February 02, 2015
Hearing examiner Jack E. Marino dismissed the complaint Monday, saying the state labor board does not have jurisdiction to entertain the claims. He cancelled meetings slated for Feb. 11 and 12.
The unions have been unable to work at the convention center since May, when the center extended an offer to six unions to sign a customer satisfaction agreement. Four unions signed the new work rules by the May 5 deadline. The carpenters and Teamsters did not, claiming they had until May 10.
Convention Center Authority President John McNichol released a statement supporting Marino's dismissal.
"We are pleased that (the) Labor Board's Hearing Examiner agreed with our argument that the Authority does not employ the Show Labor Workers at the Center and, therefore, it lacks jurisdiction," McNichol said. "Moreover, we believe — and have maintained for months — that the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority acted in a fair manner and within the law. These new work rules and expanded exhibitor rights were needed to fulfill the Center's responsibility to become more competitive, address customer concerns, and meet our mission of serving as the economic driver for the region's hospitality industry."
Representatives from Carpenters Local 8 and Teamsters Local 107 could not immediately be reached for comment.
The National Labor Relations Board dismissed a similar complaint in July, also citing a lack of jurisdiction.
McNichol also praised the new work rules, saying the convention center has booked 28 major events, meetings and conventions in the nine months that they have been in place. Those events, he said, will fill more than 560,000 hotel room nights and bring an economic impact of more than $870 million.
