Labor strife could hurt America's Center image

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/story/DA9410AB60DA0C2786257417000DC520?OpenDocument

By Tim Logan
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/25/2008

There were chains and padlocks on most of the doors of the America's Center Monday, and security guards at the one that was still open. There was the prospect of pickets under the marquee on Washington Avenue and of a work stoppage by all union labor at the convention center.

This, it would seem, is not the image of St. Louis that anyone wants visiting conventioneers to take away when they come to the Gateway City.

Yet it is what loomed Monday, when the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission tossed out three of its America's Center unions in the latest twist of a long-simmering labor dispute.

RELATED LINK
PDF of memorandum: http://www.explorestlouis.com/pdfs/cvc/Memorandum%20Of%20Understanding%20%20SLCVC.pdf


The CVC and the unions — which represent audiovisual workers at the center — have been negotiating for 16 months over new work rules. The CVC says the new policies would cut costs and improve customer service, boosting America's Center's odds of landing major conventions. But the labor groups say they're union-busting, plain and simple, and have fought hard against many of the proposals.

For months, the talks have been on-and-off, but they stalled again last week when a meeting with a third-party mediator when nowhere, both sides said.

This time, the CVC decided it had had enough, said president Kathleen "Kitty" Ratcliffe, and board members voted to enact a new agreement without the unions' approval. So until they reach a deal, there'll be no union AV workers in America's Center.

FULL story at link.