One Philly Labor Issue Down, One to Go

Shortly after the New Year, Philadelphia averted a strike that could have threatened activities at its Pennsylvania Convention Center, but the city faces possible delays on its expansion because of a separate labor-related issue.

The Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts Local 8 announced just before 8 p.m. Dec. 31 that its members would go on strike the following day, shortly after the end of the city's famed New Year's Day Mummer's Parade. Along with their usual work of moving shows and events in and out of the convention center, union workers also typically dismantle the parade's floats after the event.

According to Convention Center Authority President and CEO Albert Mezzaroba, negotiations continued throughout the day and issues were finally resolved about 1:30 a.m. Jan. 2. Under the new agreement with the IATSE local, convention center customers will be able to set up and operate their own AV equipment in meeting rooms. Local 8 will continue to perform all other production services, including light rigging and set building.

Mezzaroba said there were no activities scheduled for New Year's Day at the convention center, but a strike could have immediately affected move-in of the American Baseball Coaches Assn.'s Jan. 3-6 meeting at the Philadelphia Marriott and subsequent events at the PCC.

But in another labor issue, the facility's planned $700 million convention center expansion faces delays because of diversity questions involving the 17 construction unions involved in the project. Mezzaroba emphasized that those issues do not affect operations in the existing building.

The Philadelphia City Council mandated that each union involved in expansion construction must document that 40 percent of its members working on the project are minorities and 10 percent are women.

“Our city council required that, as part of its approval of the expansion, the unions must submit diversity plans to reflect the city's diversity,” he said.

In addition, each union is required to document its current minority makeup and submit minority-inclusion plans for the expansion project and beyond for council approval. Mezzaroba said the issue was not yet resolved, but the parties were working through it at press time.

“The problem might cause delays in the expansion, but we're not at that point yet,” he said. “The governor, mayor-elect and other officials are continuing to meet with the unions to try and get them on board.”

Expansion plans call for construction to begin in March and finish by September 2010.