Stephanie
Diamond Member
- Jul 11, 2004
- 70,230
- 10,865
- 2,040
Ah yes! The Democrat party and it's Union thugs, threatening to break some kneecaps....... You just gotta love the Democrat Party......
They look out for the Little Man...Those in the Middle Class and the Poor.... By trying to drive them out of a stable job, Unless their company joins A Union....
By Alan Gathright and Stuart Steers, Rocky Mountain News
December 19, 2006
Denver was granted critical time to settle an 11th hour labor beef that could sink its 2008 Democratic National Convention bid when Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean announced today that he'll delay picking whether Denver or New York City host the event until after New Years.
"Chairman Dean is going to make the best decision for the party based on the merits of each city's bid ," Stacie Paxton, the Democratic National Committee press secretary, said in an afternoon statement. " We are fortunate to have two great bids from two great American cities. Because of the holiday week and at the request of both cities, we will announce the convention city in early January."
While some state party officials saw Dean's deadline reprieve on the decision that was expected to be made this week as an early Christmas present for Denver, DNC officials weren't commenting further.
The announcement came as top state political leaders, including Gov.-elect Bill Ritter, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, scrambled to iron out a labor dispute with the Pepsi Center before it sinks Denvers bid.
The hang up is that the local stagehands' union is among labor groups that need to sign a no-strike agreement during the convention before the party of labor will consider Denvers bid.
The stagehands' union leaders want to use the must-have agreement to force the privately owned Pepsi Center to employ union contractors The arena has already agreed to use union workers during the August 2008 presidential nominating bash.
Colorado Democratic power brokers are pressuring Jim Taylor, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local No. 7, to sign the agreement to avoid scuttling a convention that will bring 35,000 visitors, millions of dollars in revenue and cast an international spotlight on Denver and the state.
"Jim mentioned to me that he spoke yesterday with Ken Salazar and that he was planning to speak this morning with Bill Ritter," said Jack Finlaw, Denver's director of theaters and arenas. "There is a united front among the states Democrats to get labor onboard for this important convention."
"I spent about a half hour with Jim Taylor...this morning, and I think Jim understands that this is an extraordinarily important issue for the city of Denver," said Finlaw, adding that the mayors other top aides are lobbying regional labor leaders. Taylor said he stressed with Taylor that for decades the stagehands union has had a strong and "very generous" relationship with the city stagehands' union, whose members work city venues like the Colorado Convention Center, the Denver Center for the Performing and Red Rocks.
"They know that theyve certainly done a great job and weve had a great relationship and that this is an important decision that he needs to make in support of the citys efforts to land this convention," Finlaw said.
Taylor couldnt be reached this morning, but metro labor leaders warned that Denver city and business leaders shouldnt ignore the key role unions contributions have played in electing Democrats like Ritter and turning Colorado into a "blue" state.
"The Pepsi Center has been unwilling to engage in a conversation with us," said Leslie Moody, president of the Denver Area Labor Federation. "The way this is being spun is we're holding this up. This is an issue the Pepsi Center could resolve."
Moody said unionizing the arena was a legitimate issue to raise with a Democratic convention.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5224808,00.html
They look out for the Little Man...Those in the Middle Class and the Poor.... By trying to drive them out of a stable job, Unless their company joins A Union....
By Alan Gathright and Stuart Steers, Rocky Mountain News
December 19, 2006
Denver was granted critical time to settle an 11th hour labor beef that could sink its 2008 Democratic National Convention bid when Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean announced today that he'll delay picking whether Denver or New York City host the event until after New Years.
"Chairman Dean is going to make the best decision for the party based on the merits of each city's bid ," Stacie Paxton, the Democratic National Committee press secretary, said in an afternoon statement. " We are fortunate to have two great bids from two great American cities. Because of the holiday week and at the request of both cities, we will announce the convention city in early January."
While some state party officials saw Dean's deadline reprieve on the decision that was expected to be made this week as an early Christmas present for Denver, DNC officials weren't commenting further.
The announcement came as top state political leaders, including Gov.-elect Bill Ritter, U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, scrambled to iron out a labor dispute with the Pepsi Center before it sinks Denvers bid.
The hang up is that the local stagehands' union is among labor groups that need to sign a no-strike agreement during the convention before the party of labor will consider Denvers bid.
The stagehands' union leaders want to use the must-have agreement to force the privately owned Pepsi Center to employ union contractors The arena has already agreed to use union workers during the August 2008 presidential nominating bash.
Colorado Democratic power brokers are pressuring Jim Taylor, president of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local No. 7, to sign the agreement to avoid scuttling a convention that will bring 35,000 visitors, millions of dollars in revenue and cast an international spotlight on Denver and the state.
"Jim mentioned to me that he spoke yesterday with Ken Salazar and that he was planning to speak this morning with Bill Ritter," said Jack Finlaw, Denver's director of theaters and arenas. "There is a united front among the states Democrats to get labor onboard for this important convention."
"I spent about a half hour with Jim Taylor...this morning, and I think Jim understands that this is an extraordinarily important issue for the city of Denver," said Finlaw, adding that the mayors other top aides are lobbying regional labor leaders. Taylor said he stressed with Taylor that for decades the stagehands union has had a strong and "very generous" relationship with the city stagehands' union, whose members work city venues like the Colorado Convention Center, the Denver Center for the Performing and Red Rocks.
"They know that theyve certainly done a great job and weve had a great relationship and that this is an important decision that he needs to make in support of the citys efforts to land this convention," Finlaw said.
Taylor couldnt be reached this morning, but metro labor leaders warned that Denver city and business leaders shouldnt ignore the key role unions contributions have played in electing Democrats like Ritter and turning Colorado into a "blue" state.
"The Pepsi Center has been unwilling to engage in a conversation with us," said Leslie Moody, president of the Denver Area Labor Federation. "The way this is being spun is we're holding this up. This is an issue the Pepsi Center could resolve."
Moody said unionizing the arena was a legitimate issue to raise with a Democratic convention.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5224808,00.html
