home

Howard Dean: No DNC Decision Until January

By Jeralyn, Section Democratic National Convention 2008
Posted on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 06:53:00 PM EST
Tags: DNC, convention (all tags)
Share This: Digg! StumbleUpon del.icio.us reddit reddit

Bump and Update: DNC Chair Howard Dean now says he won't decide until early January. Why? Denver still has issues and New York doesn't want it badly enough.

********
Original Post:

Is One Local Union Holding Up the Denver DNC Bid?

The Rocky Mountain News reports that although Denver's Pepsi Convention Center has agreed to employ only union workers for the Democratic National Convention, one local stagehands union is refusing to sign a no-strike contract for the event -- in an attempt to get the Pepsi Center to agree to use union contractors.

That stinks, as I wrote at 5280 today. I hope this union falls in line. They will look very bad if we don't get the DNC contract because of them.

< More on Lethal Injection | Boehlert Nails the Warbloggers >

  • The Online Magazine with Liberal coverage of crime-related political and injustice news

  • Contribute To TalkLeft


    • Display: Sort:
    Howard Dean: No DNC Decision Until January | 9 comments (9 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment

    Workers should oppose the DNC (1.00 / 1) (#3)
    by Andreas on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 04:09:01 PM EST
    First of all it is the Democratic Party which "stinks".

    This is a party which represents the interests of the capitalist class against the working class. For that reason it also supports the criminal war and the Bush/Cheney-regime.

    Workers in Denver should demand that this convention of the Democratic Party does not take place in their city.

    WTF?????????????????????????????????????? (none / 0) (#9)
    by Bill Arnett on Wed Dec 20, 2006 at 12:49:02 PM EST


    Parent
    I don't know (none / 0) (#1)
    by aw on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 03:15:23 PM EST
    What if, after the convention, the Pepsi Center blows off the union?  Will the Democrats support them in return?

    Fall in line? (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 03:32:35 PM EST
    If you ask me...the Pepsi Center should fall in line and use union labor year round....not just for a 2 week facade during the DNC party.

    I don't blame the union for not wanting their workers to be used as two-week window dressing for the supposedly "pro-labor" DNC.

    "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."


    the only way unions get management (none / 0) (#4)
    by scribe on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 04:12:25 PM EST
    to cooperate and negotiate, in today's environment, is to hold them up like this.

    It's just been too long that strikes have routinely been broken, and unions ignored.  That's why many tend to think it "stinks" when unions negotiate with reluctant managment.

    I think the Dems should weigh in for the Union in Denver - the Dems surely owe Labor for all the work (and the $40 mil or so) labor put into this past election.

    I'm not sure if it's IATSE that reps the people in NY, but the convention center is unionized.

    yeah... (none / 0) (#5)
    by kdog on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 05:03:48 PM EST
    scribe...the unions got the same response from the Pepsi Center that I get from my boss when I talk union...that would be silence and the cold shoulder.

    They only know hardball.

    If the DNC ain't in Denver....blame the Pepsi Center for not negotiating in good faith.  And the DNC for caving instead of taking up the union's cause.  They are the "party of labor" right?...lol

    Parent

    No Union - No Democrats (none / 0) (#6)
    by koshembos on Tue Dec 19, 2006 at 09:41:08 PM EST
    It's beyond me, why do the Democrats want to hold a convention in ununionized hall? It's crazy!

    Complaints, complaints (none / 0) (#7)
    by chemoelectric on Wed Dec 20, 2006 at 12:09:01 AM EST
    Complaints, complaints, complaints. That isn't one tenth ... nay, one hundredth as bad as the reason the convention isn't going to be held here in Mpls-St Paul. We're going to have to scrub the whole metro area down with Clorox after the convention season.

    C'mon Dean..... (none / 0) (#8)
    by kdog on Wed Dec 20, 2006 at 07:41:50 AM EST
    gone soft already in your position of power in the party?

    I guess to the Dems, like big business, unions are a nuisance.  They cause "issues".  If they Dems had any principals they wouldn't expect stagehands to sign away their only bargaining chip, their right to strike, to hold their convention.

    If I ran the party, I'd commit to Denver now and then help mediate the dispute.  Show the American people how business and labor can come together to their mutual benefit.  Show America you are the even-handed party that governs for all people. If successful, it would be a positive message for the party to send, a message that the Dems can solve problems and bridge the gap between the two Americas.

    Howard Dean: No DNC Decision Until January | 9 comments (9 topical)

    Readers Must Login or Create an Account to Comment