Meeting News - December 3, 2007 - (Page 10)

Convention Centers Union Campaign About to Sweep Major Cities In Houston, Brown Convention Center is in crossfire; Aramark, possibly others, targeted Houston––Aramark service employees affiliated with the unions Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and Unite Here kicked off a campaign to increase wages and guarantee health care. Following the launch in Houston on Nov. 10, the campaign will target 10 cities, including Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. According to a representative for the unions, about 500 people rallied in Houston, but the Houston Chronicle reported that 250 Aramark workers who serve the George R. Brown Convention Center, the University of Houston, the University of St. Thomas, and Reliant Park marched. The George R. Brown Convention Center, a 1.2-million-sf facility, where 250 Aramark employees work, referred questions to an Aramark representative. “This is a matter between Aramark and its employees. We are certainly watching with interest, but we have no role in the matter,” Peter Radowick, communications manager for George R. Brown Convention Center wrote in an e-mail.“The rally took place a mile from the convention center and did not impact our operations,” he added. The Philadelphia-based food, hospitality, and facility management services firm with 240,000 employees worldwide downplayed the rally. “The SEIU and Unite Here have said that they are looking to organize service workers across the country, regardless of who they work for; they are looking to organize all service workers nationwide,” said Kristine Grow, director of corporate communications for Aramark.“That is a tactic to increase their membership. They have named Aramark because we are a leader in the country, and it really has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the service that we provide or with the treatment of our employees.” The Chronicle reported that workers who marched in Houston claimed that, at $6.30 an hour, their wages are among the lowest in the country and that their health care is not being covered. “Aramark does pay very competitive wages for its industries and for its geographies; most of our employees, both salaried and hourly, have access to health care,” said Grow. She added that the SEIU salary figures that appeared in the Chronicle were incorrect, but was unable to provide Aramark’s own figures. Augusto Serna, a Colombia native who has been working for Aramark for the past three years serving banquets, said he is paid $11 an hour. He does not have health insurance or vacation, and in low seasons he hardly works more than 100 hours a month.“What we want is to have a dialogue with the company,” he said. Edited by Mariana Lemann mariana.lemann@nielsen.com Team San Jose makes McEnery expansion plan official. Plans for San Jose CC Expansion Unveiled San Jose, CA––The McEnery Convention Center will be expanded by 200,000 sf, according to plans unveiled in mid-November by a group of consultants working on the 18-year-old facility. The cost of the expansion hasn’t been fully determined yet, but estimates call for a $250-million price tag. Consultants ruled that the center needs to grow to stay competitive. The convention center overhaul is one of the projects under Team San Jose, a nonprofit organization that took over operation of the facility from a city department in 2004. On Dec. 17, the city council will re-evaluate Team San Jose’s contract. City officials have criticized Team San Jose for missing revenue goals, an argument countered by the organization. The proposed expansion plan would increase the convention center’s space by 30 percent to 880,000 sf. Ballroom space would nearly triple to 60,000 sf, and meeting space would more than double to 64,000 sf. Consultants expect that the a new and larger center would increase annual bookings by 57 percent, increase hotel-room tax revenue by up to $2 million, and pour $50 million into the local economy. H www.meetingnews.com A Service Employees Int’l Union member rallies in Houston. Decision For Lancaster CC, Opposition Undeterred Lancaster County, PA––A sevenmember court decided against a legal dispute by county commissioners meant to undermine an instrumental piece of the $170-million hotel and convention center construction. At the center of the dispute is a 2003 agreement between the county commissioners and the convention center over a $40-million construction bond. Previous commissioners 10 MeetingNews Photo: Houston Chronicle/Nick de la Torre have vowed to repay up to half of the bond, should the developers default on debt payments. But commissioners who followed––Dick Shellenberger and Molly Henderson––have opposed that guarantee with two resolutions, to which developers responded with a lawsuit. Penn Square Partners, the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Lancaster, and the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority are building a 300-room Marriott hotel and a 220,000-sf convention center in downtown Lancaster, both slated to open in 2009. Art Morris, chairman of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority, was quoted in Lancaster Online.com, saying: “We’re just pleased with the decision, hoping that no appeals are made, and can begin a new chapter without looking over our shoulders at lawsuits.” That, however, doesn’t seem likely. Despite the decision in favor of developers, commissioners said they won’t give in. December 3, 2007 http://www.meetingnews.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Meeting News - December 3, 2007

Meeting News - December 3, 2007 Contents What’s Up @ MeetingNews.com MN Webcast Report Successful Meetings University Advertisers Index Live from the Forum

Meeting News - December 3, 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.