Not sure of any GSCs that are pointing fingers, although some may have? Maybe if TSW had published ESCA's Position Statement when it was submitted a week ago it would be clear that Official Contractors as a group are not pointing fingers; merely looking for ways to help improve the situation FOR Chicago. The fact that CEIR's research indicates that only 22% of the exhibiting company's exhibition dollar is spent on "direct show services"(and only a little over half of that with Official Contractors) is a clear indication that event organizers are not moving their events due to labor costs alone. Seems as though the other 88% or so of the exhibition costs could use some significant reductions as well.

THIS IS CLEARLY A SITUATION THAT THE MPEA HAS TO BECOME THE EMPLOYING UNIT TO PROTECT THE CITY AND STATE. THE CARPENTERS UNION IS ONE I CAN SPEAK THE FACTS. WE ARE THE HARDEST WORKING AND WE RECEIVE NO REPRESENTATION ON THE FLOOR NOT EVEN FROM OUR OWN STEWARTS WHO ARE WORTHLESS THUGS THAT ARE PLACED IN POSITION BY THE GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND SO CALLED UNION BUSINESS AGENT. THIS IS A FAMILY TREE AND A PONZI TYPE LABOR FORCE THAT IS NOT EVEN CHICAGO LABOR. NO ONE HAS EVER WRITTEN OR TOLD THE TRUTH ABOUT HOW MCCORMICK PLACE LABOR REALLY WORKS. THE BUSINESS AGENT AND PRESIDENT NEVER LOSE ANY MONEY NOR DOES THE MANAGERS OR PEOPLE WHO TELL LABOR TO MAKE CUTS AND CHANGE WORK RULES. WHY WOULD I PERSONALLY CARE ABOUT LABOR IF I NEVER LOSE MONEY AND THE CARPENTER WHO IS INVESTED IN CHICAGO AND IS INVOLVED WITHIN HIS COMMUNITY AND IS NOT INVOLVED WITH ANY ILLEGAL ACTIVITY AND WANTS TO TAKE CARE OF THE CUSTOMER AND IF THEIR IS A COMPLAINT THAT IS JUSTIFIED IS WILLING TO THE POINT TO WORK FOR FREE BECAUSE HE BELIEVES IN HIS SERVICE AND IS GOOD LABOR IS SITTING IN THE LABOR POOL AND NOT ABLE TO WORK. THAT IS HOW IT WORKS AND THE COMPANYS DISFUNCTIONAL FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE ALL OVER THE FLOOR WORKING AND PAYING OFF FOREMAN AND WHOEVER THEY CAN TO WORK AHEAD OF THE AVERAGE WORKER SO THEY CAN TAKE THEIR MONEY AND RUN OUT OF CHICAGO AND SOME OUT OF THE STATE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT EVEN LIVE IN THE STATE. THIS IS A DISGRACE AT MCCORMICK PLACE NOT ONLY LABOR BUT THE ENTIRE MPEA MANAGERS SECURITY AND CONTRACTS THAT ARE REWARDED. THE POLITICS IS NOT IN THE BEST INTEREST OF CHICAGO OR THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. I HAVE NEVER IN TWENTY FIVE YEARS SEEN A REPORTER STATE THE TRUTH AND THE FACTS OF WHAT REALLY IS HAPPENING IF YOU WANT I WILL TELL YOU WHO THE PEOPLE ARE THAT CAUSE THIS SCAM TO OPERATE IN SUCH A INFAVORABLE WAY LOOK AT THE TOTAL WAGES AND YEARS CARPENTERS HAVE INVESTED AND NO INSURANCE OR PENSION AND THEN LOOK AT THE CERTAIN FAMILYS THAT GET A GOOD PENSION AND INSURANCE FOR DOING NOTHING HARD WHILE THE CARPENTER WHO DOES THE HARD BOOTHWORK GET INJURED AND REPLACED ALL THE TIME FOR NO REASON AND NO JOB REPRESENTATION BECAUSE THEIR IS NO UNION ITS A SCAM RAN BY A FEW THUGS THAT PROFITS FROM SCAMING WORKERS. THE MPEA HAS TO CHANGE THE MANAGERS AND THE NEW MANAGERS NEED TO FIRE EVERYONE AND CREATE A NEW WORKFORCE THAT INCLUDES A PERCENTAGE OF WORKERS FROM THE CITY AND STATE THAT ARE GOOD FAMILY PEOPLE AND INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY AND THE ONLY WAY THAT CAN HAPPEN IS THE MPEA HAS TO CONTROL THE HIRING PROCESS AND THROW OUT ALL THESE CONTRACTORS AND GENERAL CONTRACTORS AND BECOME A CONTRACTOR THEMSELVES AND THEN MAYBE DALEY COULD SAY ITS THE CITY THAT WORKS. I AM A AVERAGE MAN AND ITS SIMPLE TO ME TO MAKE A AGREEMENT WITH ONE CONTRACTOR TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND STATE AND IF THET DO NOT CONFORM TO THE RECOVERY PROCESS YOU CAN CHANGE THE CONTRACTOR. NOW YOUR STUCK WITH SEVERAL LITTLE CONTRACTORS SCAMING AROUND MCCORMICK PLACE FOR JOBS AND KICK BACKS AND WHEN ITS ALL DONE ALOT OF DOMESTIC PROBLEMS AND DIVORCES AND DEATH BUT THE UNION HEADS AND POLITICAL MANAGERS TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN WITH CHICAGO GETTING BURNED . THIS I S A DIASTER AND HAS BEEN FOR OVER TWENTY FIVE YEARS ANYONE WHO CARES GET FIRED ONLY AT MCORMICK PLACE

MPEA, the unions and contractors are like spoiled babies. All these people have done is collect pensions, and pocket excessive amounts of money. I have no one offering me any large dollars, no pensions or no guarantee of work hours- no nothing. I built my business from the ground up with no political connections or family to support me and because all these big babies are complaining amount how "little" they make they killed the industry for the other suppliers who truly love this industry like myself -a photographer. I doubt any of them think about folks like me or other independent suppliers like florists, caterers, videographers... or all the other people just struggling to pay bills like house keepers and maids at hotels.

I completely disagree with the comment from Larry that show managers are not moving their shows due to labor unions alone. I can guarantee that the union in Chicago could devestate even a good trade show. The labor there is way to expensive and unpleasant to work with. I can't find one customer who is willing to take our show to Chicago - and it's a great region for my industry.