Peace? Convention center, union agree to delay racketeering case
Acting on a request from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, a federal judge Monday ordered a stay in the racketeering case convention center officials filed against the carpenters’ union. The union agreed with the center’s request to delay the case, perhaps signalling a rapprochement between the two antagonistic parties.
U.S. District Judge Nitza I. Quinones Alejandro ordered the case to resume Dec. 31.
In May 2014, the carpenters' union lost the right to work in the building and the union's jobs were taken over by other unions, particularly the stagehands' union. The carpenters' union protested its exclusion and, a year later, the center countered with a racketeering suit that accused the union of committing acts of vandalism and disruption that interfered with the center's business.
After the suit was filed, the local carpenters' union leader was forced out by the union's national leaders, who said his ouster was not connected to the lawsuit. The center, with the agreement of the union, has sought and received extensions on the federal case and a related case before the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.
This is the second delay sought in the federal case.