By Kathy Bergen
| Less than 24 hours after the McCormick Place overhaul package became law, the International Home + Housewares Show decided to pursue a new long-term contract at the convention center.
The International Housewares Association’s board voted today to move forward with the negotiations, said Phil Brandl, president of the Rosemont-based organization.
Asked if passage of the restructuring plan swayed the board, which had
been considering moving the show elsewhere, Brandl said, “Absolutely, no
doubt about it.”
Talks with other cities have been suspended at this point, he said.
The show has been a cornerstone of the city’s convention business since
1939.
The real question is “Would you have done the same if the bill WITH the Governor’s changes had been passed.”
If you read the bill, SB3215, as amended, it seems to be written quick and casual. Check out how the board has to be structured, and how vague all the cost constraints are.
And it doesn’t look like the “cost control” issues would have changed much. I always love the add-on to union labor costs stated as “along with a reasonable mark-up.”
And if ”
8 (19) A show manager or contractor shall charge an
9 exhibitor only for labor services provided by union
10 employees on Authority premises on a minimum half-hour
11 basis. ”
isn’t still union-friendly …. 5 minutes still = 30, but at least not 60?
But of course, Quinn was protecting the unions by trying to make changes.