Marshall Yard:

This week was an interesting one for trade shows based in Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center in the near future. Apparently, legislation in Illinois proposes to convert tradeshow union laborers into public employees.

They plan to WHAT?

Yes, they plan to make the show more efficient, transparent, and effective, and less expensive to boot. All by a magical transition of changing the labor pools at McCormick into government employees (presumably municipal employees of the MPEA - we’ve mentioned them here before, me thinks…).

Actually, the FIVE labor unions will become THREE, laborers will no longer be able to strike, and contracts will be negotiable on an individual show basis.

One additional mandate was stipulated in the fine print of the legislation*:

All subsequent references to “Union” labor(ers) must hereafter include quotations hitherto delineated ["Union" labor]. (more…)

I’ve blogged ad nauseam regarding the effect that union-controlled show services has upon our industry - high prices that fly in the face of underlying costs and economic principles. I am fairly certain that my griping is exactly that - griping about a reality that will not change anytime soon. On that note, will it be getting worse soon?

That question struck me when I noted that the new executive administration ushered in a set of executive orders supporting/strengthening unions in America. The executive orders are aimed at hindering the efforts of non-unionized businesses trying to resist unionization of their labor force. Now when a business is working under federal contract they are no longer required to post a notice informing employees that they may opt-out of financially supporting a union; they will not be reimbursed for expenses associated with dissuading employees from unionizing; and they must offer new jobs to existing employees first.

I don’t proclaim to understand the finer points of how these orders affect practices currently in place for employers. I have gleaned that this clearly does not apply to every employer - just those working under federal contracts. Convention centers like McCormick Place in Chicago are actually funded and owned by the municipalities or states - is that outside of the grasp of the executive order? Is that an extension of executive orders or legislation yet to come?

In any business it’s important to keep ears open for lawmaker actions with effects on the economic environment. In this case, it may appear that my “sounding the alarm” about these orders is a bit of a stretch - but I think this is indirect linkage that will lead us to yet higher costs for show services. Am I sounding off prematurely? Will this have zero effect and I’m just paranoid?

How about a $800,000,000,000 stimulus package invested solely in trade show exhibit spending? Anyone in favor of that? Call your congressmen NOW!