, when developers said they could not afford to pay workers a living wage, he humbly but forcefully disagreed.
Ken's commitment to justice was profound and sometimes unconventional. I recall many years ago, early in our struggle to win the union and living wage for hotel workers, when we found out that a key witness in a legal case against the Miramar Sheraton, who was dodging us, was reportedly staying with a tenant in Ken's mom's apartment building. As I stood next to him in his mom's living room, Ken patiently explained to his skeptical mom that it was necessary that she allow these strangers-another organizer and me-access to the parking garage and hallways to find this witness. She relented; we found the witness; and we won the case. Later, when I asked about whether our intrusion caused any trouble, Ken remarked with a smirk that a few tenants complained but that it was worth it. Ken liked troublemakers, because he was one of the best troublemakers.
The labor movement will miss Ken dearly. Thousands of hotel workers live a better life because of his courage and effort. And, we were blessed and inspired to be his friend.
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