Convention contractor sues union

Grace Leong

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2000 | 11:11 a.m.

GES Exposition Services Inc. sued the union representing its Las Vegas electricians, alleging the union is insisting its members install light bulbs and instigated a Jan. 29 strike over the issue.

The suit said the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 357 incited 25 to 30 of GES's covered workers to strike because GES had assigned work the union believed was meant for electricians to stagehands or workers represented by the International Association of Theatrical and Stage Employees Local 720.

Though the strike didn't delay the Photo Marketing Association's show at the Las Vegas Convention Center, GES is seeking an injunction in a pre-emptive move to stop local 357 from carrying out alleged threats of future strikes at shows where GES is to provide exposition services.

GES attorney Gregory Smith said the company feared further disruptions to its business and the possibility of a secondary boycott if GES didn't take any action now.

GES fears other exhibitors or show managers that don't want their trade shows to be disrupted may take sides in labor disputes and try to persuade GES to give in to the union's demands.

"The union may be trying to expand their own jurisdiction and is therefore claiming the work for their members," Smith said. "But the employer must have some discretion and control over who does the work ... We felt the stagehands did a better job and the work was within jurisdiction of the stagehands ... It is unlawful for the union to strike over that issue."

Mickey Miles, local 357's president, declined comment.

GES, the largest provider of exposition services in North America, said it hired 90 workers who were represented by local 357 to build and install exhibits from Jan. 20-Feb. 8 at Photo Marketing's Feb. 3-6 trade show.

Smith said some local 357 agents had allegedly ordered the stagehands -- who were assigned by GES on Jan. 29 to put light bulbs on an exhibit -- to stop working and the electrical workers' union allegedly took over those duties. He said up to 30 local 357 workers stopped working in protest after GES ordered the stagehands to resume work, but the striking workers ended their protest later that day.

"You don't hire an electrician to put a light bulb in your house. The electricians do the hard wiring and bring electricity to booths that are being erected," Smith said. "But the stagehands work on presentation and appearance within the show room and sometimes they have to work with electrical equipment to do special lighting."

GES accused local 357 of violating a trade show and convention agreement -- which took effect Oct. 16, 1998, and expires June 16, 2000 -- when it allegedly resorted to tactics such as striking to force GES to assign all electrical work to local 357 members, instead of submitting its grievances for arbitration.

Local 357, which comprises 2,500 members, is responsible for establishing power in the booths, setting up electrical signs and lighting and the installation of all electrical equipment that operates the trade shows, said Gary Pitts, the union's business agent.