This news comes to no surprise to me. The Chicago Tribune is reporting this morning that politics, and yes, union price gouging is what chasing lucrative trade shows from Chicago to Las Vegas and Orlando.Orlando also gets an edge because of its location in Florida, a "right-to-work" state. Exhibitors there have more flexibility to do booth setup work themselves, rather than having to rely solely on union labor, which can get costly because of rules dictating crew size, straight time/overtime timetables and other work arrangements.
Though Chicago has eased some labor rules in recent years, it "only has a toe in the water," said Phil Brandl, International Housewares Association president. "The work-rule thing is the primary rub."
The association's high-profile annual show is booked at McCormick Place only through 2011. Though it has made longer-term commitments in the past, it is now waiting longer to sign on, keeping an eye on the competitive landscape.
Mayor Richard M. Daley had this to say: "If we keep raising the cost here, McCormick Place will be an empty shell." McCormick Place, pictured above, is the primary exhibition space in Chicago.
Related posts:
Mayor Daley denounces price gouging at city's convention center
Electrical services costs at Chicago trade show "four to eight times" what they were in Orlando
Dallas wins out over Chicago for new trade show
Chicago's mounting trade show woes
Chicago Tribune: A third major trade show may bail on Chicago
Union "tyranny of the few" drives Plastics Show from Chicago
Marathon Pundit on CBS 2 Chicago
Agency that runs Chicago's convention centers "in deep financial hole"
Union extortionists may drive another trade show from Chicago
Technorati tags:
labor 
politics 
unions 
news 
organized labor 
Illinois 
chicago 
jobs 
business 
trade shows
No comments:
Post a Comment