PHILADELPHIA, PA, Aug. 2, 2013 — IATSE Local 8 and six other unions have reached an agreement for work at the Pennsylvania Convention Center after a one day strike.
The IATSE, along with the IBEW, Carpenters, Teamsters, Laborers and Riggers represent the workers at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The agreements between the unions and the Convention Center expired July 31. The parties failed to reach agreement upon expiration of the contract and went on strike August 1.
The settlement reached includes extending the existing agreement for one year with a 2.5% retroactive raise for each of the unions. The settlement also extends the six unions’ ten-year Customer Satisfaction Agreement which expired July 31. The Customer Satisfaction Agreement covers a number of contractual issues including Exhibitor rights.
The negotiation team, chaired by IATSE International Vice President and Local 8 Business Agent Michael Barnes, included the business managers and ranking officers of the six represented unions.
“The success we achieved at the bargaining table was a direct result of the six unions being able to stick together and put the mutual benefit of the workers and the community in front of their own individual Local’s interest,” said Barnes.
The strike was a result of the Convention Center’s demand to extend Exhibitor’s Rights, which would have eliminated a significant number of union jobs.
“It was a job preservation issue,” said Barnes. “The new agreement allows the six unions to maintain all conditions and jurisdiction with raises while we work with the newly hired private management firm, SMG, to negotiate a long term deal that will be beneficial for workers and the community.”
SMG was chosen by the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority to manage the Convention Center on June 5. The selection of the private management team within two months of the expiration of a ten year agreement did not allow the parties the time to renegotiate a long term settlement.
The parties will begin meeting immediately to discuss a long Customer Satisfaction Agreement that will create jobs for the over 30,000 members represented by the six unions working at the Center.
The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local #8 is the labor union representing theatrical stage technicians, including audio visual, arena, theater and shop personnel in the Philadelphia/Camden and Trenton metropolitan areas.
