Labor glitch solved, Convention Center expansion to start soon

At last, it seems, construction will soon begin on the $700 million expansion of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, though disputes over diversity plans among construction unions aren't fully resolved.

Pat Gillespie, Philadelphia Building Trades business manager, yesterday signed a labor agreement needed to proceed with construction bids.

Gillespie said that approval of the agreement had been delayed because "there were some communications telling some unions they couldn't participate."

Last month, Convention Center officials wrote electricians union leader John Dougherty warning that his members might be excluded from the project because the union hadn't provided a diversity plan and membership information required by City Council.

"I couldn't sign an agreement and leave part of my membership out," Gillespie said yesterday. "We had to get this straightened out."

On Tuesday, Convention Center president Albert Mezzaroba wrote Dougherty saying that he understood that the electricians' union does intend to meet Council's requirements, so they can work on the project.

Gov. Rendell said yesterday that he wants to see the union develop an effective diversity program "in the next few weeks" but that signing the labor agreement now was critical to getting construction moving in time to open the expanded center in early 2011.

Construction bid packages should go out to six pre-qualified bidders on Monday, Mezzaroba said. *