Workers United members turned up the spotlight as Hollywood actor and lifelong activist Danny Glover chanted union slogans on the picket line with employees of Courtyard by Marriott. Courtyard Marriott has refused to negotiate a collective agreement with recently organized workers.

"Through unions and through our work in the public spheres, we're creating democracy," Glover said during a stop at the offices of Workers United Local 2347 in Niagara Falls.

Update, June 8 at 4:45 p.m.

Danny Glover, speaking at the rally:

Glover first spoke about the failure of the 2004 UNITE HERE merger at the Workers United organizing conference in March 2009.

Last week, SEIU's Andy Stern, Workers United Bruce Raynor and Edgar Romney sent a letter to the American Labor Movement making explicit their call on HERE president John Wilhelm to join them in submitting to binding arbitration to resolve their differences. Excerpt from the letter (which can be read at Politico):

"The conflict between UNITE HERE and Workers United/SEIU must end. All of the workers affected by this dispute deserve nothing less...This fight is causing real pain for working families whose union dues are being used to wage an internecine battle, rather than fighting for gains in the most difficult economic times our nation has seen in more than 50 years."

"This growing split in the labor movement has the potential to harm all workers and all progressives," writes blogger TomP today on Daily Kos, reiterating the need to resolve this conflict, which he says is affecting organizing efforts here and everywhere. Read TomP's Daily Kos diary entry here.