ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH: Labor in dispute at convention center-union busting

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/story/63767878421D7EC8862572FF0010DD91?OpenDocument

Labor in dispute at convention center
Tim Barker
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
06/19/2007

A battle is smoldering at the America's Center, pitting management against three of the unions that do work there.

Depending on whom you ask, it's either a case of old-fashioned union busting or an attempt to make the city more attractive to top conventions and trade shows.


A meeting hall at America's Center is ready for a Baptist Convention this week.
(J.B. Forbes/P-D)

The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission is asking the trio of audiovisual unions — their chores include installing electrical wiring, building stages and running projectors — to accept a new arrangement that would eliminate controversial work rules and allow the use of nonunion workers.

The commission's new president, Kathleen "Kitty" Ratcliffe, is pushing to eliminate what she sees as a competitive disadvantage St. Louis faces with other cities.

"We're one of the worst convention labor cities in the country, specifically because of the audiovisual unions," said Ratcliffe, who came from New Orleans last year.

Requiring customers to use union contractors has been standard practice for years, but Ratcliffe said the commission isn't required to continue it.

FULL story at link.

[rpannier]

1. Yep those damned Unions and those damned work rules

These people should just take a dollar a day and be happy they have work at all!!!!! :mad: :grr: :sarcasm:

[benld74]

2. I used to live in STL and

I have heard they are not as bad as they use to be, BUT if the Cardinals are not in town then there is diddly to do in the area. This is a quote fomr the STL story "Certainly the region faces challenges when competing against cities like Indianapolis, San Antonio and Dallas, but, union leaders say, Ratcliffe is looking for a convenient scapegoat. They argue that the city has plenty of other problems — lack of direct flights, a high crime rate, limited shopping downtown and the fact that a large chunk of convention space, the Edward Jones Dome, is off-limits during football season."
SOunds like Union busting to me. Wonder if the converntion center lets in beers other than Budweiser which is strictly union all the way.