Audio/Visual unions in St. Louis cry foul at America's Center rules

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.expoweb.com/headline_search.asp?id=7328

Several labor union leaders are upset with the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission after three audio/visual unions were told they could no longer work at the America's Center unless they agreed to recent labor rule changes.

The labor community is calling the move a “lockout.” The America's Center says the move is necessary for its economic survival.

The point of contention arose over a rule change that would allow conventions to bring in their own workers instead of using St. Louis union workers.

Bruce Sommer, Director of the America's Center, says it has lost the business of 40 groups who held events at the center, which were happy with St. Louis, but are not coming back because they cannot use their own workers.

“We've been working on this issue for a long time and finally we just had to do what was best for our customers,” says Sommer.


FULL story at link.