Unions plan to 'assail' Convention Center management

Philadelphia's construction trade unions are planning to step out in unison tomorrow in response to a 109-page analysis of the Pennsylvania Convention Center that labels the building's labor costs as a significant weakness in its operations.

The state-ordered report, released by the center's board of directors last week, also highlighted several management shortcomings, including some long vacant positions in key areas and annual operating deficits that exceed those at comparable convention centers.

Here is a copy of the news release about tomorrow's press conference, which is expected to include the business managers from each of the six trade unions that have worked in the Convention Center since the building's 1993 opening.

MEDIA ALERT

PHILADELPHIA BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL TO HOST PRESS CONFERENCE TO ASSAIL ONGOING MISMANAGEMENT AT CONVENTION CENTER

 WHO:                          Patrick Gillespie, Business Manager, Philadelphia Building Trades; John J. Dougherty, Business Manager, IBEW Local 98; Ed Coryell; Business Manager, Carpenters Regional Council of Philadelphia & Vicinity; Ryan Boyer, Business Manager, Laborers District Council of Philadelphia & Vicinity; Sam Staten, Jr., Business Manager, Laborers Local 332; and other local labor leaders whose members work at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

 WHAT:                        Press conference at which city labor leaders will discuss the continuing mismanagement at the Pennsylvania Convention Center and assail Convention Center management's contention that a recent, state-ordered report laid the blame for the Center's problems at the feet of the city's labor unions.

 WHEN:                        Thursday, January 27, 2011 at 2:30 pm

 WHERE:                       Carpenters' Union Hall

1803 Spring Garden Street

Philadelphia, PA 19130

 CONTACT:                   Frank Keel at 484-410-4932

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