PHILADELPHIA
The Pennsylvania Convention Center and the labor force agreed last night to a one-year collective bargaining agreement extension with a 2.5% increase.
“The year will give SMG time to build relationships with the trades, enforce the current Customer Satisfaction Agreement, obtain customer feedback and evaluate what best practices need to be put in place to make the Center more effective and competitive given SMG’s experience managing 70 other facilities,” said Jack Ferguson, president and CEO of the city’s CVB.
“The Center and principals of the unions now have established a standing committee to work together on negotiating a new Customer Satisfaction Agreement to ensure the Center accomplishes transparency and provides excellent, hassle-free service for our customers,” he continued. “We are all very optimistic about the dialogue between our partners at the Center, SMG and the unions that emerged during these negotiations. Labor leaders stated that they are looking forward to collaborating with SMG as the Center’s new contracted management firm to ensure the success of the Center as a customer-focused, economic driver for the city and region.”
The resolution is good news for the American Diabetes Educators convention, which is set to begin Wednesday, August 7, with 10,000 attendees filling a pair of exhibit halls.
