Meeting News - February 25, 2008 - (Page 34)

Cover Story Expo Center continued from cover dictate the deeds of contract workers. However, a right of entry policy was successfully implemented in 2004 at the Washington Convention Center, in DC. IAEE president Steven Hacker made a clear-cut case for such measures: “Imagine if you just did drugs and you’re 40 feet in the air trying to rig a sign. It’s a potentially alarming, injurious situation.” Further, it’s a widespread problem, he said. According to data from two industry employers, who asked IAEE to safeguard their identities, employees in on-the-job accidents between 2005 and 2007 tested positive in post-accident random drug tests 6.6 and 7.4 percent of the time; more than double the 3-percent average of all employers that perform drug testing. In addition, the unidentified IAEE-member companies tapped for the study showed an uptick in drug use every year for the three years evaluated by IAEE. While alarming, the information likely won’t shock most industry professionals, Hacker said. “In talking to people, no one was that surprised. If you’ve spent any time on a loading dock, you don’t have to be an FBI investigator to figure out what’s going on.” Centers approached by IAEE are open to making the policy change, according to Hacker. However, he declined to cite specific destinations, and when key centers were contacted by MeetingNews, few had mandates governing drug use by outside workers and most were loath to discuss their policies. At Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, the companies that employ the contractors are charged with oversight, according to its deputy general manager, Kathie Canning. “That’s really their responsibility,” she said. Likewise, the Las Vegas Convention Center does not conduct random drug tests for non-employee workers, and a spokesperson there said,“Some genCauston, its general manager. Three of the building’s five major labor groups have agreed to random testing, and the other two are in negotiations. Causton expects one to sign on in the next two months and the other is not far behind. Representatives for New Orleans’ Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, San Francisco’s Moscone Center, and the Los Angeles Convention Center did not respond to MN’s inquiries by press time. After enlisting the help of buildings, IAEE plans to approach its members asking them to adopt random drug testing policies. The association’s luck there may be mixed. Both of the industry’s leading general-service contractors, Freeman and GES, have conducted random drug tests of employees for many years, as do many members of the Exhibit Services Contractors Association, according to a spokesperson for the group. However, several trade show managers who oversee the efforts of these show floor workers did not respond to requests for comment, and one such professional declined to respond. The industry’s other exhibit management association is behind IAEE, said Steve Schuledenfrei, president of the Trade Show Exhibitors Association.“We do not want workers who are impaired on ladders, using powerful tools, connecting electrical circuits, running forklifts, or even carrying trays of hot food,” he said.“I don’t know how rampant the problem is, but just one tragedy would be too many.” r Contact Rayna Katz at rayna.katz@nielsen.com If time “on you’ve spent anyyou a loading dock, don’t have to be an FBI investigator to figure out what’s going on. —Steven Hacker, president, IAEE eral contractors have their own policies.” According to spokespeople at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, building employees, who are subject to random drug tests, perform show floor tasks. The San Diego Convention Center “has limited jurisdiction over other employees working in the center” due to an agreement it has with four major unions. Chicago’s McCormick Place has not run into this stumbling block. “We have not received any resistance from labor unions to do this,” said David ” AD INDEX Advertiser Page Advertiser Page Alabama Bureau of Tourism . . . . . .15 www.meetinalabama.org Barcelo Hotels & Resorts . . . . . . . .18 www.barcelo.com Biltmore Hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 www.BiltmoreHotel.com Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB . . . . . . . . . . .29 www.MeetInBranson.net Colonial Williamsburg . . . . . . . . . .33 www.ColonialWilliamsburgMeetings.com Hong Kong Tourism Board . .10A (insert) www.discoverhongkong.com Kingston Shores . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 www.meetingnews.kingstonshores.com Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority . . . . .36 www.BlueLakeTahoeMeetings.com Long Beach CVB . . . . . . . .2A (insert) www.visitlongbeach.com Rosen Shingle Creek . . . . . . . . . . .23 www.rosenshinglecreek.com St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission . . . . . . . .27 www.explorestlouis.com The Index to Advertisers is published for the convenience of our readers. Every effort is made to list advertisers’ names, web addresses and page numbers correctly. The publisher is not liable for errors or omissions. New Headship for NBTA Foundation Fay Beauchine of Carlson to lead team Alexandria, VA—The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) announced in January that Fay Beauchine, executive VP of engagement & events for Carlson Marketing, will head up the new board of trustees for the NBTA Foundation, as its chairman. Beauchine is a prominent MICE industry player, also serving as co-chair of the 2008 Masters Program, a forum for senior execs in the corporate travel industry, and as VP of the International Society of Incentive Travel Executives Foundation. “I am honored to have the opportunity to advance the NBTA Foundation’s mission to serve the industry through research and education,” said Beauchine. “With an outstanding board of industry leaders, we will continue to enhance the success the foundation has built.” To date, the foundation has released eight major research initiatives and awarded 250 scholarships totaling nearly $1 million. The group was established in 1997. —Emily Carrus www.meetingnews.com 34 MeetingNews February 25, 2008 http://www.meetinalabama.org http://www.BlueLakeTahoeMeetings.com http://www.visitlongbeach.com http://www.barcelo.com http://www.BiltmoreHotel.com http://www.rosenshinglecreek.com http://www.explorestlouis.com http://www.MeetInBranson.net http://www.ColonialWilliamsburgMeetings.com http://www.discoverhongkong.com http://meetingnews.kingstonshores.com http://www.meetingnews.com

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Meeting News - February 25, 2008

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