Union carpenters, embroiled in a long-standing dispute
with the Pennsylvania Convention Center, have promised not to interfere with
the 2016 Democratic national presidential convention in Philadelphia unless . .
.
. . . Unless the Democratic National Committee holds
events at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
"Our protests will not impact any DNC guests,
affiliated groups, or visitors to Philadelphia that week in any venue where our
union members are contracted to work," union leader Edward J. Coryell
wrote in a letter sent Thursday to the Rev. Leah Daughtry, pastor of House of
the Lord Church in Washington, and party-appointed chief executive of the
convention.
The Metropolitan Regional Council of Carpenters lost the
right to work in the building in May 2014, after union leaders failed to sign a
new customer-satisfaction agreement by a management-imposed deadline. They
signed a few days later. Litigation continues in the matter.
Coryell asked Daughtry to boycott the center for
convention activities as long as the carpenters are not permitted to work
there.
"I hope they wouldn't follow up on that
threat," said John J. McNichol, CEO at the Convention Center. "I
think it's inappropriate for them to be contacting customers and dissuading
them from doing business at the center."
Although various activities will likely take place in the
Convention Center during the Democrats' gathering, the main events, including
the nomination, will take place at the Wells Fargo Center, where the same union
carpenters who cannot work at the Convention Center will handle construction
work.
Coryell pledged his union's commitment to "deliver
the very best work for the DNC" at the Wells Fargo Center.
Daughtry could not be reached for comment. Kevin Washo,
who heads the local effort to put on the convention, did not respond to a
late-afternoon phone call.
Source: Philly.com
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