PHILADELPHIA
The Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) last Friday reversed its earlier decision to dismiss complaints against the Pennsylvania Convention Center by two labor unions, and will now schedule future hearings to consider the grievances filed by the Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters and Teamsters Local 107.
The two groups were banned from future work at the venue last year after failing to sign a workers agreement by a specified May deadline; both union groups contend they signed it before the true deadline date.
In response to the recent decision by the PLRB to reconsider the complaints in question, the Philadelphia CVB issued the following statement, signed by President and CEO Jack Ferguson:
As you may all be aware, over the last year there has been tremendous progress made toward ensuring a customer-focused, cost-effective environment at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. With the signing of a new Customer Satisfaction Agreement by four unions in May 2014, the turnaround at the Center has been remarkable to witness. Customers who have met in the building have reported positive experiences with SMG-managed show labor and we are pleased to say that this has resulted in the booking of 28 new major conventions since May 2014. The changes are working; clients who have held meetings in Philadelphia are happy and are sharing the news with their peers.
We were dismayed to learn last Friday that the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board (PLRB) has reversed a decision made earlier this year to dismiss complaints by the Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters and Teamsters Local 107 that the two unions had been improperly banned from the facility. To the Center's knowledge, there has been no new evidence introduced since the official PLRB ruling, but this unprecedented reversal has opened the door for hearings on the issue to be scheduled. While a timeframe for these hearings has not been made available by the PLRB, we do know that this process will take time.
We remain confident that once all of the facts that led to the initial dismissal are reviewed, the PLRB ruling in our favor will be upheld. We are watching closely and we know that our customers are as well, as such, we will continue with open and transparent communication as facts are made available.
Meetings Focus will monitor the situation as it develops further.
