Las Vegas firm sues Teamsters

David Strow

Monday, Sept. 27, 1999 | 11:35 a.m.

GES Exposition Services sued the union that represents many of its Las Vegas workers after Teamsters Local 631 hired one of its former top labor relations executives -- a move GES says could jeopardize its relationship with the union.

GES and its parent company, Phoenix-based Viad Corp., are asking for a permanent injunction against Dennis Quish, now a staff attorney for Local 631. Quish served as regional director of labor relations for GES until last September. GES is the nation's largest provider of contract convention and exposition services.

In his current position, Quish is serving as a negotiator between GES and the Teamsters. GES argues that Quish should be permanently blocked from participating in any negotiations between the company and the Teamsters because he is party to numerous, critical labor relations secrets, including strike contingency planning, bargaining strategies and grievance handling procedures. Moreover, Quish advised GES on discipline and discharge proceedings involving union members, GES claims.

The lawsuit accuses the union of "intentionally acting in a way designed to disrupt the contractual relationship" between GES and the Teamsters by using Quish in GES-Teamster talks, and accuses Quish of using his knowledge of GES's labor relations practices in these dealings. This violates a confidentiality agreement Quish signed in 1997, GES claims.

In addition to barring Quish from dealing with GES, the lawsuit also asks for unspecified monetary damages.

Quish and the Teamsters declined to comment.

The suit says GES was informed several months ago that Quish would be participating in certain negotiations between the company and the Teamsters. In one case in August, Quish represented the Teamsters during a disciplinary hearing of an employee -- an employee whose disciplinary actions were recommended by Quish himself. The company also claims that Quish is now representing the Teamsters in the renegotiation of two labor contracts that he helped originally negotiate as a GES employee.

In one conversation, the lawsuit claims, Quish told a GES attorney that he hadn't taken any confidential filings from the company. GES didn't challenge this in the lawsuit, but argued that Quish couldn't be expected to completely forget company information, and should therefore be barred from involving himself in talks with GES.

"GES representatives have a strong perception that they, along with representatives of Teamsters Local 631, have developed a foundation of trust and mutual respect," wrote GES attorney Gregory Smith in a letter to the Teamsters' legal counsel, dated Aug. 24. "Signficant efforts have been made by both sides to establish a better working relationship. All of that may be in jeopardy if a meaningful solution to GES's legitimate concerns about Mr. Quish is not reached."

Smith argued that the request was not asking for too much, since Quish spent less than 10 percent of his time dealing with GES labor issues.

"With Local 631's substantial staff, reassigning that work to another agent seems little to ask, especially given the positive salvaging effect it would have on the relationship," Smith's letter concluded. GES said it received no response to the letter, and that the Teamsters have indicated they intend to continue using Quish in negotiations.