FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2002Shaw strike is costing Edmonton millions in lost convention businessMajor unions add up cost of labour movement boycott EDMONTON – The labour dispute at the Shaw Conference Centre has already resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in convention business – and if it drags on that figure could easily run into the millions. That’s the message that will be delivered by major unions at a news conference in Edmonton tomorrow morning. "The people who run the Conference Centre have been telling City Council that the strike has had no economic impact," says Les Steel, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour. "But nothing could be further from the truth. Unions have been canceling major events at the Conference Centre since the strike began in May. And, at tomorrow’s news conference, we’ll add up the real cost of that boycott. The amount of lost business is substantial."
At the news conference, information will be presented about large labour movement events that have been or will be held at other venues (in some cases, other cities) as a result of the strike. "Huge amounts of business are being lost – not only to the Convention Centre, but also to businesses in the downtown area," says Steel. "What we’re trying to demonstrate is that there will be a big price to pay if this strike is allowed to drag on." Union leaders participating in tomorrow’s news conference include: Larry Booi, president of the Alberta Teachers’ Association; Jane Sustrik, vice president of the United Nurses of Alberta; Elisabeth Ballermann, president of the Health Sciences Association of Alberta; Les Steel, president of the AFL; and Barrie Regan, from the Carpenters’ Union. -30- For more information contact: -30- For more information call: |