I ran into Michael Barnes, the head of Local 8 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees' union, at the Labor Day parade and talked to him a little bit about my story in the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning. The story makes the point that unions tend not to hold their big national meetings in Philadelphia because the Marriott hotel attached to the Pennsylvania Convention Center is a non-union hotel.
Barnes confirmed the idea when we spoke. His union meets once every four years. At its 2009 convention, it voted to go hold its next general convention in Boston because of Philadelphia's hotel situation. He said Philadelphia wasn't even considered for the convention, which brings in about 2,000 people for a several-day event.
But Barnes also illustrates the point that Tom Muldoon made. Muldoon heads Philadelphia's Convention and Visitors Bureau. He said that yes, the union business is a tough sell, but it is a small slice of the pie and getting smaller. Unions that used to hold meetings annually now meet less frequently. For example, the Communication Workers of America used to meet every year and just voted to meet every two years.
You can read my other Tuesday story (yes, I was busy) about the Labor Day parade and picnic by clicking here.
It's a VERY small slice of the pie. Philly would lose MUCH more business trying to convert its hotels to union than by staying the course. The unions have already thwarted millions of dollars away from groups booking the PACC, why should we then encourage our convention hotels to go union? It would be idiotic. We need the unions out of the PACC, so we can become the convention destination we have the potential to be. A terrific hotel package, great restaurants, a beautiful & functional PACC and a terrific location in the NE corridor with easy access to people from all over the world. All that's missing is the service and cost-efficiency people in the HOSPITALITY industry expect. It's a no-brainer.— The Boston Strangler- Who wants 2,000 thugs starting trouble in downtown Philly. I'll pass. This country will not recover fully until unions are no longer involved in government jobs...they are bankrupting us with their pension and health plans. If a business or hotel wants them I don't care. But when they get their corrupt hands into government positions its all downhill.— ResponsibleAmerican
- Hey, the pineaple association cancelled plans too. Said they can't deal with morons, thugs and unions. Oops, being redundant again.— stoneman
- Unions like government work because it does not require them to be competitive. The union mind set would change if they had to compete in the real job market like the rest of us. Maybe they would begin to be more productive and cost aware. If the unions had to compete you would have to see an end to the goons and thugs extorting business from business. People must also be reminded that unionism is a business. Yes I know you union guys cannot believe this. They are in the business of representation. They offer people a bill of goods for the services that they say they will deliver, for a fee, and then they attempt to provide these services.— Wildman Bill
- I lived in Chicago and watched the conventions move out of the city due to the union rules in McCormick Place. Recently the unions have backed off a little, but it is too little too late. It's really a shame that a city like Philadelphia loses so much money due to the unions.— overthehill39
- You can bash unions all you want. But they built this country and their demise is its demise.
- Philadelphia has trouble attracting conventions in general because of the high price of union labor at the convention center. Now even the unions wont come here, because the hotel is non union. Seems like the worst set up possible.— ea
Comment removed.- "The story makes the point that unions tend not to hold their big national meetings in Philadelphia because the Marriott hotel attached to the Pennsylvania Convention Center is a non-union hotel." GOOD!!!— namtac
- hahaha unions are a joke. like how they cannibalized themselves in the auto industry with crushign demands, and then cried foul when the us auto industry fell apart...their own fault. no sympathy.— bv437
Every day for 60 days, Inquirer staff writer Jane M. Von Bergen profiled someone from the ranks of the region’s unemployed.
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Cold winter for the jobless
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How a printing plant failed
- Big gambles and bad decisions, oil prices and credit crises, even a New Zealand tycoon: All played a role in Downingtown.
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