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Team San Jose moves closer to resolving labor dispute
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
By Katherine Conrad, Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal

The San Jose City Council credited Team San Jose CEO Dan Fenton on Tuesday with working through a labor issue that gives Teamsters Local 287 jurisdiction over the San Jose Convention Center.

Fenton gave the council a letter from Rome Aloise, president of the recently formed Teamsters Joint Council No. 7, that said: “Please be advised that Teamsters Local 287 does have the jurisdiction covering the San Jose Convention Center. As joint council president I can assure you that Teamsters Local 85 will not be sanctioned to picket and will not picket any show at the San Jose Convention Center over any jurisdictional issue.”

Last summer, Fenton decided to give the work at the convention center to Teamsters Local 287, based in San Jose, in the interest of providing local jobs, flexible work schedules and cheaper rates, But the decision became controversial throughout the convention industry because companies that set up trade shows already had contracts with Teamsters 85, based in San Francisco.

Fenton told the City Council that a Jan. 11 meeting in Dallas with companies that set up trade shows and conventions had gone very well. Outside the council chambers, Fenton said he does not know what will happen with grievances filed by Teamsters Local 85, but he said he is still researching the issue.

“I’m optimistic a resolution is very close,” Fenton said.

Paul Krutko, chief development officer for the city, said he is confident that “substantial progress has been made” with event organizers to resolve the issues. He said a memo will be sent to the council by the end of the month outlining what steps have been taken.

Councilman Pete Constant, who is the council’s representative on the Team San Jose board, said, “The board gets it. We have had a long discussion about the topic and everyone is very sincere about resolving this.”

Constant said the board is “thrilled” that jobs generated at the Convention Center will now go to Local 287, but he added, “I wish we never would have the controversy along with that.”

Mayor Chuck Reed asked Fenton to return with a status report before the Feb. 28 City Council meeting when the $140 million expansion of the Convention Center will be discussed.

Katherine Conrad can be reached at 408.299.1820 or kconrad@bizjournals.com.