Exhibit City News visited the CES show floor during set up to ask exhibit industry professional how they felt about the non-union labor working show set up, specifically to installation and dismantle, carpenters, painters and allied trade professionals.
Tom Lobeck
Account Executive
Tradeshow Fabrications West
“There is a large investment by companies for liability insurance in order to be able to work in the convention center. Independent contractors are held to policies by union representatives based on contracts. The regulations are in place to make it a fair opportunity for business to thrive. Everyone that works in the hall should be held to the same guidelines.”
JC Coburn
Leadman
GES
“As a 20+ year union member, I have discovered many difficulties working with non-union trained I&D personnel. Their general knowledge is different compared to what is often required in a tradeshow situation. When you’re working side by side with people unfamiliar with our usual working conditions it can become a safety hazard and can slow up the process. There are many things done differently in the trade business compared to ‘outside construction.’”
Joe Fugaro
Sales Executive
Zenith Labornet
“I was not aware of non-union labor working on the floor. Zenith Labornet has a teamster union contract and abides by the contract as far as I am aware.”
Alicia Hilton
Account Manager
MC2
“I think everyone deserves to make a living, especially in this economy as long as the local union hall is exhausted.”
Melinda Stewart
City Manager
Octane Group
“It shocks me that the Teamsters Union does not have representatives patrolling the show floor and that the convention center is not concerned about liability issues with non-union labor.
Jules Schiocket
Owner
Nationwide Services
“Technically (the Las Vegas Convention Center) is a right-to-work facility, but as far as for our industry (I&D) and for the customer (exhibitor), union labor is the most qualified and safest labor to do the job. It is the responsibility of the convention center to either classify the convention center as a right-to-work facility or a union hall. If it is a union hall, the convention center must make it clear as to what services union workers are allowed to provide.”
