A leading voice in Chicago's labor community has criticized Chicago officials for recommending sweeping changes to operations at McCormick Place without input from unions at the convention center.
Dennis Gannon, president of the Chicago Federation of Labor, says interim officials at the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, known as McPier, unilaterally and unfairly burdened workers by endorsing legislation that would, among other things, define them as public employees and deny them the right to strike.
"It is disappointing that the MPEA interim board made its recommendations today without input from representatives of the union members at McCormick Place," Gannon said in a statement.
For fifteen years, the union members have made significant sacrifices in order to keep Chicago’s convention industry competitive and more customer-friendly. But we can’t have real reform by only looking to labor."
McCormick Place has been at the center of an intense debate over whether unions are responsible for the high cost of operations at the nation's largest convention center. Last year alone, the convention center lost two major shows to other cities, with associations blaming expenses.
The board's recommendations yesterday came as the fate of several other shows hang in the balance this year. The General Assembly must approve most of the board's proposals.
I'm reaching out to folks on the interim board to see what they make of the union's statement, and will update if I hear back from them.
Windy Citizen 